Music To My Ears

Having a great-grandma who's been the church organist for 63 years running, grandparents who met in high school band, and parents who met in college band, it is my wish that Blaine grows up to love music as much as we do!

First Easter!

Blaine was scared of my sis! LOL!

Easter was fun. Blaine slept right through church while Nick sat out in the van with him. But hey that happens when 10 am is naptime and the service starts at 10:30. ;) I had to play trumpet and that actually went well considering I've only practiced three times since Christmas. And this is how I have to practice now: OUTSIDE with baby on my back. Too loud inside for baby. He enjoys anything in his backpack so my trumpet playing is no different. [yeah that is Flat Stanley, he went on a lot of adventures w/us last week LOL].

The forecast is crappy crappy and more crappy so our pumpkin season is already looking bad. Wanted to start my seeds last week but with a patch full of mud, we must hold off a week or so. No records this year for us! [of the top 5 pumpkins ever grown, all were polinated in June and you need a late April start for that booooo].

And in the Blaine eating news, he's still picky as ever but I caved and am giving him a sippy of formula and mixing a scoop of formula into his oatmeal. He probably has only sipped .25 ounces of the sippy over the last 4 days but hey that is more calories than zero. So I've been throwing a lot of it out, but that is no different than his food. I swear I throw 90% of his food away because he eats like 3 bites and then clamps his mouth shut and cries. I dread meal times nowdays because along with car rides, it is just torture for everyone involved. Before, I always thought "no biggie" if he just clamped his mouth shut and cried, so we would end mealtime and clean up. But now I feel pressure to get him to eat SOMETHING so I just offer up more and more choices and get more and more tears. SOOOOO FRUSTRATING!

The thing is I fully expect us to fail the "weight check" in three weeks [I have a scale at home, I know what is happening and I know he won't gain much in such little time]. So then who knows what will happen. We did find a breastfed babies growth chart and he's actually around the 35th percentile on that one. Yes, he should've gained more weight than 3 oz in three months, but in reality, I don't think he's as malnourished as the 6th percentile on the "regular chart" says. And I agree with Tara, he was sick and that definitely had affected his weight that particular week.

Happy Easter Weekend!!

Pretty excited my sister / boyfriend are home for the weekend (first time she's seen Blaine since Christmas!). Can't wait to celebrate baby's first Easter.

I'll leave you a picture of my extremely stubborn, extremely ornery son. He is cackling with laughter because he had just escaped from the bathroom naked (while I was taking a potty break). I told him it was mommy / Blaine potty time. Well he got off his baby potty and escaped. He then peed on the tile floor and pooped on the carpet in less than 2 minutes. At least he knew it was potty time (!!??). The way he was laughing with delight when he knew he was in the wrong was too cute for words. We are going to have our hands full with this one. :(

What Really Matters

So maybe Blaine can't say mamamamama thus worrying me that he's behind on speech. But hey he knows what matters most in life......

Weight Watchers

Nope, despite Blaine's triple chin, fatty leg rolls, and Budha Belly, I don't have to put him on a diet. I have to get him to gain some weight!

I was sent home from the pediatrician's office with a can of formula. I pretty much viewed that as a can of failure. What breastfeeding mother wouldn't? The doctor doesn't want me to stop breastfeeding, but maybe offer the formula at meals when we usually give Blaine a cup of water. Shhhhhhh, don't tell anyone, but I really don't want to use the formula! So much to think about......

I'm very torn! Knock on wood, Blaine has been so healthy and is a strong, active little guy. I know he should have grown more than he did in the last three months, but I know he burns soooooooo many calories being an absolute busy body. He never EVER sits still. He eats a lot, poops a lot, pees a lot, and is developing quite normally. I also know he comes from a line of genetically very small, and mostly very skinny people!

