Transitions- Any advice?

Lots of blog catching up and two posts in two days can only mean that I have a few days off work and I'm trying to make the most of it!

And I would like to ask for some advice on any area that anyone would like to offer it on the topic of the following transitions:

From the infant car seat to a stage 2 seat.  LB is 20 lbs and 30 inches.  We currently have the Chicco Keyfit 30 (love) and he is fine in it weight-wise but length-wise he is getting uncomfortable.  His feet are almost touching the back of the seat and his head is about an inch from the top of the seat.  Any recommendations for the next car seat?

From bottle to sippy cup.  Not sure when and how this should take place.  At our one year check-up, we told the LPN how many bottles/ounces we were doing and she actually giggled and said "no wonder he is not eating any solids."  We have since dropped a bottle, but we only use the sippy cup for juice/water.  

From no, no to NO! NO!  If a kid can talk, I can talk about choices and consequences all day- basically my day job- but all that I know to do with a one year old who loves to spin the toilet paper holder when I'm running bath water or turn my back for a millisecond is to say "your dad likes the expensive tp so we really need to keep that on the roll... how about a ball instead?"  Then there is the throwing the "dislike" food on the floor behavior- which drives me crazy- so I say "no, no" to which he looks me straight in the eye and promptly picks up the next piece of dislike food and drops it on the floor in a different spot.  Then my "no, no" gets a little bit more stern and then he cries while dropping the next piece in the floor.  So... he doesn't like the word "no" but hasn't connected it with stopping the behavior.  I like the distract method most we give lots of "good job" praise when we can, but there has got to be some no's and some NO's along the way.  Other ideas?

I could google these topics (and we are reading car seat reviews) but I prefer to consult the experts- thank you mom's!  

Meltdown Moments

This year, PC and I decided to forego any major Christmas gift giving to each other and go on a mini-trip instead.  We had a good time but there was one baby meltdown that had us breaking out in a sweat!  I thought I would share it here because when people share a meltdown story, I am laughing and feeling your pain at the same time. 

LB had fallen asleep on the way to eat.  We took him in a fish house restaurant in his car seat still asleep and put him in the net holder thing.  He actually slept through most of the meal but we (thought) we were glad when he woke up because he needed to eat.  LB looked around at this loud place covered in fish decor and he was not happy to be there.  Cue crying.  You would think we would have just headed out the door at that point, but LB loves fish and we didn't take much baby food and needed him to eat.  PC moved the holder and pulled the high chair around.  We try to put him in it, still crying- all the while I'm trying to stuff fish in his mouth- but he stiffens his legs and is not having it.  A shoe comes off.  PC moves around to reach for the shoe and his chair falls over.  Cue big crash noise where there is that second that a (loud) restaurant becomes silent- think crashing plate- and all eyes are us, the couple trying to convince a baby in meltdown mode that he wants to eat fish in a strange place.  That was a very long second and I should have had more sympathy for PC but I had to laugh at that point.  We tried a few more minutes to reason with our baby having the meltdown but it never happened.  Out the door we went with our crying, hungry baby and it took awhile before we got our happy boy back that evening.  Whew!

Something else (funny) that happened.  We stayed at a hotel with an indoor heated kiddie pool and we took some swim trunks for LB... but forgot the little Swimmers.  We had some pull up diapers and decided those were fine for a temporary fix.  Why did I not know that regular diapers blow up in water?  More specifically, stuff comes out everywhere that looks like crushed ice!  Thankfully I got him to the restroom just in time and had to clean up the mess in there rather than in or around the pool.

Sorry, no pictures of either scenario because, in the moment, we were just trying to problem solve as quickly as possible.  But I do have a pre-explosion diaper picture:]  Traveling has become quite an adventure!

I hate CIO.

The getting to sleep routine is fine.  Going to sleep in the crib for an hour or two is fine.  We let him cry for about 10 minutes the first night and 15 minutes the next night, but on the third night when I went in and wiped snot off of his face & changed his shirt from tears, I claimed failure.  What's worse, now he won't take good naps in the crib since we did some CIO:[  I don't judge anyone who went the CIO route, I've read and heard enough to know that it does work and there are benefits for mom, dad and baby, but I can't do it.  Never did I see us co-sleeping but it has happened and now I've made my bed and have to lay in it.  I used to dream about having these kinds of problems and they are indeed still sweet dreams:] 

Merry Christmas!

