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.

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.

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.