Nine months and a day

Benji is 9 months old now. He has cut 2 teeth and is eating a bunch now. He really is quite an amazing guy. Nearly every food he has been offered he has liked immediately (except carrots which took some time to like). Our schedule has helped a lot and we are now getting sleep. Nap time is still a little bit of a struggle, but we are at least getting two 40 minute naps. I'm hoping we will be able to move bedtime back a bit (it's at 5:30 pm right now) as sleep has improved.

EC is going well and Benji is letting me know in his way when he has to go and he usually waits to have a bm until he is offered the potty. I try to always offer after sleep, when I notice he needs to have a bm, and occasionally other times. He nearly always goes a little but often is dry and goes on the potty. I must say, the best part is not having to change poopy diapers.

Benji is often very adventurous and has been trying to stand independently for some time now. He even can manage to get to standing pushing up on a low basket on the floor.

That's about all for now. Hope everyone is well and enjoying the winter season.

9 month doctors visit

We had our last visit with the doctor we chose before Ben was born. I chose to not change doctors before this visit because of Ben needing to get one of his 6 month shots again (it spilled last time). Everything that happened at the visit reinforced my decision, so next week we will be interviewing a couple of doctors.

Basic stats. 28" long, 18 lbs. 13 oz, 46.5 cm head circumference

We are struggling with Ben and sleep. He has been refusing to nap at times, fighting going to sleep at night and waking often. I have read 2 different books and tried many things. Hopefully something will help him get the sleep we all need. Naps have at least happened this week and I am getting him to bed a little easier. We shall see.

Bumps and Lumps

Ben is getting around like crazy and pulling himself up on everything. He hasn't figured out how to get down yet. So, we have lots of bumps and bruises happening on his head the last week or so. He does seem to have crawling down and runs into things much less while doing that.

I've managed to get the last month's worth of pictures and videos uploaded to Picasa and YouTube.

Our trip to Indianapolis this last weekend was very nice. It was great to see extended family we hadn't seen in 3 or more years. Ben got to meet his Great Grandparents, Great Uncle and some more cousins. He also got to spend nice time with Zayde Mike. Grammy Wendy wasn't able to make it and we all missed her but love the outfits and toys she sent with Zayde.

8 months old

Well, Benji is 8 months old now (as of yesterday). It has been a month of changes for him. He started moving around by rolling and then started fully crawling on Saturday the 8th. Wow, can he get around now (and get into EVERYTHING). He started pulling himself to a stand on the 13th on anything he can get his hands on. He is starting to communicate with us using signs. He has told me he wants to eat and use the potty several times now. He is also eating solids very well and prefers to feed himself, even when the food is fed by spoon. EC is going very well. We had one day where Ben's diaper was dry for nearly the whole day (a bit of wetting when waking from his nap). He definitely looks forward to pottytunities and was upset this weekend when we traveled without the potty and he needed to go.

So, our little guy is now mobile. We are loving Gymboree (which is all about exploring and climbing and learning to move). Jeff and I are doing well. Ben keeps me on my toes and we are finishing up the crawling level of babyproofing. Jeff's work is going well too.

And He's Off

I can no longer look where I left my baby boy and find him. Not even in the same general area. He has realized that movement, almost anywhere he wants to go is possible. He can crawl, with enough motivation (such as getting some kind of electronic like the remote or phone). His favorite mode of movement, other than being carried, is still rolling around.

He continues to be very adorable. As it's getting chillier (I refuse to use the word cold in LA) I realize he needs to start wearing sock, or shoes, or slippers and pants (which is rare when we are just around the house). Today he's wearing the bunny slippers his Grammy got for him. They are absolutely adorable.

As far as other things. Ben is truly enjoying foods and is regularly eating 2 meals a day. We also have been doing very well with EC and regularly catch 3 to 5 pees and at least 1 poop each day. We went nearly a week without a poopy diaper and on Sunday were able to keep a dry diaper from 7 am to sometime during the afternoon nap (probably around 2). However, now that Ben is becoming more mobile, he is a bit impatient and doesn't want to stay on the potty. Hopefully we will be able to continue to catch some eliminations on a regular basis.

Gymboree costume party

On Tuesday we attended one of the costume parties held by Gymboree. We had a lot of fun. Ben dressed up as a turtle (thanks to Aunt Cristin who sent us costumes Taylor and Cody have worn).
More pictures are available on the picasa link to the right. Here are a few favorites.

Movie crazy

Well, I've been a little crazy with making movies of Ben over the last month or so. Friday and Saturday I uploaded 5 to youtube and I took another today. I'll try to load it to the computer soon.

7 months old

Wow, I can't believe a month has passed since I last posted. I still have pics and videos to post, but Benji has been a velcro baby lately (always wanting to be attached to me), we've had a lot going on, and we've had our first illness with baby (nothing serious, just a cold that all of us caught).

Things are going well. No crawling yet. No teeth yet. Lots of enjoying food and enjoying each other though :) I'll add more soon (hopefully) Hope everyone is healthy and happy.

6 months old

Ben is 6 months old today. I'm amazed that 6 months ago today I was unaware as the time passed waiting for Ben to be born (and trying not to scream through the contractions). The time has passed so quickly.

Ben will be starting his next solid today. We took a break after his second time eating broccoli as his system wasn't quite ready. He had broccoli again over the weekend to much more success. Today we will be trying carrots.

Ben is now barrel rolling (front to back to front...) and moving across the floor. He is playing with his toys regularly on his own and passing them back and forth between his hands. He continues to rock on hands and knees and tries to launch himself forward and scoots backwards. He loves to grab anything, especially if it's something someone else has. He regularly grabs my glasses and hair and Jeff's beard. He wants to play with pens, remotes, and phones, which trump any toy that is his.

He giggles at funny noises and faces now. He still loves to be sung to and it is the one way to keep him happy when he is getting tired or grouchy (unless he is hungry). I have more pictures and videos to upload, and will hopefully get them done before the end of the week.

We also went and had our first professional photos done. Ben did wonderfully and the pictures are adorable. I'll be loading a link on here in a few weeks if people want to order some pictures in addition to what I ordered.

I am continuing to love being a mom and am amazed daily by the joy Ben brings to our family.

6 month check-up

Wow, it's been a hectic couple of weeks. Our Internet has not been working well which has made being online tough as well. Ben is doing great. He continues to have good and bad days when it comes to teething. He's becoming more independent with so much. He now is willing to be left alone to play on the floor regularly and often wakes up in his crib and just hangs out talking to himself and playing with his hands and feet.
Ben is moving a bunch now. He is never in the same place I put him in the crib when I go and check on him. He even woke me up one night with all the moving around and running into the crib walls. He can roll from back to stomach and stomach to back but thankfully hasn't figured out that if he does it over and over again he will travel. He is scooting backwards and rocking on his hands and knees and launching himself forwards. He loves to grab anything and everything, but I think his favorite things to grab are my glasses, my hair and Jeff's beard. He interacts with people and toys regularly and has started to enjoy throwing things to the floor and fussing so someone will pick it up. He also fusses if he can't throw it to the floor. He is absolutely amazing. I am truly loving the interaction and playfulness.

So, today was our 6 month well baby check. Ben is doing great. The doctor is impressed with how strong he is. She asked if he could sit up and was amazed that not only could he sit, but he balanced himself as he began to tip. Ben now weighs 16 lbs. 10.5 oz. and is 26" long (although I think he is longer than that). On the charts, he is 50% for both height and weight and 75% for head circumference (17"). He was really good at the office considering it took us 25 minutes to be taken back to a room and then another 45 minutes before we saw the doctor (and that was only because I complained). He seems to be doing okay tonight. No more fussy than he was this morning due to teething despite the 3 shots he had today. We'll see how he's doing tomorrow and if he is running a fever.

First food pics

Okay, now what?
Hmm...
Yummy

All done!

