Pinterest-Inspired Discovery Bottles

I love Pinterest!  So this week I'm actually turning some ideas into reality.

First task: Discovery Bottles.  I saw a great post at Modern Parents Messy Kids.  These are Pinterest-inspired, too!  I modified mine for a six-month-old.  I realized that a full-size water bottle filled with water was way too heavy for Will to hold on to.  So, I used smaller bottles.

I made a couple bug shakers:

I glued the lids shut on old spice bottles and filled them with colored rice and plastic bugs from the Target dollar bin.

I made an oil and water shaker (food coloring in the water and canola oil, not baby oil...just in case).  I hot glued the lid on this one, too!

And a glitter bottle.  This one is too big for Will to hold, but I shake it up for him and he watches the glitter float around.

I love all the ideas I've seen for Discovery Bins and Sensory Tubs.  I can't wait until Will is old enough for all this fun stuff!

He's Like Me!

I know babies aren't supposed to sleep with blankets, but Will goes to sleep best with a blanket in his hands.  After he has fallen asleep, I go up and take the blanket off of him, and I see this:

At first I wondered why he put the blanket up by his face like this.  Sometimes he covers his face entirely.  But then one night I was lying in bed and realized that I had the blankets right up around my face, too!  I always sleep this way so that I feel cozy and warm.

Why was I surprised to see Will doing the same thing? 

Chemicals, Fillers, and Dyes...Oh My!

Ever since I found out I was pregnant I have been keenly aware of all of the chemicals, preservatives, additives, and other fake junk that enters our bodies.  I tried very hard during my pregnancy to avoid those kinds of things and eat as naturally as I could.  It wasn't easy.  A lot of my go-to items were suddenly off limits.  Yoplait Light Yogurt, granola bars, Diet Coke, Lean Cuisines, non-organic apples and peppers, salad dressings, Skinny Cow ice cream treats.  Ugh.  Not a pretty list.

When Will was born, I knew exactly what he was consuming, but I also became aware of all of the chemicals that touch his sensitive, innocent skin, like dyes in laundry detergent and fabric softener, and fragrances in baby body wash and lotions.  The pediatric dermatologist warned me against using Johnson and Johnson baby products in favor of Cetaphil, CeraVe, and Eucerin.  Johnson and Johnson has even been under fire for including known carcinogens in their baby products!

Now that he's eating, I want to make sure to avoid as man food chemicals in his food as I can.  I'm making my own food with organic produce and nothing else.  My friend's pediatrician warned her against Gerber baby food because it contains several fillers and is nutritionally depleted.  I bought organic brown rice cereal for Will thinking that it would be the best source of nutrition and the organic nature would be beneficial...only to hear that researchers are now finding elevated levels of arsenic in brown rice and particularly brown rice syrup used in infant formula!

It's a little frustrating when I'm trying to do the best I can for Will and constantly finding out that something ELSE is toxic or harmful.  It doesn't seem to stunning that diseases are still so prevalent in our country when you stop to examine all the junk we are putting in our bodies or rubbing on them.  It's downright scary, really.

All I can do is the best I can...for him, and for me and Alex.  Ultimately, our lives are in God's hands and there is no safer place to be.

"Me Time"

I have a never-ending mental "to do" list.  I am a do-er.  I am a task-oriented person.  I like to always have a project that I'm working on, on top of the every day stuff that has to get done like folding the laundry and scheduling a vet appointment.  These days it's things like trying new recipes, reading new books, keeping up with Will's scrapbook, and this little blog.  These are largely things I need to do by myself.  These are the things I do in my "Me Time." 

The trouble is that in the last couple of weeks, I haven't had a lot of "Me Time."  I was sick, then Will was sick and I have been using every minute of his nap times to catch up on sleep myself or get done the daily tasks of showering, cleaning, etc.  These activities make me feel productive, but they don't fill me up like my "Me Time" activities do. 

