Memorable Moment Monday

 

Special on aisle 12!  I understand baby boy.  T.arget wears me out too! :]

Who is 40 today?

One of the coolest, cutest dad's on the blog block IMO:]  

40 has never looked better.  

I love you.

 Happy Birthday PC!

Happy Camper

LB experienced his first camping trip last weekend- in a tent on an inflatable air mattress that kept going flat through the night.  We rough'ed it while his grandparents & aunt/uncle/cousins (PC's side) stayed in their fancy campers, which we are now in the market for too since LB LOVED it!  He slept better on the deflating air bed than he has at home in weeks and he only cried when his body reached the sleepy stage and he was too afraid to miss out on something.  
His cousins (tween and teen) took him for stroller rides, fed him, and took turns changing diapers.
His grandparents fought over who he was reaching for and smiling at the most.
His aunt sang him to sleep and his uncle tossed him high up in the air. 
With all of those helping hands, PC got to go on a few bike rides around the campground and I got to take a long shower, which felt good even in a bathhouse!
He had a bite of a peach, biscuit, blackberry jelly & strawberry shortcake.  
He was big stuff in the swing!
He was big stuff in the pool!
There was a fair in town and LB was in awe of the sights and sounds.  We "won" (okay, just paid $5 for the souvenir) a Boots inflatable and it made our little guy so happy.  And guess what other souvenir LB came home with?  A bottom tooth!!!  Exciting times around here:]

Smiling because I finally cut that bottom tooth! 

Poop, it sometimes doesn't happen

Warning:  A post about poop, or lack thereof.   
Spoiler:  We now have a regular little pooper:] 

We have several baby "issues" that are a work in progress (sleep, teething, rashes, etc).  But, for now, we are winning in the battle against constipation (knock on wood).

The problem:  About a week into solids, LB started pooping about every 3 days.  Day 3 was miserable, for him and for us.  Very ill baby who would strain and whimper and look at us like "do something."  :[  (Sh)It usually happened in the afternoon so we would put him on the changing table, move his legs in a "pedaling" motion and spend about 10-15 minutes there and this poor baby worked hard!

After a call to the pedi and some crazy advice from grandma, here is what got things err... moving... around here.

Diet change- eliminated rice and bananas.  I found one website that said to remember no BRAT- banana, rice, apples, toast.  Switched to oatmeal.

Pedi-lax glycerin suppositories- this was a recommendation from the pedi on those "day 3's" when LB was straining so hard.  We used these grudgingly and sparingly but they worked instantly and provided him instant relief.  They come 6 to a box and I would say that we used about 8-10 total over those first few weeks of working on the issues.  We did not want him to become dependent on them so they were a last resort.

Prunes & apple prune juice- Daily.  One small jar (or half) of the prunes and 3-4 ounces of watered down juice.

And last, you know grandma has to have a say about it.  So she told me to pull out his little toilet (that she bought way too early because of her grand potty training plans) and just sit him on it when we started to see the strained look.

I'll be darn.  For 21 days straight, he has sit on that potty, leaned on me, and pooped like a champ.  PC would have a fit if I put the picture in its entirety here and it is a strange but pretty cute sight.  All he needs now is a bathroom reader lol! 

 
 

PAIL- July- Family Building

~Thoughts on the July PAIL theme ~

We are done with the life and part-time job that is otherwise known as ART.  In my mind, that closes a door on additional children through the "good 'ol fashioned" way.  Could it happen?  Well, holding this baby makes me think anything is possible.  But do I want to actively try by charting BBT and using OPKs and studying EWCM?  Nope.  I no longer want to be consumed with the acronyms!  

Child-spacing?  Ha!  That was truly my first thought.  I remember when we first started TTC I wanted to plan the time of year the child was born to be more convenient with my work schedule.  Ha again!  It's sad that that's funny to me and funny that that's sad.  It happens for so many right on schedule... I am still amazed.  This topic brings so many TTC emotions to the surface and the bitterness- obviously it is still there- it's just not on the forefront as I am beyond grateful to have one.  Repeat- beyond grateful to have one.      

Our original plan was the white picket fence with 2.0 kids (girl & a boy no doubt) and a dog.  The reality has become a black wrought iron fence with 1.0 IVF miracle baby and 3 dogs.  Blessed.  But IF threw us a curve ball.  It meant we had discussions about having no children, about adoption and then we entered the world of ART.  It means I have a blog of 4 years worth of trials, tears and then ultimately (thank you God) TRIUMPH!  

A family of 3 we will be and we are all smiles about that, 

even though LB appears to be thinking it over lol.     

   

Cheap Entertainment

We are swimming in toys around here and LB does have some favorites but some of the best "toys" to entertain baby are not F.isher P.rice!  Enter...in no particular order...

1.  The remote- Loves this gadget so much that we pulled one that doesn't work out of a drawer and stuck it in the diaper bag.  I know it probably looks funny at church when we use it for a distraction, but it provides several minutes of serious play time.