A bit messy, but fun. He had more today and was cleaner and got more of the broccoli in his mouth :D

5 months old

Wow, just wow.

Ben is doing great. He is enjoying his toes and toys. I think he can roll from tummy to back, but only really does it in bed. Sleeping through the night is on and off, depending on how eating goes during the day.

We've run into a string of constant eating and then refusal to eat. I was concerned Ben wasn't getting enough to eat, so he has gotten a bottle on 2 nights over the past week and then I pumped later in the evening. He has also been acting VERY ready for solid foods, watching us eat, grabbing at our plates, not quite seeming content with just breast milk. So, I broke down and let him have his first solids yesterday. We tried broccoli. He had lots of fun playing with the broccoli and got a bit in his mouth. When he got real bites we got a bit of a sour not sure face, but he went back for more, so...I think he likes it. Pics to come soon.

As far as other things, he is now 26 3/4" long. No clue on weight as we don't have a scale (no, not even one for us). Our next appointment is Sept. 2, so we will see what his weight is then.

Rear Facing car seats

On a mothering group I am on, the discussion started about when to turn a little one around to face front. As much as I would love to be able to look in the rear view mirror and see Benji's face, we will be waiting until he has reached the maximum weight his car seat will allow before he is forward facing. I encourage all other mothers, fathers, grandparents and those who love and care for babies to do the same. In the case of an accident, it could save the little one's life.

Here are a couple of you tube videos about why to keep a little one rear facing. It is said much better than I ever could. I am a bit too blunt sometimes.

Ahh, Sleep

We have reached a new milestone and I am really enjoying this one. Ben has begun to sleep through the night. Upon arriving home from MN, I was determined to help Ben sleep better and be able to fall asleep on his own, especially when he wakes in the middle of the night. I started a better bedtime routine with him which he seems to really enjoy and have tried to keep a consistent bed time (around 8 pm). Well in just a few short days, Ben only woke once and was able to get back to sleep with just a little bit of calm talking and patting his tush. On Friday night, despite my waking multiple times to check on him because I thought he should be awake, Ben slept from 10 pm to 5:30 am. Hooray, I was excited but cautious, maybe he was just VERY tired. Last night Ben slept from 8:30 pm until 5:30 am again. We'll see if it continues, but I will definitely enjoy it while I can.

The other nice thing about this is that it has allowed me to pair one of my least favorite activities with one of my favorite. In the morning when Ben wakes up, I let him eat while I pump the nearly engorged other breast. Pumping has always been a task that I did so that Jeff could feed Ben and so that I was able to go and do things without fear of Ben going hungry. It has been nice to have it be relaxing and productive (I can pump nearly twice as much when he is eating than when I am pumping alone).

Yay, sleep.....

Busy, Busy, Busy

Well, our trip to MN was absolutely lovely. Ben did great on both flights, sleeping through them. We had a wonderful time at the wedding and visiting with family and friends while we were in MN. Ben began to play with his toys independently while there and begin giving kisses and cuddling more. We also had an episode of Ben being ill the night before we came home. Nothing too serious, but he did experience Pedialyte for the first time.

Once we got home we went camping on the beach with some friends. It was absolutely lovely and relaxing. Ben did great with his first camping trip and enjoyed looking at the ocean.

Now we're home and the house needs cleaning, laundry needs washing, groceries need to be bought, and I have commitments that need to be met for the Synagogue. Lots to do and a little one who is used to having lots of people around to entertain him and play with him.

On a side note for Bubbe Nee, Ben is doing great sleeping in the crib at night again and even put himself back to sleep after waking up last night. He is fighting naps. He also wants to be held a lot, but we'll get back to normal soon.

Lots of photos from the trip have been loaded by Elysha and Zayde Marc and I will upload ours as soon as I have a chance.

Leaving on a Jet plane

Well, we are off to MN on the red-eye tonight. Hopefully flying will go smoothly. Ben and I will be there for a week and a half.

Ben continues to progress in milestones. He is now rolling from his back to tummy with no problem in both directions (right and left). He has rolled from tummy to back a couple of times. At Gymboree today he sat unsupported for more than 5 minutes. Our little guy is really strong.

I should be able to update while in MN if we have time. Until next time all....

4 months old (yesterday)

Wow!! Our boy is 4 months old. He is so amazing. He is now regularly grasping toys and bringing them to his mouth (to chew on and relieve teething pain), rolls over at will, lifts head when on stomach well and creeps himself while on the stomach. It is really fun to see him actually interact and enjoy his toys. He complains when on his stomach, mainly because he wants to move and it is a lot of work for him. He successfully moved from my belly, over my shoulder and onto the couch today twice while we were cuddling.
Other recent accomplishments are waking only once during the night and sleeping in the crib at night instead of the co-sleeper. Due to my exhaustion and Ben's snacking all night when sleeping near me I moved Ben into his crib during the night about a week ago. He has done well. It was more difficult for me, who has gotten used to hearing him breathe next to me and checked on him umpteen times the first night we slept in separate rooms. Ben has also recently taken to biting. I used to offer him one of my fingers to chew on, but in the last couple of days I have been bitten while feeding, on the lip, and on the arm. Ben also threw himself at me in an attempt to get a mouthful of ??? (maybe cloth). I have decided letting him chew on a finger may be confusing with my telling him not to bite, so we are now offering toys to chew on when he feels the need to bite.
We also had a visit from Grandma Wendy for several days. It was wonderful to see her. Ben enjoyed spending time with her as did Jeff and I. We have some great pictures (taken by Grammy and me) that should be loaded at some point in the near future.
Now we start planning for our first airplane trip. We are headed back to Minnesota to see my folks and go to my cousin's wedding. It's amazing how much more I need to make sure I bring with us with a baby. Luckily, Bubbe Nee is going to borrow a stroller and a few other key items so that we won't need to fly with them. If anyone has any suggestions for flying with an infant, I welcome your advice. I already plan to either feed Ben during take off and landing or give him a washcloth to suck on (as he refuses pacifiers).

More milestones

Ben has healed from his vaccinations. He was quite crabby and uncomfortable for close to 2 days and ran a fever for a day and a half. He is still teething and enjoys chewing on our fingers, his fingers, toys, cloth, just about anything he can get into his mouth.

We had a lovely holiday weekend. We went downtown to see fireworks and have dinner. Ben did just fine while out and the booms didn't seem to bother him. We got to see some friends both Saturday and Sunday which was lovely.

Ben is "talking" more and more. The whining tone has decreased and now usually only means he is unhappy/uncomfortable. Tonight we had the excitement of Ben rolling from back to front. He did it once, but was very close many other times. He was close to rolling front to back yesterday, but hasn't made it yet. He's awake again, so I'm off.

4 month check-up

We had our 4 month visit today. Poor boy got more vaccinations. He cried much more this time around during the shots. He has been sleeping since he calmed down (about 10 minutes after the shots).

He is doing well. The doc commented on how much he is talking, his happy demeanor and his big feet.

• Weight: 14 lbs. 2 oz
• Height: 25 inches
• Head Cir: 17 inches

We pre-dosed Tylenol and will give him more when he wakes if he seems uncomfortable and before bed. We also are gonna do a joint bath (he and I) to get those little legs moving to decrease soreness.

Play date Pics

The boys hangin' out

NT pulling in Ben's bib and rolling over

holding hands?

Our boy has big feet!!

Ben in NT's Jumperoo

Win the Essential Babywearing Stash

Win the Essential Babywearing Stash from Along for the Ride (one Beco Butterfly, one Hotsling baby pouch, one BabyHawk Mei Tai, one Zolowear Ring Sling, and one Gypsy Mama Wrap)

Our first play date

Ben and I went to visit a friend, Sandra, and her 5 month old for a play date yesterday. We had a great time (as Sandra and I always do). The boys are a bit young to do much interacting, but her son was having fun rolling over onto Ben. It was really nice to just sit and chat and talk about baby things from someone who is going through similar things.