I miss my "Me Time."  I know I will figure it out and adjust, but I miss that feeling of Saturday mornings with absolutely nothing that I HAVE to do.  I love the small windows of time when I feel like I'm "Off Duty"--when I hand Alex the monitor or when I go to the grocery store or the gym.  And as much as I love playing with Will, I also love the times when the house is quiet and I can just do what I want to do. 

Aaahhh....me time.

Six Months

Wow.  What a month.  In the last 30 days, Will has grown more than any other month so far.

He's sitting up now.  With a Boppy pillow around him he does really well, but even on his own, he can sit up for several minutes without falling over.  He is excited now that he can reach his toys and move them from one side to the other.

Speaking of his toys, it's amazing to see the gross motor skills he now possesses.  Just a few months ago I was thrilled when he batted at a toy!  Now, he's grabbing, sucking, chewing, throwing, shaking them all over the place.  He can work the stations in his exersaucer.  He can work the spinner and he can press the buttons and pull the toys to make music.  He can even press the buttons on the little cell phone toy and hear it talk back to him.  He can even reach up and spin the football dangling on his mobile (time for that to go!).  It's truly amazing how aware he is and how easily he picks up on how things work.  It's fascinating to watch him with his "thinking face" figuring out this big world.

He's rolling over easily now from tummy to back--so easily that the second I lay him on his tummy, he will flip over!  (There goes Tummy Time!)  Occasionally he'll roll from back to tummy, but he's still working on mastering that one. 

We started solid foods.  I've bought organic produce, rice, and oatmeal, and made his own little purees.  Even though I'm pretty excited about this fresh, flavorful food, Will isn't so sure.  He mostly makes disgusted faces and gags when he eats.  We've had a little success with bananas and carrots, however, so there is hope!

He has two bottom teeth!  They are barely there, but oh, I can feel them.  They have just popped through the surface, finally justifying my mama instinct that for a couple weeks now, Will has just been a little "off"--well, no wonder.  It looks very painful.  I think the top two are right behind, but we'll just have to wait and see.

I am loving getting to know my son as he grows and develops and his personality is being revealed.  He is so joyful and loving.  It doesn't take much to make him laugh--just a funny noise, a whisper in his ear, a little dance.  He plays games with me just for the joy of it.  And he is still a cuddlebug, which I love!  Often when I'm holding him, he'll hang on my neck, wrapping his little arms around me and resting his head on my shoulder like a big bear hug.  I take in those cuddles and hug him back tight.  I hope he's never too cool to hug his Mama!

I can't believe how much he's grown in half a year.  And I can't believe that in another six months we'll be celebrating his first birthday!  In the meantime, I'm just trying to soak it up and take it all in.  I love this little guy!

Letter to a New Mom

Dear New Mom,

First of all, before you read anything else, know that you are not alone.  Yes, this whole baby thing is more amazing than you could have imagined, and it just plain sucks a lot more than you ever thought it would.  You are not crazy.  It will get better.  You will be normal again.  I promise.

I spent 9 months reading books and websites about every aspect of pregnancy.  I spent hours researching my registry items.  I went to the childbirth classes and watched countless episodes of "Baby Story."  And I think I handled the pregnancy and the delivery all right.  But nothing prepared me for those first few weeks at home.  No one warned me what that would really be like. 

Well, here you go.  I'll tell you my story.  I'll tell you what I wish someone had told me.

The first week just sucks.  I was a hormonal, emotional mess.  I cried all the time.  I cried because I was so tired.  I cried thinking of how much pain I was in and how different my body felt.  I cried worried if I would ever get back to normal.  I cried because it hurt so badly to sit in our kitchen chairs.  I cried because my nipples were blistered and sore and the last thing I wanted to do was nurse.  I cried seeing Alex with Will, calming him by rocking him and allowing him to suck his little finger.  I cried watching my mom so excited to have a grandson and watching her sing to Will the songs she had once sung to me.  I cried realizing that I was not a child any more—I was a mom.  I cried when flowers arrived and I was overcome by the joy of others as we welcomed little Will.  I cried wondering if I would ever be able to do all this on my own.  And I cried when I thought of how lucky I was, how blessed I was to have a son and be starting a family with the man I love. 