So my plan is to offer up more "fatty" foods and see what that does! Baby yogurt, cheese, avocados, and a little butter put on some of his bread. We'll see what happens! We have a weight check in 3 weeks. I'm going to tell Blaine to try not to poop until AFTER his appointment that day. ;)

9 Months

The biggest thing about this month is Blaine has become less clingy and quite the explorer. Right now as I type this he's exploring up a storm in the hallway. He's been able to crawl since 6.5 months (army style), but before this month, he'd crawl to get to mommy or go on minor expeditions. Now he crawls (non-army style) to get to his next major adventure and doesn't even care if mommy is there or not. He'll even crawl right out the back door if I open it for him. Sooooo cute! He gets into trouble and gets into predicaments, but he's learning. Luckily he seems to have a hard head and a high pain tolerance. ;)

Still no teeth and that is A-OK WITH ME! I got my first tooth in my 9th month so I'm thinking it'll be sometime soon unfortunately.

Speaking of me, I'm always comparing Blaine to milestones in my baby book. I know boys develop slower than girls in some areas but he's been right on track with me for the most part. One thing I think he's going to be WAY slower on is speech. He jibbers and jabbers up a storm 24 /7 but he doesn't do mamamamama / daddadadada / gagagagagga yet. Definitely no words. I'm not worried but it is the only thing I "think" he should be doing that he isn't.

Tomorrow we head to the doctor but I already know this kid is going to have gained less than one pound in the last 3 months. His growth regulators are just now realizing that destiny has him at no larger than 5'6''. ;)

Jumpin off the Train

On night #7 we had to jump off the sleep train (get it? sleep training? hardy harr harrrrr).

I had a 101 fever, Blaine had a 101 fever, we both had coughs and I truly believe cuddles were in order for all. Plus I think nursing is like giving babies medicine so the more often he did it, the quicker he'd get better (in my mind).

Who knows how long this sickness will last but I will not be making that kid cry until I know he is healthy again.

Speaking of sickness, Leslie made the comment on my breastfeeding post about how nursing for 15 months has resulting in her "body giving up" on her. I think my body has been giving up on me in a way. This was the first year since age 3 that I wasn't regularly attending some sort of germ bag errrrrrrr school (preschool, elementary school, high school, college, teaching at a high school, etc). I certainly thought I'd be the picture of health. WRONG!!! I've been sick so much this year I lost count and have been to the doctor three times. (I average one doctor visit a year and only took 1 sick day in 6 years of teaching).

So in summary: between nursing, running, getting no more than 2 consecutive hours of sleep per night, and caring for this little one, my body is VERY run down and giving up on me lately! I've had a fever for 3 days now and that is just crazy!!

Has anyone else noticed a downturn in health when they had babies?

In John Deere Green..

Even though his bedroom is John Deere themed, this is only the 2nd time I've gotten a pic of Blaine on a JD tractor! It was too dark by time his daddy got out the big one with the plow but I'm sure Blaine will get his chance sooner or later!

"Food" for Thought

CRAZY to think we are about to hit the 9 month mark here with Blaine and breastfeeding. I still remember in the hospital and at the pediatrician the week he was born and they all asked "how long" I was going to breastfeed for.

"HOW THE HECK DO I KNOW HOW LONG," is what I thought. I mean I didn't know if we'd make it a week, a month, 4 months, 6 months, etc. Who knew if he'd even be good at, I'd like it, or if he'd be allergic to something in my milk (I was pretty unwilling to give up eating dairy, wheat, chocolate, and go on a diet of water as I've seen some girls do).

And then there's the topic of clogged ducts, mastitis, etc. I was pretty unwilling to go through any of those horrible things numerous times (as again, I've heard about others who have). But I'm pretty proud it has been smooth sailing so far (knock on wood) and he's never even had 1 ounce of formula.

Which brings me to my next point. It is getting close to where I must decide if I will be the one to lead the weaning, or if I want to follow his lead. Most people I know who let the baby lead, the baby weaned himself (both boys) at 1 yr and 15 months respectively. I read some blogs of people who still nurse babies over 18 months but all of those are girls. I do think there is a difference in extended breastfeeding for boys and girls. However, I haven't researched it.

It is interesting though that The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends bf'ing for 2 years but even my own mother says "breastfeeding beyond 1 year isn't really for the child, it's for the mother who can't let go". I'm not sure I necessarily agree with her; nor does the research.