I was able to weigh Ben, since they have a scale. He is now 13 lbs. 11 oz. Oh, and he is also able to wear a couple of 6 to 9 month outfits without looking like he is swimming in them.

Other updates....Ben is fighting naps. I have come to count on this time to get some stuff done, have some time free, and not have him in my arms. I think it may be the pre-teething that is making him uncomfortable. The only time he naps anymore is in my arms. He wakes within 5 minutes of being put down. He is also sitting, unsupported for 4 to 7 seconds. Not much, but quite good for his age. He is also regularly rolling to his side from his back, sucking on 3 fingers (on both hands, no choice of which 3 and sometimes from both hands at once), and playing with rattles and grasping them a bit.

We have some fun pictures from the play date, but no time to upload them now. They will be coming soon.

FMS update

Well, I wasn't completely positive about it until a friend who has trained to be a massage therapist gave me a massage, but, I am still in remission from the Fibro. It was very strange during the massage to realize there were no trigger points or tender points being aggravated. Today (the morning after), I'm not writhing in pain or more uncomfortable than I was before the massage.

Ben's doing well, nothing really to update on.

Tummy time

Ben has been resistant of tummy time often. We still encourage it, but don't force it. At Gymboree, there is tummy time each class with a mirror and seeing all the other babies. We have used a bolster to help him be able to hold up his head. and he has been comfortable doing this for increasingly longer times.

Today, while playing with Ben on the floor, I rolled him to his tummy and he lifted his head up better than I have ever seen him do without a bolster. YAY!!!

Ben Standing

3 months old and EC

Benjamin turned 3 months old on Monday. He is doing quite well. His pre-teething continues. We are getting lots of drooling, putting his hands in his mouth, and wanting to put our fingers in his mouth. He bites quite hard when given the chance. Ben has begun to be able to entertain himself for longer periods of time. He is playing with his hands and enjoys playing in his gym. A few days ago, Jeff and I were in the kitchen while he was playing in his gym on the floor and he made a complaining cry. When we came in to see what was the matter he smiled up at us and kicked the ball on his gym. It was very cute that he wanted us to pay attention to what he was doing. He has also been scooting himself across the floor a bit on his back when playing in his gym. We continue to enjoy Gymboree and are learning lots of fun things that we are able to do at home as well that help him with his development. He is beginning to hold his toys for short periods of time and bring them to his mouth to explore them. His smiles and giggles are such a reward everytime we play with him and he has started "talking" to us.

I have been interested in practicing EC since before Ben was born. For those who are unfamiliar with it, EC stands for Elimination Communication. Just as parents learn to read their baby's signs for sleep and hunger, they can also learn to read their baby's signs for needing to eliminate. In fact, most parents already know what some of these signs are, such as the straining facial expression or the telltale grunting and bearing down that precede a soiled diaper. Practicing Elimination Communication (EC) is just a matter of responding a little differently to these signals from your baby by taking your baby to the potty. To find out more about EC, you can check out the website Diaperfree Baby.

I did a lot of reading about EC and decided that we would take a laid back, part-time attitude towards it. My main goal is to help Ben be aware of his body functioning. It has taken me a few months to feel that we are really making progress. Ben rarely makes any sort of signal that he is going to eliminate, but I can often tell when he is going. Recently, a pattern has become apparent that has made a more conscious effort of EC an option. Ben also has become comfortable being held in a way that allows for us to practice EC more effectively. We have been able to make increasingly more catches each day and Ben smiles each time he is offered a "pottytunity" (any opportunity to potty the baby).

Each day offers new excitement and rewards.

Getting out and about

We've had an active few weeks. We are getting back in the hang of things and thus had Cat over for Shabbat dinner. We set up Ben's highchair, and although he is not able to sit unassisted as required by the instructions, we have worked it out.

That Saturday Ben and I went to a Girl's Lunch and Tea which was quite enjoyable. Lots of just hanging around having adult conversation.

Ben and I started going to Gymboree last Tuesday. He really seems to enjoy going and seeing the other babies. I like having somewhere to go twice a week. We also decided to brave going to a two day event in Bakersfield (about 2 hours away) over the weekend. This required me to get some sewing done for both Ben and myself. I started on Sunday and I managed to get an outfit mostly completed for me (finished the closures on site and still need to hem the skirt) and a shirt and had done for Ben. Getting the sewing done in a weeks time was a bit of a challenge. I managed to sew while Ben napped and a couple of times while he just hung out in his high chair or swing or on Jeff when he was around and awake. Friday, Cat was kind enough to watch Ben while I got my hair cut and then we decided to get together for Shabbat dinner. Cat was kind enough to offer up her home and cook a lovely meal. I got little sewing done there, but it was nice to have a break. We got home and Ben headed right to bed while I finished up what machine sewing I needed to do. I ended up staying up too late between sewing and packing getting to bed around 2 am. We got up around 5:45 so that we could hopefully be on the road by 6:30.
We carpooled and our rider was a bit late getting here on Saturday morning, so we had everything packed and ready to go once he arrived. We got on the road at 7 and made it to the site by 9. Knowing I had a baby who would be unlikely to sit quietly for any lengthy time, I spent most of the day in the lobby talking with friends and caring to Ben's needs. Unfortunately, it was quite warm and since the doors remained mostly open, the AC did little to help. By about 5, Ben was tired, overheated, and hadn't eaten well most of the afternoon, so we headed to check into the hotel. Ben then alternated between sleeping and eating for several hours while the 5 of us (Jeff, me, Eric, Cat and Kim who was visiting from MN) hung out in the room. We headed out to get some dinner. We got back and Ben was quite awake for a bit. He and I finally got to sleep around 11 while the others hung out in the room.
In the morning we got up and headed to breakfast and then to site. We joined Lyondomere for the day under their shade. Despite the heat (in the 90's) I was able to keep Ben cool by wetting his hat.

He slept and visited all day. We got to watch Jeff in each of his fights and he ultimately won the tournament. The day went longish and we didn't get on the road till 7:30. Jeff had to be at work by 11, so we knew we needed to get going on our 2 hour trip. We got packed up and on the road, but Ben was quite fussy. We ended up pulling off to get gas and try to get Ben comfortable. I fed him again, changed his diaper, and then put him in his car seat and wrapped a blanket around him so he felt swaddled. He was asleep before we even got onto the freeway again and slept until we were almost home. Once home he ate and went straight to bed while Jeff left for work and the rest of got some nourishment and then talked a bit.
Monday, I got some laundry done and then Ben and I went out around Long Beach with Kim. That evening we went out to dinner. Ben was not his usual happy self in the Moby and at dinner, so it was an interesting meal. We packed up Kim's stuff into the car after dinner, Jeff dropped Ben and I at home and then took Kim to the airport.
Yesterday Ben and I went to Gymboree, but otherwise stayed home choosing to skip the fighter practice we usually go to with Jeff.

Short movie

Ergo Carrier

I just entered to win an Ergo Carrier at Along for the Ride. You can too at Win a Free Ergo Baby Carrier from Along for the Ride

Quick update

Well, we have hit some pre-teething with Ben. He's been drooling a bunch and chewing on our fingers whenever he can. He was also miserable Sunday and Monday. He wouldn't let us put him down, but was still unhappy when being held. Luckily, he started feeling better yesterday and even better today.

I got the items Jeff and I painted on our date. I am really happy with how they turned out.



Lastly, on Sunday, we were at a friend's home and weighed Ben, with clothing and diaper on. I stepped on the scale, looked at the weight, then took Ben and noted the difference. With a diaper and clothes he now weighs 12.8#, so I would bet he is close to 12 1/2 lbs by now.

Off to bed. New pics have been added to Picasa.