I know it was hard for Alex to see me so emotionally exhausted.  Even though Will started sleeping in his crib his second night home, we were both tired because our sleep was interrupted and irregular.  We were just off our routine.  Nothing was “normal” anymore.  We couldn’t go to bed at the same time, we couldn’t eat dinner together.  We didn’t have our “us” time.  My mom helped as much as she could.  She took Will on a walk one night during dinner to allow us to eat in peace.  She would let me feed Will, then she would take over soothing him to sleep.  That helped, but then I would start crying again thinking that I was a horrible mother who would rather pawn off her child on someone else than be there to fulfill his needs.  I cried because I knew I couldn't handle all this.

I hated feeling helpless and worthless.  I hated that I couldn't go up and down the stairs.  Alex said I just had to sit back and relax and let other people help me out.  I was on "Injured Reserve"--I wasn't cleared to be on the field.  I would heal and I would get back in the game, and my old position would be waiting for me, but not yet.  (I cried when he said that, too!)

The second week I started to feel just enough better physically that I started to believe that I would heal and I might be normal one day.  This small physical change made a huge difference for my emotional well-being, too, as I started to gain a little confidence in my own ability to get through this.  I still couldn't get a handle on the tears.  I was ready to have my mom leave when the time came, but I was still a teary mess when we said goodbye and reality sunk in.  I was the mom now.  It was up to me to get a handle on my own junk so that I could focus on filling the needs of my baby...and focus on my husband, too!

By the third week (actually, 2.5 weeks after delivery), I was back in my jeans and that's when I really started to feel better!  Those little milestones become really big deals.  I also noticed my emotions evening out as well.  No more super-high highs and terrifyingly-low lows.  The tears started to dissipate.

By the fourth week, I was taking walks outside again.  They started very short, but I was able to get outside, have some quiet time with Alex (Will always slept in the stroller!), and begin to enjoy some of the aspects of motherhood.

By the sixth week I thought, "If I was going back to work, I could do it now!"  I felt pretty much back to normal.

By the eighth week (yes, it really took that long for me), I finally was able to nurse without pain.  I started to look forward to those times in the day when he would nurse with me.  We would snuggle together, maybe watch some junk HGTV, or just listen to some quiet music.  Sometimes he would lie with me in bed and I loved taking a half hour periodically in the day to slow down and just be together.

I'm writing this now six months in.  I'm still not back to 100% normal, but I'm close.  I can honestly say, though, that everything--all the pain, all the craziness--is well worth it and motherhood is the greatest adventure I've ever experienced.  It's so much better than I could have imagined.

So, new mom, you'll get through this.  You'll be fine.  Take advantage of the help you are offered.  Don't be afraid to cry or be scared.  But remember: You'll be fine.  You will be a great mom.  You will love your kid tremendously.  You'll probably always cry more than you did before (that's motherhood!) but you will get a handle on your emotions.  You will regain your sex drive.  You will feel normal again. 

You'll be fine.  You'll be better than fine.  You'll be great. 

Your friend,
Sarah

Playing Games

Will has started to play "games" with me.  One in particular.  On the changing table, as I begin to change his diaper, he will grab at my sleeve and begin to chew on it.  He's not all that interested in the sleeve itself--his eyes are fixed on mine and he has a mischievous grin on the corner of his mouth.  I react (hence it became a game to him!) by coming down close to his face and saying, "You can't eat my sleeve!" and then kissing his cheeks.  He laughs and laughs, and grabs the sleeve again for me to repeat the game. 

It's something so silly, but it's so cool to see him picking up on patterns and desiring my affection and fun.  Just another sign that he's getting bigger and developing more and more! 

Solids: Week 1

We are off and rolling on solid foods!  I have made carrots, sweet potatoes, and apples.  These I steamed, pureed, and froze using my awesome little Babycook food maker by Baeba and some Fresh Baby covered ice cube trays.  I bought organic rice cereal and oatmeal that is fortified with iron.