2.  Our watches- It used to take the entire diaper change for LB to pull off my favorite N.ike watch but now he's got it down to 0.2 seconds flat.  He pulls it off, looks up to see my reaction and then throws it in the floor every. single. diaper. change.  Dad's is not quite as fun as it latches but any watch is still a point of interest.

3.  The iRoomba- I would like to know what he's thinking when this thing spins around the room.  He likes this from a distance... when it enters his personal space, he's not so sure.

4.  The paper towel holder- LB is not really into waiting patiently for me or dad to fix a bottle so he enjoys giving the paper towels a spin in the mean time!

5.  Feet/Toes- Good for holding, sucking, grasping... when there is nothing else around, the feet will just have to do!

6.  Hair pulling- namely, mine.  No picture because I am too busy untangling and explaining why that's not supposed to be fun!

Honorable mentions- paper bags, hats, eye glasses, spoons, light switches, cell phones, computers, straps/tags, napkins, mirrors, wallets and lotion bottles!

Fun at the Zoo

We decided to venture to a zoo that's about a 90 minute drive from our house this past Saturday.  Despite the hot weather, it was a fun day as a family of 3!  LB was more interested in his shadow than the animals but he was so happy to be outdoors taking in new sights and sounds.   

Cool, a shadow! 

Who are you calling a monkey?

First taste of Gelato is so good I'll close my eyes and savor!

LB was so exhausted by the time we got back to the car that he actually was happy to be put in his car seat for once. Good times:]  

Thanks for the Mammaries!

Blog title- I digress.  PC said this recently and we totally cracked up.  Blame it on the lack of sleep. 

But it is time for the ladies to go part-time.  Or that's what I am wondering... can the ladies just take over the night shift or is it all or nothing? 

I am proud and thankful for our nearly seven month run.  Not quite long enough to make it on the cover of T.ime magazine, lol, but I am grateful.  I have always had to supplement but have given this baby every ounce of breastmilk possible through pumping and nursing.  It has been a part of bonding with my son but it's just been that, a part.  We enjoy bonding with the "boo" game at the changing table and playing on the blanket in the living room floor just as much!   

Several reasons, but mainly the supply is dwindling since introducing solids and I want to return to work without having to think about the pump, pump parts, storage, nursing bra/pads, etc.         

Side note:  To those who formula fed, breastfed for a shorter/longer amount of time... you are feeding the baby the best way possible for your situation and will not get any judgment here.  Geez, I can't believe people have even felt like they have to justify how they feed their babies.  I've seen some posts lately that have made me cringe!  Feed the baby=healthy baby= it's all good!

I want to see more of this anyway.... 

What do I see?

When LB was just a couple of weeks old, we noticed what we thought was a scratch.  At his 2 month check-up, the pedi said it could be a scratch or could be a birthmark.  We were confused because he didn't have it "at birth" but we learned that it could be a hemangioma, a collection of blood vessels under the skin.  At the 4 month check-up it was definitely diagnosed as a hemangioma.  It will grow during his first 1-2 years, then "rest," then slowly regress... leaving no scar or indication that it was ever there.  LB has the kind (so far) that will stay closer to the skin while others turn a deeper bruise-like color and form a knot.  We did check into medical options but they are invasive and leave scars... a no brainer for us, we did our research and we will let it do its thing unless it ends up closer to his eye. I do not even consider using photo.shop on his pictures... it is part of him, it is part of his birth story.  The people who are around him the most- we don't even "see" it anymore.  He's just our sweet LB.      
  
Other people look at LB differently.  It's okay!  I understand that it stands out.  I understand that people want to ask but are not sure what to ask.  Sometimes I just start explaining, sometimes I don't.  Kids are great- they just come out and say "baby have boo boo" and I tell them "it doesn't hurt, baby is okay and it will go away" and kids are happy with that.  Love kids.  What I don't understand and frankly what hurts is when a person is getting ready to say "he's a cutie/sweetie/etc" but they stop... and it is obvious.  All mamas think their baby is the cutest, sweetest thing...I don't need anyone to say it... I am just taken aback that his hemangioma makes people standoff-ish.  He's just a baby with a bump!  And I would take him with big bumps, little bumps, red bumps, blue bumps...  didn't mean to sound Dr. S.euss here but you get this took-a-long-time-so-thankful-IVF-worked-I-will-keep-him mama's point! 
 
It does make me think.  When I see a child who has some kind of scar or birthmark, do I stare or do I smile?  I hope that I can always say that I smile and see a precious gift.  When I see a child running from his or her parents or shouting, do I think the parents need to have better control or do I have compassion knowing they may have a child with autism or an emotional behavior disorder?  I hope that I can have compassion and see a precious gift. 

This is from the heart and I appreciate everyone listening.  My baby's bump will go away.  Some are not so lucky and would gladly trade a hemangioma for what their baby has to go through.

I am beyond grateful. Blessed beyond measure.

  I see my precious gift in this child from head to toe, hemangioma, slobber and all:]  

  

Memorable Moment Monday

Done with the appetizer!  Where's the Beef?  :]

Linking to PAIL's MMM and a good picture to go along with my last post and to say thanks so much for the baby food advice!