Our first date

...since Ben was born was yesterday. Our wonderful friend Theresa offered to "steal the baby" from us for a few hours, so, I had my first extended separation from Benji since he was born. It went very well. I may have been overly prepared, writing down almost everything including the address and phone number of where we were planning on spending most of our time.

It only took us 10 minutes to get out the door once we oriented T to where things are and some of the things Ben enjoys and things that help him calm down. We must have said "call us if you need to" at least a dozen times.

We headed down to 2nd Street in Long Beach. We were both ready for a late lunch (it was after 2:30 when we left the house) and decided to head to a Greek restaurant, Georges. I ordered a glass of wine, since it would be over 4 hours before I fed Ben again. I am quite a lightweight these days as I was tipsy before I was halfway through the glass. We had a lovely meal and headed over to Color Me Mine to paint some pottery. We had a tough time deciding what to paint, both item and design. We finally decided to paint a plaque that can be used as a trivet or a Challah plate on Shabbat and a wine glass that can be used as a Kiddish cup. We decided on a tree theme for the cup and that carried over to the Challah plate as well. I worked primarily on the cup while Jeff did most of the work on the plate, but we worked together, encouraged each other and had a great time. I can't wait to pick them up on Wed. so we can see how they turn out once they are fired.

We got home a little more than 4 hours after we left. Theresa was just finishing giving Ben his bottle. We managed not to call and I truly didn't really think about calling once we started painting. Apparently he cried for a short time after we left and then napped on Theresa as she relaxed on the couch. He slept 3 hours and ate over 5 oz from a bottle just before we got home.

It was a very nice time out. We look forward to our next chance. I'm very glad Ben took the bottle so well. I've tried giving him one on a couple of occasions and he fights it, but that is likely because he knows he can nurse with me and would rather do that.

I'm gonna swaddle you!

This is a common "threat" in our home for the last month and a half.

Swaddling is a wonderful thing that Ben has come to appreciate. When he is crying inconsolably for any length of time, especially if we suspect he is tired, we often swaddle him with one of these swaddling blankets. Twice today when he has been tired, fighting sleep, and crying I have swaddled him to a wonderful result. First he calmed down and lay in his crib cooing and smiling at us. Later, I swaddled him and he nearly immediately fell asleep. He stops crying now as soon as the first side is wrapped around him.

We also always swaddle him when he goes to sleep, otherwise he will start awake after a very short time. I prefer to use the Swaddle Baby, but when it is very warm or sometime during the day at nap times I just swaddle him in a receiving blanket. This only works for wrapping his arms, as he is too long and will kick any attempt to restrain the legs with the blanket. I often use a second blanket for his legs.

I now realize that with the heat of summer I need to make new linen blankets so that Ben can have the comfort of being swaddled with out the heat of the flannel blankets. I purchased one Swaddle Baby and was able to use it to make a pattern and make two more, so making one out of linen or cotton won't be too difficult. It's just finding the time and energy to sew.

The original Swaddle Baby:

The 2 blankets I made:

Busy day to day

Well, I've been meaning to update for a while now, but life has run away from me a bit and time online has been a low priority.

Ben and I returned home late Sunday night (May 4) after the exterminator came and Ben had no problems. I could still smell the insecticide and feel it in my lungs, but the reaction was quite minor. The good news is we have had NO ants since then (YAY!!)

We have gotten into a routine around here and on days that it is disturbed in one way or another leads to more tears and fussiness. We generally get out of bed sometime around 8 or 9, Ben eats then I pump while Ben hangs out in the bouncer seat next to me sometimes happy and others crying. Jeff also sometimes gets time to play with Ben in the morning when we are just getting up and Jeff is just coming to bed. That seems to be Ben's most playful and happy times. Once I have finished pumping, I pick Ben up, calm him down if he's been crying and we read a story (our current book is Stories for Children by Isaac Bashevis Singer). Ben either falls asleep while I read and rock, or I then rock him until he is close to being asleep, swaddle him, and place him in his crib for a morning nap. While he naps, I usually try to get something around the house done, laundry, dishes, general cleaning, etc. This nap is between an hour or two and when he wakes up he eats and then we have been going for a walk, except on days where it is just too hot outside or we have errands to run. After our walk, we usually play a bit, doing time on the floor on a nice big blanket. Usually around 1 or 2 p.m. it is time for another nap. This time I usually join Ben and so we just curl up on the couch together and fall asleep after he eats. Jeff wakes up sometime between 3 and 5 p.m. (depending on what time he got home and to sleep) and we spend some family time together. Jeff finally gets to see Ben when he isn't all fussy and crying all the time. Ben usually is ready for bed between 9 and 10 p.m. After he eats I swaddle him and place him in his bassinet (usually awake). He puts himself to sleep with little or no crying. He usually wakes up two to three times during the night. He eats and goes back to sleep.

We've had a couple of days where for one reason or another Ben hasn't gotten his naps (sometimes because of errands, sometimes because he refuses to sleep) On these days, by the time Jeff wakes up, Ben is fussy and crying inconsolably. One day in particular, Jeff managed to get him to go to sleep around 3 or 4 p.m. after no naps at all during the day and marathon eating (every hour or less) Ben slept continuously until 9:30 p.m. waking once to eat. He was awake until 11 when we went to bed and he slept all night, waking only twice to eat.

Life definitely feels like it is falling into place. I am getting things done around the house, getting errands run, and even managed to go grocery shopping with Ben for the first time since he was born (Thanks to Jeff who has been doing all the grocery shopping for me). Most days I am able to make dinner while Ben either enjoys his swing or Jeff holds him. Jeff, Ben and I have been going to a fighter practice (SCA sword fighting for Jeff) together on Tuesdays about 20 minutes from the house.

The most tiring thing seems to be Ben's eating habits. Many days (especially in the evening) it seems like he is constantly eating. I feed him for 10 to 15 minutes until he decides he is done or he is pulling off and screaming and then within 30 minutes he is crying and hungry again and we the same happens. The good news is he is gaining weight just fine and seems to get what he needs that way, it just makes it difficult to get anything done and it feels as if all I do is feed him.

Well, I'm off to do some dishes and get some things done before Ben wakes from his nap.

A weekend away

Well, our apartment complex seems to have a problem with water ants. Many of the people I have spoken with have the same problem where the ants look for water, and some proteins and sugars, but don't respond to traps. Others spray occasionally in their home for it. Because of my allergy to insecticides, I spoke with the management and arranged for the exterminator, who comes out once a month, to come and spray, since it will keep the ants away for a long period of time (last time it was over a year before they came back). So, on Friday, the exterminator came to the apartment to spray.

Due to my allergy and Ben's age, he and I arranged to stay at a friend's home this weekend (Cat and Mel's place). I was concerned how Ben would do in new surroundings for an extended period of time. I packed a number of bags, one with all diapers and diaper related things, one with clothes and other needed things for Ben, and one for my things.

The stay has been going quite well (we are still there and will either return home later tonight or sometime tomorrow morning). Ben has dealt well with not having his bassinet to sleep in (he likes to sleep right next to the wall) and has been okay sleeping on the bed next to me. Luckily, there is very little to worry about as far as him falling out or me rolling over on him as the bed is a low mattress on the ground and it is a double bed, so there is plenty of room for both of us.

Yesterday we went and spent the day with Alan and Theresa (and Jeff). I was concerned with being out and with others Ben may have trouble sleeping, but it was one of our better nights, sleeping 5 hours before waking to eat and then another 3 hours. Today is much more relaxed and Ben is currently sleeping in his favorite place (the Moby) as we walked to a local restaurant for breakfast.

I'm looking forward to getting back home to return to our routine and not have to live out of bags. I am also excited to not have to fight the ants constantly.

Update on the vaccinations: Ben did very well. I dosed him with Tylenol at the doctor's office before the shots and gave him more as he would get unusually fussy when the effectiveness wore off. He wouldn't let us put him down at all, was unhappy being in the Moby or putting any pressure on his legs. He woke up the next morning back to himself.