I feel so good knowing exactly what is in Will's food.  I used only organic produce and I added nothing to it.  I added back a lot of the steaming liquid to make the puree, so that allows even more nutrients to remain in the food.  Apparently, when food is steamed it retains more of its nutrients than when it is boiled (as is done for commercial baby food to preserve it longer).

So this week, our schedule looked like this:

Sunday: Rice cereal

Monday: Pureed Sweet Potatoes

Tuesday: Pureed Carrots

Wednesday: Pureed Apples

Thursday: Mashed Banana

Friday: Baby oatmeal

I am still nursing the same amount.  The goal of this week and next week is just to begin to allow him to taste food and learn to eat with a spoon.  I didn't realize how this was something that babies really have to LEARN how to do.  While nursing came so naturally, this is a different ball game.  He doesn't really seem to like any of this yet, and doesn't open his mouth for the spoon.  It will come in time, I'm sure.

Next week, I'll repeat this list and maybe begin to mix some of these same things together.

For practicality, I want to use up the food I've made, then I'll hit the store for some more food to try.  This is fun!

My Mantra

I started to get really sad as I was putting away some baby clothes.  There were these adorable little onesies and sleepers that I had imagined Will wearing before he was even born.  And now, they are too small!  He will never wear them again.

I am a sentimental person (thanks, Dad) and I know a part of me will mourn each passing stage throughout Will's entire life, but if I'm crying over little pajamas, this is going to be a really, really long road!

So, my new mantra: It just gets better!

I must remind myself of this truth every day.  So he can no longer fit into that cute knit hat--but now he can fit into that Gymboree outfit I love so much.  So he isn't exclusively nursing anymore--but now I get the joy of feeding him.  So I can't hold him with one arm anymore--but now he can sit up and laugh...and I can't get enough of that laugh!

I know not everything ahead is "better," per se.  We'll have bumps along the way.  I'm not really looking forward to potty training, or braces, or broken bones, or Drivers Ed.  And I will miss the baby babbles and the toothless grins and the cuddles and the lullabies.  Who am I kidding?  But one day, I want to look at Will and instead of thinking, "Oh man, I miss my baby!" I want to say, "Wow.  What an amazing man he is.  I love him now more than I ever did before."

And that will be the truth.

Solids

We started solids!  Will is 5 1/2 months old, and I started a couple of days before his official due date (he came a week late), so I was sure his intestines were ready to go.  He has nearly doubled his birth weight (he was born 9 lb 7 oz; he is now 18 lb 4 oz) and he is sitting up pretty well, and putting everything in his mouth.  He still isn't acting hungry after feedings or between them, and he isn't waking up more than once in the night, but I thought this was a good time to go ahead and give him s couple of tastes, just to get him used to the idea.

So, we started with just a teeny bit of rice cereal one day, watered-down pureed sweet potatoes the next, and pureed carrots the next day.  I plan to continue with a new food each day around lunch time so that if he has a reaction, I can spot it and trace it to a specific food.  I do not anticipate any food allergies since they do not run in my family or Alex's.  But, better safe than sorry.

The food has been met with mixed reaction.  He certainly doesn't seem to LIKE it.  I think he just doesn't know what to do with it!  It is so foreign to him...and yet to think of all the millions (billions) of bites of food he will have in his lifetime!  It was a memorable first! :)

Starting Solids

Will is now 5 1/2 months old...solids are just around the corner.  I could have started already according to my pediatrician, but Will hasn't been acting hungry or waking up extra in the night.  He is just starting to sit up pretty well, though, and I think I'm ready to begin this journey with him.  I want to make my own food as much as I can--but what food to start with?  What time of day?  How much?  When to increase?  How much breastfeeding do I maintain?  This is all a daunting task!

So, where to begin?  Well, I hit the library!  I'm reading up and getting a plan in place....  Exciting!