Making memories with our baby, pinch me because I just said our baby, was simply wonderful.  Hope your holiday was filled with special memories too!  Merry Christmas from Mac, PC & LB!

  

Ailments & Remedies

We have been very fortunate that LB's first year has been, overall, one of pretty good health.  When we have had a baby ailment, those who give us advice usually start out something like "I think we used to..." or "I'm trying to remember what that stuff was called..." Already my memory is fuzzy so I want to document our first year issues here and what we did.  Something LB might (or might not) want to read one day!

Side note:  PC is in sales and one of his customers is a senior citizen center.  I get a laugh out of his weekly visits with them because evidently he tells them every single baby ailment and they have a solution for all of them- some of which we have given a try, but only if it seems appropriate and legal:] 

Constipation.  This fun time when we started solids got its own entire post.  However, I left out that we also added miralax to his juice.  We have now been using the potty for six months for #2, so what started as something I tried just to satisfy grandma ended up being the routine.  Besides the inconvenience of carrying a travel potty, we have gotten used to this and I can't even imagine a poopy diaper with what we flush from that potty!  We have been very lucky with this but I don't count it a done deal because I'm not sure if it might change when he starts walking.          

No diaper rash and I totally give credit to this gem of a cream.  Used it in the NICU and found it at a local business.  Good stuff.

Bloody stool the first 4-6 weeks.  That was scary.  But we took him to the doctor and had tests ran and everything came back normal so we just waited and it went away.  We treated it like a milk allergy and switched to a formula for sensitive tummies. 

Stuffy nose- saline spray and snot sucker.  If you haven't heard of this tool, please look it up and keep an open mind- it is great to clear little noses!  Ran humidifier when needed.  

Cradle Cap-  A wash/rinse paste of selson blue & baking soda, lightly brush.  Did the trick!

Thrush- Gentian v.iolet.  Big Mess, didn't work.  Prescription- darn, have already forgot the name & will have to come back and add it.  It didn't work either.  Senior citizens gave us the name of an old timer with the gift of prayer for healing thrush.  Gone in three days.   Wish I would have known about him when we first started TTC!

Eczema & sensitive skin issues- sis-in-law, in medical field, got us in quick with a dermatologist when the eczema patches weren't getting any better- he gave me great advice and I only wish I had went sooner.  We got a steroid mixed with cerave lotion for the patches and switched to cetaphil body wash and cerave lotion.  LB has never had the powdery, baby smell (but he doesn't stink!) but these special soaps/lotions have kept his major sensitive skin free of problems.       

Hemangioma- nothing. Letting it go away on its own and will not consider surgery at this point.  Bled once- scared me to death- but just held a wash rag to it with pressure and it quit.

Teething- Hyland's gel & teething tablets- seem to give him some relief.  Pacifier- much better than him sucking on his hands and getting irritated skin from the drool.  Sophie the giraffe- expensive squeak toy, didn't work for us.   Baby Advil- we've used this on the worst days because he runs a low grade fever and is just really crabby- helps but we really only use it as a last resort.

Gas- Little Remedies gas drops- seems to help quickly.

Sleep- Senior citizens suggested catnip tea with or without a drop of liquor.  PC brought home something called calm child from a local herb store because it had catnip tea in it.  We have put a few drops in the last bottle and it seems to help him go to sleep faster but doesn't help with his waking/restlessness.  No liquor although mom and dad are getting close to the point of needing it!

Again, overall, we consider ourselves fortunate when it comes to LB's health this first year.  Fingers crossed it will stay that way!     

A Heavy Heart

I usually don't cross over onto my blog with discussion of work or world events but this one just resonates too close.  My school is similar to Sand.y Hoo.k Elementary in many ways.  I can't imagine what the community must be going through right now.  I do hope they are feeling the prayers being sent their way.  Tomorrow I will greet 630 students and put on a big smile, give out extra hugs or high fives, reassure anxious parents while praying that I can find strength to do so with such a heavy heart.  People are trying to make sense of a senseless act.  As I watch my own child discover the world around him, I am just sad about the decline of a strong value system and hope that PC and I can teach and set a good example for him.  We will also make sure he knows the end of the story.  Good ultimately prevails.  Light overrides the dark.  PC loves is obsessed with bright lights, specifically LED.  He's always looking out for the newest and brightest illumination gadgets.  I usually give him a hard time about it but today I am thinking about how much our world needs some light.  A L-ove E-mbracing D-ose of John 8:12... the brightest and most powerful there is!  