6-week Check-up

Today Ben saw the doctor again for his 2 month vaccinations. He is doing well. He now weighs 10 lbs. and was measured at 22 1/2 inches, however I'm pretty sure he's taller than that (probably closer to 24" by my measuring).

Ben got 3 shots and an oral dose of vaccination. He did very well with the shots and is only a little more fussy than usual. The doctor is impressed with the fact that Ben is gaining so well with simply breastfeeding. She also commented on his skin and asked if we were using lotion, nope, he's just got good skin :).

Hopefully tonight won't be too difficult and he won't be too uncomfortable from his shots.

Oh...and one bit of squee news for me...I fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans today. Only 5 lbs. till I'm back to pre-baby weight. YAY!!!

Smiles

We have been getting pretty regular smiles for the last week or so. It's so wonderful!!


Ben is also chattering more and sleeping better on his own, including putting himself to sleep with little to no soothing from me.

He doesn't like all the hot weather we've been having, and I don't blame him. He went to his first SCA event (classes) on Saturday and was pretty uncomfortable because of the heat, so ended up in nothing but his diaper.

One Month Old

Ben is one month old today. He continues to do well but is less and less willing to be put down right now, which has made nights a bit more difficult again.

Some milestones:
He has started grasping things, including fingers and hair (both my hair and Jeff's chest hair)
He continues to hold his head off our shoulder with longer and longer intervals.

I have uploaded all photos that we have taken or were taken by the grandma's onto a new Picasa account. Feel free to check them all out.

I will be loading some more pictures in the near future of one month old pictures :)

Four weeks old

Wow, time sure flies with a newborn. It's amazing to think that he was born 4 weeks ago. Life is still revolving around feeding him and just trying to get by, but I have more energy than I did even at the beginning of last week and was able to get out and do some needed shopping yesterday :)

Our biggest hurdle right now are some feeding issues. I had plugged ducts early in the week (ow), which lead to feeding off of both breasts during each feeding. This brought on some issues of hyperlactaion causing reflux for Ben. He would eat, be full but want to eat more because it calmed the burning sensation as he swallowed. This cause lots of spitting up and discomfort (both from reflux and being overful). He would also cry as if he wanted to eat, but not latch on and cry while feeding. After a bit of research last night we think we have found the problem. Things have been better the last 4 feedings, so hopefully that was the culprit.

While dealing with all of this, we offered Ben his first bottle last night. He drank an ounce, not a full feeding, but he had been nursing not long before.

I found one of the keys to getting anything done with Ben is to put him in the moby wrap. We first put him in it when he was 9 days old and he immediately took to it. It has been a lifesaver when going out to eat as we don't have a baby carrier carseat. He loves to be held and will often cry when put down, so it helps me to have free hands to do things like wash dishes and just generally clean up.

Well, Ben has woken up and needs some attention. More soon.

Our growing boy

A couple of quick things while Benji is sleeping:

He has outgrown his Newborn outfits that have feet because he legs are too long and his feet are too big. Our boy has large hands and feet and long arms and legs. His feet are over 3" long.

We finally made it back to the doctor's office for a weight check (yes, that makes 4 visits there in 15 days since we came home from the hospital). The doctor is very pleased. The rash he had has gone away, his eyes are looking good, he is healing from the bris well and he gained 13 oz. in 7 days. Ben now weighs 8 lbs. 2.5 oz (or he did at 4 something p.m. on April 3rd).

He continues to eat quite well and sleeps well too. The last two nights he slept in the co-sleeper instead of on mom or dad for the majority of the night.

In other news, we have a wonderful neighbor who has been cooking for us and is bringing over some casseroles to top off the cupcakes she made for us a few days ago.

Oh, and Benji had his first full bath last night. He really seemed to enjoy floating in the water with me just supporting his head. It's all the little things like that that are so amazing. **sigh**

Links to pictures

Pictures on Cat's site

Pictures on Kodak Gallery -- You don't need to sign in to view, just click view slideshow.

The current status of things

All continues to go well. We have been blessed with a baby who cries little and loves to be held. We have been working on giving him opportunities to spend time lying a variety of places on his own, both at night and during the day.

He is growing and eating lots. Despite the doctor's initial concern about weight gain (or loss), on Thursday he weighed 7 lbs. 5 oz., only 2 oz. shy of his birth weight. He has likely met or surpassed that today. He changes daily, as newborns do and loves to look around at things during his awake aware times.

We have 2 days alone, as the grandparents have headed home or off on short vacations in California. It has been very wonderful to have the help and support of our mothers during this transition phase and there are a couple of things that will likely be challenging until my incision heals, but we will get by.

Jeff goes back to work Sunday night/Monday morning, so I will have my nights alone and my daytime with him sleeping. I'm not too concerned about night time, as long as Benji continues to sleep relatively well. We really have only had 2 tough nights, the night after his bris and the night after we went to fighter practice. The hardest part about that has been that while I am still partially asleep, he is crying and not willing to eat. I find I'm just not awake enough to realize that maybe something else should be done to calm him. It is coming along and things will hopefully be not too bad.

The bris was lovely and our mohel was great. We had a small ceremony at home with close friends and family. Benji did amazingly well during the whole thing and there are great pictures to be uploaded in the near future.

So much to say

I have so much I want to post about and share and not enough time or energy to do it.

All is going well. We are so in love and amazement at the moment.

Some of the topics I hope to post on sometime in the future are:
labor and delivery
our wonderful nurses
Food issues in the hospital
Waiting for test results to go home
coming home
our first doctor's visit (the day after we came home)
lactation consultants (ahh how wonderful)
Stupid Bouncers
My amazing husband

I'm sure the list will grow before I am able to conquer it, but I wanted to get the list down so I have things to trigger my memory when I get around to it.

I'll end with some pictures for your enjoyment.

Quick update...more to come soon

We are all home now.

All 3 of us are exhausted. We head back to see the doctor tomorrow to check on Ben's jaundice, hopefully it will have resolved a bit. We are just happy to be at home and be able to sleep in our own beds.

For those who have not gotten all the information: Benjamin Maurice Jacobson was born at 8:37 p.m. on Sunday 16th of March weighing 7 lbs. and 7 oz. and measuring 21 inches in length.

More information to follow but for now, I'm off to feed Ben and rest some more.

headed to the hospital...again

hopefully this is it.

Beware the Ides of March

Well, contractions have continued, gotten stronger, to the point where we headed into the hospital about 3 a.m. We were put on the monitors and I was examined to find out we have made little to no progress since the doctor's office despite hours of what I felt were stronger contractions. I was monitored for an hour and then sent home, them saying there is nothing that can be done unless we want to induce.

We got home around 5 and I was able to get to sleep for a bit (not sure when). Contractions are still here, but maybe not as regular, I'm not sure, we've stopped timing them for now.

So, my current plan is to rest as much as possible and try to stay as comfortable as possible. Get out and take a few walks and continue to encourage this little one to come and play.

Late night post

Well, I have proceeded to have contractions continuing throughout the day. Once Jeff came home he started timing for me and they were 10 minutes apart. They now vary between 3 and 8 minutes, occasionally as short as 2 minutes. They are getting stronger and have continued with naps and whatnot waking me up with each one. Maybe things are progressing, we will see.

What else to say?

Still here, still pregnant. Feeling crappy today. Barely slept last night.

**Update 10 am**
Jeff's home from work. Feeling a bit better or at least dealing with it better.

40 week appointment

Went to my appointment. Got my vitals taken, all looks fine. Then got to do fetal monitoring. In the beginning Roo was quite quiet (if fact, he has been most of the day, until now), but the doctor was able to get a couple of nice areas of movement so he was happy and it didn't take too long. No contractions.

I then had my cervix checked and we have progressed maybe a little since the last time it was checked 2 weeks ago. We discussed what will happen as time goes on some more. The doc would be very surprised if Roo decides to show this weekend. So, we have an appointment set for Monday at 3:30 for more monitoring at which time we will also have an ultrasound to check fluid levels.

Sigh. Must learn to be patient and make some plans for this weekend.

Hanging in There.

So, I am actually not going completely out of my mind. I have acclimated to the fact that contractions, even regular ones for a long period of time do not mean Roo is arriving today. I've been finding things to do to keep myself busy. Jeff is back working on his show, so that has made for a happy change.

We see the doctor today for our 40 week check-up. News when we get home from that.

Still here

I'm awake at the bright and early hour of 5 a.m. today. I feel like I got some things accomplished yesterday including a 2 hour walk at the mall. Came home a bit worn, rested on the couch. Today I may head out to a park and meet up with some folks or go walk a different mall.

Due Date

Yes, due dates are an approximation. I've been told I need to keep updating daily by Jeff or he starts to get lots of "did she have the baby" phone calls. Had a few contractions last night, but they stopped after I went to bed. Today I think I may actually try to be somewhat productive and get out of the house again, maybe walk the mall.

still no baby

Uncomfortable, but no contractions :(

No baby yet

No baby, no regular contractions. Got a full night of sleep (ah, sleep). Today's plan is to get some stuff done, go see some people, maybe run some errands.

Maybe today?

Yesterday we were finally able to get the child restraint seats inspected to make sure they are installed properly. Upon finishing, we went to get a bite to eat and I had a contraction. Jeff joked that I had just been waiting for this one final thing to be done before I could have the baby. Once I got home, I had a few braxton hicks, was nauseous and needed to use the restroom often. I made dinner and we had a very nice relaxing dinner. Once dishes were cleaned, Jeff and I decided to watch a movie. Around 8:30 or 9 pm, contractions started pretty regularly at 10 to 12 minutes apart. Since then they have continued regularly, gotten closer and stronger. They are now coming about 5 minutes apart, but not so strong that I feel the need to rush to the hospital. So, maybe Roo will come out and play today...or at least sometime soon.

**Edit Noon**
Well, I managed to get about 4 hours of sleep and contractions stopped. I woke up and started moving again and they started up again, but further apart. It appears if I am to the point of sleep they stop, but once I wake again they start. I've since napped twice. HMMMM.

Doc appointment

Had my 39 week appointment this afternoon. It was quite routine. Weighed, blood pressure taken, urine test, belly measured, heart beat listened to via doppler. Everything looks good. The doctor thinks this weekend (maybe even tomorrow) would be a good day for Roo to be born and he hopes to see us before our next appointment which is scheduled for next Thursday. If I'm still pregnant then, we will start looking at monitoring to make sure the baby is still happy and fluid levels haven't dropped too much. Hopefully we won't go too much longer.

How to calm a Roo

Well, we had an interesting evening last night. Around 5 pm I noticed a distinct increase of leaking fluid, showered and changed thinking it might not be anything, but when 15 minutes later I seemed to still be leaking something I decided it was time to head into the hospital to be safe and make sure my water hadn't broke.

I wake Jeff up around 6 and told him I wanted to head to the hospital to get checked out in case my water has broke and we need to start labor. He gets dressed and off to the hospital we go. Both of us obviously a bit excited and nervous. I'm most nervous about the idea that if my water has broke then we are likely looking at induction and a higher chance of cesarean. Jeff is manages to miss nearly every street we usually take to get to the hospital and we end up on the freeway instead.

We arrive at the hospital, get checked in and are lead to a room within 15 minutes. I tell the nurse what I've done so far and that there is a distinct increase of leaking, however no gushing, so one nurse begins my history (with many wows regarding allergies and the fact my list won't fit in the slots on the computer) while the other gets me hooked up to the monitors and begins preparing for the exam. All this takes about 15 more minutes and 2 things are confirmed. 1) My water has not broke, nothing to worry about there, and 2) We have a very active baby. The nurses go away making comment that the baby needs to calm down a bit before we can be discharged. She then pokes her head in and lets us know there is a shift change and she will be leaving.

We see no one for close to an hour. Roo continues at a normal high level of activity and I now need to go to the bathroom. Both Jeff and I are more than ready to go home and don't quite understand why we are waiting around, Roo is always active and not likely to rest, especially when hooked up to an ultrasound. We call the nurses station, I am unhooked from the monitors so I can use the restroom and by the time I am done our nurse has come in to reattach the monitor and check on things. She states that 10 minutes of quiet rest are needed before she can let us go home and that in the past they have had to keep people overnight because of an overly active or inactive baby. We again discuss that this is completely normal for our little one and she encourages me to relax and do anything I can think of to try and get Roo to fall asleep for a bit. SIGH!!

While lying there, I get onto my side and get as comfortable as possible, not wanting to move and keep Roo awake. We try turning off the lights, but the button doesn't work. The nurse had suggested singing lullabies and seeing as we brought our I Pod, I decided to do the next best thing. My "normal" routine when going to bed and being restless is to turn off lights and turn on a specific CD I find relaxing. So, I decide to drape my belly with my sweatshirt (hoping to make things darker for Roo) and place one of the two earplugs for the I Pod on my belly, the other in my ear. I lie there, listening to my music and the changes in Roo's heartbeat, hoping to have 10 minutes of quiet time so we can go home.

Roo's heartbeat fluctuates quite a bit and movement comes and goes, but never doesn't go for more than 2 or 3 minutes at a time. At about 9 pm, Jeff, at this point restless and VERY hungry (he didn't eat before we came in, as I figured if my water had broke, he could go get food in the cafeteria once I was examined and if it hadn't we could go get food together) and decides to go and get something to eat. I tell him no problem and in walks the nurse saying "So, do you want to go home?" Apparently, after one of the longer quiet periods for Roo she had called the doctor and gotten the okay to send us home. She was able to count up 6 or 7 minutes of sporadic quietness and thus had the needed "baseline" to determine a resting heart rate without any outside influence on the monitor. She again reiterated that this is not a completely uncommon occurrence and trying to get a baby to calm down, as frustrating as it can be, is much better than having an overly quiet baby and not being able to let patients go home for that.

It was close to 9:30 by the time we finally got discharged and out of the hospital and we both needed food. We got to a restaurant 10 minutes before the kitchen closed and were able to get our order in and eat something and finally get home. The funniest part of the story is that during the entire time on the monitors (from about 6:30 to 9) I didn't have one contraction, however, as I am finishing my meal I have one, pretty good strength contraction. Jeff jokes about going back to the hospital and I am not so amused, as it is still hurting.

We get home and are able to relax for a bit before Jeff heads off to work. It's amazing how tiring it can be to lie in a bed and try to calm an overly active baby.

One week?

One week left until we hit the due date. I am ready to no longer be pregnant and to meet our little one. I was awoken this morning with contractions about 15 minutes apart, however they have gone away. Our next doctor's appointment is Thursday and our doctor is back in town as of yesterday. I have one of the sewing projects complete and one almost there along with one knitting project in process. I'm trying to remain relaxed and do things to help the encourage the little one to come out and join us, including talking to him often about coming out to play. So, the waiting game continues. I'll update again after my OB appointment on Thursday (assuming nothing happens between now and then)

2 weeks

We have just under 2 weeks until our due date. Things are progressing slowly. I saw my OB's partner today. She is quite nice and has mostly the same philosophy as our Doc, so if Roo decides to come early we should have the delivery we want (baring unforeseen circumstances). But, if Roo decides to wait until Monday, our doctor will be back in the country. The visit was quick and easy as usual. The doctor commented on how there seem to have been no problems or complications with the pregnancy (YAY!). Heart rate sounds good still, Roo is still in head down position, but is still high. There has been progress since my exam 2 weeks ago though, we are at 40% effacement and 1 cm dilation.