Our (lack of) sleep story

Conversation yesterday morning:

PC:  "It's official."
Me:  "I know, can you believe we have a one year old?"
PC:  "No, that he hasn't slept through the night in one year and neither have we."
Me:  "Did you really think that was going to happen, like magic?"
PC:   "I was hoping." 


I'm really not posting our (lack of) sleep story for anything other than to look back on these days at some point in our lives and be proud that we survived it!  It actually has become quite comical... (or maybe we're just delirious) but either way... this is what it is.

LB's crib is beside our bed.  Been there from the previous nursing days when we just took better nightly "naps" when he was within arm's reach.  Somewhere between months 6-9 we considered a good night's sleep 8:30ish to 1 a.m. in the crib and then trying to get at least 2 more hours with him in the bed with us before he woke at 5:30.
From months 9-present, things went from bad to worse.  First of all, going to bed at 8:30 for me & PC started getting old.  PC and I were barely getting any time for each other or to even ask about each other's day and we just needed some down time without all-things-baby.  So we started going to bed at 9:30- woo hoo- livin' it up around here:]  But LB started waking up at 10:30.  So just about the time we were entering REM, we awake to LB's CRY.  I have given up on any and all strategies to get him back to sleep in that crib so he gets in the bed with us and that is when the fun begins.  LB goes right to sleep, he is in his cozy spot between me and PC.  But OMG.  He hates cover so we have him sleeping in as little clothing as possible (in the winter, yep) and he still kicks until he is out from any cover.  He likes his head up against the baseboard so he wiggles up until he bangs his head against it but not only does he want his head on the baseboard, he wants one or both feet on PC and his hands on me. So then the twisting and squirming begins.  Not only does he like his hands on me, specifically he wants them in my hair so he can "comb" it IN HIS SLEEP and, as painful as this could be, if I could sleep through it I did.  Until I started seeing the gobs of hair in his hands in the morning and the THINNING spots on my head.  Oh s#*t.  So I started pulling my hair back tight in a ponytail and putting clips across tight to hold my bangs back.  He likes his paci and wiggles and squirms to find it when it falls out.  So we keep extras on either side of the bed and PC and I have hit each other many times in attempts to locate that stupid smoothie.  Under an armpit?  Nestled in my ponytail?  Cringe if you must but, no, I do not get up to rinse it off.  Mother of the year.  Leaks?  At least once a week.  If it happens before 1 a.m., there is a middle of the night sheet change but if it happens after 1 a.m., pull the sheet off before it gets to the mattress pad and find the thickest, softest towel for a temporary fix.  Mother of the year again.  I have woken up to toes on my mouth and a butt in my face.  Snores and passing gas?  Talking?  Whiny, squealing-type noises?  Yes, yes, double yes.  I have had to pull his whole body off of my head like you might do a cat! All in his sleep.  All in our bed.  Until about 6:15 a.m., if we're lucky. 

A full night of sleep?  Remind me of what that's like because my mind is fuzzy from the lack of it! 
In some areas, we have been very fortunate.  But sleep is not one of them.  Whew.
  

A Birthday Boy!

This weekend we partied with our All Star who turned one today!  We had a great time with family and, although he is the only little one, he had a good time with the grown ups:) I can't believe it has been one year!  It just keeps getting better... And although I use a pseudo name for the majority of posts, this one deserves the special name that has made this year one to remember... Happy Birthday Hampton! You are so loved sweet boy!

Party Planning

A year ago today I was planning (and hoping) for a birth to take place any day!

One week from today, we will be celebrating a first birthday! 

Early birthday present... because a one year old just needs to go 4-wheelin'? 

A (small) party will take place this weekend.  The boy loves a ball so that's the theme, except we'll call it "All Stars" instead of "Balls" :]

LB hates being the center of attention anytime, anyplace so it should be interesting...

wish us luck!

However it goes, feeling very Blessed.