In other news, we continue to make progress towards getting things done to be more ready than we are now. I've picked up the last things I need for our labor goody bag. I have our list of phone numbers prepared and our list of addresses and email addresses nearly set for baby announcements. I've filled our freezer as full as it will get with frozen meals and meat for easy meals once Roo arrives. This week I plan on doing some sewing and knitting for Roo. I am making a couple of swaddling blankets based on Swaddle Baby (http://swaddlebaby.com/), a couple of pillows using the valence from the bedding set we purchase, and I have ordered some Alpaca yarn to make soakers and knitted pants. I am to the point where there is nothing else that NEEDS to get done, so hopefully I can relax and allow nature to take it's course. The last thing that is needed will be delivered tomorrow, the diapers and diaper pail from our service :)

Pictures

Here's some pictures of the Nursery:





And pictures of my growing belly. Jeff swears that the belly grew since last night :)
Me with my belly and new glasses
Bare belly

Productive week

Well, Jeff had to take the week off, so we made a list and were quite productive. Yesterday (Thursday) he ended up having to work, so that list is still unfinished, but the rest of the week has been quite productive.

Last Friday I went shopping, more to walk around than get much done. I was able to pick up some PJ's, a robe and some other small items that will be useful once Roo arrives.

The weekend was mostly quiet, as many friends were out of town. We made our list of what the week was to entail.

So since Monday here is the list of things accomplished:
The nursery is all finished. We put up decorations and decided where some homeless items will live. The closet finally got the last of the organization I wanted to get done, so it now has room for baby things. Pictures will be taken and posted later today.
I have conquered Mt. Washmore (laundry) and it is nearly gone. I've been able to keep up with our clothes for a bit now, but linens and towels have taken over a bit as they seem to get low priority on the need to be washed list.
Our bedroom has been cleaned and reorganized in order to have room for the bassinet/co-sleeper. The co-sleeper is all set up and ready to be used.
More shopping was had to purchase some snacks for Jeff and our support friends that will be helping us at the hospital, speakers for our computer, groceries and various things to be frozen and easy to prepare when Roo is here and we are exhausted.
The one item on our list that has been ignored is completing some sewing. I have 2 projects I would like to have done before Roo arrives. One is to make some swaddling blankets (fabric is purchased and washed, just needs to be cut, bias tape made, and sewn). The other is to turn the valance that came with our bedding set into pillows. Backing fabric has been purchased and washed, as well as pillow forms being purchased, now thing need to be cut and sewn. There is also other non-baby sewing that we would like to do, but it hasn't been made a priority.

We have finished the prenatal classes we signed up for. This past week was by far the hardest as medications and possible procedures were discussed in great detail in the class. I am happy I have informed myself what occurs during pregnancy, labor, and birth. This has allowed me to choose an OB who will support my wishes during the birth. There were couples in the class that were just learning about some of the procedures and were horrified at the idea of some of them. Jeff and I had already discussed our plans and wishes, not just with each other, but also with the doctor. The instructor did provide us with ideas of items to help us get through the labor, thus the hospital bags have come into the house to have things added to them and such. A "goody" bag still needs to be made to make sure we have the tools that will make it easier to get through the labor.

As far as how things are going with Roo and progression towards labor:
Things continue to look good. We are hoping Roo does not decide to make an appearance this week as our Doctor leaves today for a week in England. I continue to have "warm-up" contractions and on Monday declared that I was done being pregnant. I proceeded to have contractions for about 5 or 6 hours through the evening 50 minutes apart. By the time I finally went to bed (around 2 am) the contractions had stopped. My belly, although still small in comparison to others in our prenatal class, continues to grow and folks have declared me "ready to pop." I am also no longer able to drive the truck as the belly hits the steering wheel.

We plan on sending out a mass email announcing Roo's arrival, so if you feel we don't have your correct email address, feel free to drop me a line so our records can be updated.

Today's plans include taking pictures of the Nursery and my belly to be posted for all who want to see, making a run to goodwill to get rid of more things we don't want or need anymore, going through the books we have in storage and logging them onto library thing and then deciding what books return to storage and get added to storage to possibly create more room in our library of books. I also need to cut up and freeze the lasagna I made the other day as well as the chicken cutlets that were purchased in bulk. Hopefully I will also be able to get some meatballs made and ready to be frozen as well.

One month left (more or less)

First off, the happy news for those who haven't heard: the Writer's strike is over. It should be a month or 2 before things get back to normal for Jeff at work.

I am now at weekly OB visits. All still looks good. We are still looking at a due date of March 11th, no signs as of yet of being early. The doc went to listen to Roo's heart beat and noted (again) how active he is.

We have just one week left of classes. The prep for childbirth class has given us some good tools to work with and we will get more at the last class. It is a good thing we took the other classes first though, since I'm not sure how gung-ho we would be at going to other classes after this one. Just not as good as the "Monday night" group of classes.

Our nursery looks like just that, with the crib and dresser all set up. We have yet to move a few things around in there and finish decorating. Some of our ideas likely won't get done (like painting the shelf the TV is on) but that is really no big deal. We still have a few items to buy before the baby is here and some I'm waiting on until later. Most of the things I would like to have sooner than later have been ordered and should be arriving in the near future.

In other news, I also had an eye doctor appointment today. Luckily my prescription hasn't really changed, so my contacts (I still have a box left) are the same. Since our insurance either covers some of the contacts OR glasses, I decided with Roo showing up soon, glasses were the best choice. I should have the new glasses in about a week and a half.

Not much else. Plan on trying to get more cooking/food shopping done to prepare more stuff for the freezer, although motivation for that has been low. Go walk the mall a bit, maybe get a hair cut, keep working on the baby book I'm making for Roo. Hope everyone is well, until next week (unless something exciting happens)

35 week progress

This week I feel we have made quite a bit of progress in getting ready for Roo. We now have a crib, dresser, 2 car seats, and a number of other needed items. My hospital bag and diaper bag are packed and sitting next to the door. Our diaper service is arranged and we will get a pre-birth delivery on the 28th. I called the pediatrician most highly recommended by my OB office and she spent 15 minutes talking with me on the phone and answering my questions. My gut is that she will be a good match with our family. She is sending me an email with the office website, so that I can check that out. It is a small practice (2 pediatricians) that is just beginning, however Dr Pan has over 20 years experience. She appears to be a doctor that is willing to listen to the family and work with them.

Jeff's work schedule has changed, so we haven't gotten the crib or dresser set up yet (the crib is started). Things feel like they are falling into place. Today I plan on making a lasagna to freeze and finish organizing the bedroom so that the co-sleeper can be set up in there.

We started our Preparation of Childbirth/Lamaze class this week and have learned a little. I definitely miss our last instructor and her way of presenting information, but, I'm sure this will help us with the actual birth.

34 week exam

Well, the exam was pretty routine and low key. We had a quick and dirty ultrasound with the doctor's oldest machine just to check the position of Roo and make sure we are all ready and in the head down position, which Roo is. The one thing that was slightly different was I had to spend a bit of extra time resting/lying down in the office because when I came in my blood pressure was borderline high (151/90) and the doctor wanted to make sure I wasn't developing pregnancy induced hypertension. Luckily, after lying down my blood pressure came down just fine (106/60). I discussed a bit with the doctor about signs of needing to head to the hospital and got several other questions answered.

This week has been a week of several small shopping trips. I have picked up some things we were lacking/still needing. I've got the diaper bag mostly packed for the hospital, all that is needed are diapers to be added. Most of Roo's laundry is done, minus a few new items.

Our parenting class went well and we again got lots of very good and helpful information. Sadly, this was our last class with Susan, the teacher who has been teaching this set of classes. We also met some other parents-to-be and traded emails and phone numbers. Overall a great experience. Next week we begin our Preparation for Childbirth class with a different teacher.

This coming week, I need to finish packing my hospital bag, call and interview pediatricians so we can choose one before our next visit on 2/14, call and set up an account with the diaper service, and probably help Jeff set up the dresser, crib, and co-sleeper.

BABY SHOWER!!!

First of all a HUGE thank you to Theresa and Cat for planning and hosting the shower. A wonderful time was had by all. Thank you to Melissa and Miriam for providing wonderful sweets. Thank you to everyone who was able to attend. It is a very special memory I will treasure for a long time.

For those who couldn't make it, we had a wonderful time. There were several fun games: baby word unscramble, name the baby animal, and a great game where Theresa got bits of information from Jeff and my moms and people had to identify who did what.

A lovely lunch was served. We did a lot of sitting around and chatting. We got some great loot. We now have a high chair (came in the mail last week), our baby play gym, a safety gate, clothes in a variety of age ranges, some great blankets including a beautiful and intricate one knit by Grandma Wendy and a fleece blanket with the baby's name (in both English and Hebrew) embroidered on it. We got a number of toys and our diaper bag as well.

Now Jeff and I get to go and do some more shopping to fill out what else we need (some online and some in store).

As far as how I'm feeling, I'm doing pretty well. Still a lot of the normal. Roo has decided that waking in the middle of the night (around 3 am or so) and being so active for about 2 hours that I can't even stay in bed is the thing to do. So, I've been a bit tired lately. Movement is much less kicks and more pushing pressure. Roo is definitely getting a bit cramped in there.

This weeks to do list: Go to "Becoming a parent" class , pack hospital bags, go shopping for more baby clothes, blankets, towels, etc., Order co-sleeper, crib and dresser, determine what baby proofing items we need and purchase.

Last week, Jeff and I were able to accomplish getting more things organized around the house, including our coat closet, linen closet and storage areas.

Basic Baby care and a slight change in plans

Class last night was quite good (as we have come to expect from this instructor). When we arrived, Jeff joked that we were taking this class for him, not for me. Although that was much of why we took the class, I learned a lot of information and got some "hands on" experience with certain things. We were walked through swaddling (something new for me), umbilical stump care, circumcision care, diapering with both cloth and disposable diapers, a variety of options for baby wipes, sponge baths, regular baths and dressing the baby. Apparently the next class, Preparing to be a Parent is much more vital and has lots of important information in it.

One of the topics discussed was diapering and cloth diapers. Susan (the instructor) went over some of the things she would be concerned about with washing your own cloth diapers, including a build up of bacteria in a dry pail. Although I have been able to find nothing to support this, it did get Jeff and I talking again about whether a diaper service is more feasible than washing our own diapers. I came home and began rereading everything I could find about washing cloth diapers and noticed one thing I had somewhat overlooked. Most sites suggest at least a double rinse and a presoak. Seeing as we do not have our own washer and there is no control allowing for either of these things in our apartment laundry room, we have decided that using a diaper service is our best option. In addition to the lack of our own washer, if my Fibromyalgia comes back, having less laundry to haul back and forth from the laundry room is definitely a good option.

So, I have gone through our gift lists and updated them, removing several items we won't need (cloth diapers, large wet bags), leaving ones we will (small wet bags, diaper covers) and adding information about giving a gift certificate for the diaper service we will be using.

32 week doctors visit

Quick and easy visit today. Unfortunately, I had missed the call from the office letting me know that the doctor was in surgery. I got to the office and was given the choice of coming back in about and hour or having a nurse do the check-up. Seeing as the visits have been quite short lately and all the doctor would do is measure the belly and listen to the baby's heart, I chose to see the nurse. While there I had the opportunity to ask the nurses for referrals to pediatricians. There are 3 that Dr. Kizner seems to like and one he prefers to deal with. I will be contacting them to determine who we will use for Roo's pediatrician. I also was able to discuss with them about some of their experiences and what they have heard about how Dr. Kizner actually is in the delivery room. It was nice to hear their viewpoints and have my basic feelings validated that in fact he will support the mother's choice as long as there is no danger to mom or baby.

After the visit I headed over to Babies'R'Us to buy a baby shower gift for a friend. I had planned on making a themed basket from the registry items (I had looked online at what hadn't been purchased yet.) I got to the store and printed out the registry and every thing that I went to get was out of one major piece to complete the basket. Bath, diapering, breastfeeding, etc. After close to 2 hours and sitting in the rocker that I like to relax a bit before trying again (I got to the check out and found the item I was buying had been returned and not in good shape) I finally found a couple of things that met my spending goal and headed home.

Now I am tired but making some dinner. Until next time.

Getting some stuff done

Well, we came home from our last class quite motivated to get some stuff done and moved. Going to bed last night I felt quite accomplished. The room that has been our office now looks ready to accept furniture and any baby stuff that comes our way. Jeff's computer has been taken down (storage location still needed to be found for that though). The desk that his computer was on is now in storage along with several other items. My desk has been moved to the living room and has a new flat screen monitor. I have found a location to donate our old monitors (Goodwill). We will likely make a run over there today (if Jeff is awake early enough) but at the latest on Friday. They take up a bunch of space.
The only furniture left in that room is furniture that will remain there. We moved some things around and decided where the crib and changing dresser will go. The floor has been well vacuumed and any very dirty areas of the wall have been cleaned. Now just a little more organizing needs to be done of in the closet and old decorations need to be taken down and new ones put up.
We also made a run to Costco and stockpiled the paper goods we usually get there and have talked to those who live close by about support during delivery and one of them about support once we come home.
Things are definintely falling into place. We still have a ways to go, but progress has been made. :)

2 months left

Wow, time sure goes fast. We have 8 weeks left until our due date. Finished the breastfeeding class. Tomorrow we go and get a new computer monitor and break down Jeff's computer. By the end of the week we hope to have my computer and desk moved into the living room and most of the other extra furniture out of the room so we can really start prepping for Roo to make an arrival. We are hoping to have the room clear and ready for new furniture and such by the baby shower on the 27th. After the shower, we'll start ordering the things we need to have (such as diapers, etc.) so that we will have everything set and ready to go early in case Roo decides to arrive early.

All is continuing to go well. Tiredness and frequent bathroom breaks have become common place. Roo's movements are much stronger and often more like pushing than kicking or punching. At time they make me jump and wince a bit. I will be heading to a couple of nursing stores to look at my options for bras and what not, since I definitely need to get something that helps my back hurt less and that I will be comfortable in for a while. Next Doc appointment is Thursday.

First BF class

The first thing I have to say is I REALLY like the teacher. She will be teaching all classes but Preparation for Childbirthing and I'm looking forward to it. She is a great communicator and teacher. She gets folks in the class involved and is quite funny in ways that will likely help you remember much of the info given.

The first part of last nights class was lots of information on why to breastfeed. Her attitude is you will breastfeed for the first 4 weeks, after that it's a day by day thing. She has been teaching breastfeeding classes and has been a lactation consultant for over 20 years and knows where many of the downfalls occur.

You may be wondering "Why do you need a six hour class on breastfeeding? Just put the baby to the breast and they eat." If that were the case, there would be many less people having a tough time breastfeeding and there would be little need for the class. I am definitely looking forward to next weeks class (part 2 on BF).

**Update on us: Roo and I continue to do well. Kicks are getting stronger and hitting the ribcage at a more frequent rate. My back is a bit sore from time to time and it is difficult to find a comfortable position to sit or lie in. Cleaning on the office which is becoming Roo's room is progressing. All files have been culled. Cabinets are ready to be moved to the hallway closet where they will likely live. SCA garb has been organized and things have been placed in the donate or store piles. My desk that will be moving to the living room is emptied of the craft stuff it has been storing and loaded with office stuff from Jeff's desk (drawers are easily removable for moving to the other room). Sewing basket will be had for misc. sewing notions, scissors, thread, etc. Work for Jeff continues to be quite slow because of the writer's strike. He will be doing a training the end of this week (during the day shift).