Thanks for Mama Em for making me think harder about this! :)

Devil Scream

"If you guys would just let me do the driving, all problems would be solved!" My one major complaint with sleep training is that Blaine has a new cry for situations when he is hysterical: THE DEVIL SCREAM. It sounds like the devil has taken hold of his voice box and just LET LOOSE. He figured it out on night 1 of sleep training and now uses it in all sleep crying spells and on most car rides. Even if the drive is only for 1 mile. Before, when he was hysterical in the car, earplugs would block some of the noise and you'd end up at your destination pretty darn rattled and stressed. But you'd get there. Well now with the DEVIL SCREAM in his reportoire, when he is in the car, earplugs won't help you a darn bit and you won't arrive at your destination because you will either have turned around and gone back home, or you would've killed yourself. No joke. I honestly think that child is damaging his vocal chords by doing what he is doing and I know he's damaging my eardrums. If he is hard of hearing when he gets older I will know why.

A few people on my facebook suggested letting him face-forward. SERIOUSLY?!! Not only is that AGAINST THE FREAKING LAW IN OHIO it is 100% unsafe. I've read the suggestions and their reasons. That kid will not be facing forward until he is 2 or even older. I'm the parent and he's the child. I win in that decision.

So we will install another carseat and see how that goes. Wish us luck! I'm sick of not leaving my town just because my child is an absolute nightmare!

And on the Third Night.......

8:30 pm - 5:30 am, not one single peep. 9 hours of sleepy bliss.

Wow is all I have to say!

Sleep Training

So I've been pretty inspired lately by mom-runner-friend, Kristin, and Courtney to try CIO to end our CRAZY/ INSANE seven times per night night-wakenings.

Night one was pretty dreadful, I won't lie. Did result in a 5 hr stretch of sleep! YAY!

Night two was amazing, I won't lie. He only woke up twice during the time-frame we were going to make him cry (no boobie before 4 AM was our rule) and only cried 20 minutes each wake-up. Resulted in a 6 hr stretch of sleep!

Night three will be tonight!

So far it has already gotten him some longer stretches of sleep than he's had since OCTOBER. I give this method an A++ so far but I know a lot can change and things can tank so I'm just going to keep my fingers crossed for this next week.

Bedtime Routine

For the first time in like a month (no joke), Nick has been home all week! Blaine has enjoyed going on nightly "jammie walks with Daddy" to check out the traps, cover-crops, pond, peas, cold-frame, and say "hi" to the great-grandparents. Too freakin cute!

EC

So I was at a mom-friend's house today and the kids were playing.

Her: So has Blaine had any new foods lately?
Me: Well, last night he ate whole chunks of broccoli and parsnips for the first time and loved them! He didn't like broccoli pureed but loves it whole.
Her: Oh, well I bet that was a fun diaper!!
Me: Actually he hasn't pooped the broccoli out yet**

**not a total lie since he didn't poop until 1 pm today, but I've told this friend 50 times or more that Blaine poops in the potty so I wasn't about to tell her again. WHY DOESN'T SHE BELIEVE ME?!

P.S. since the day I finished my antibiotic Blaine has not pooped in a diaper even once! Mystery of potty pause totally solved!!

Why Do Things the Easy Way?

6 Down, 6 To Go!

Well I survived 6 weeks of my friend's 12 week half-marathon training schedule. I'm so proud of myself because for the most part, I've stuck to the schedule. I say "for the most part" because...

1) I have an 8 month old who has very unpredictable freakouts

2) It is spring in Ohio and can be a 20 degree snowy day without warning (and I refuse to do more than 2 miles on a treadmill)

3) I was sick for a week and skipped a few days

4) I'm not actually running the race so I decided to top out my long runs at 9 miles even when she decides to get a little crazy and do "14 with the last 4 at race pace". ;)

But all in all I'm happy I have a schedule to stick to and a friend to run with.

In other news, my mom has a little bit of obsession with buying large quantities of cute things like peeps. So we got out her collection and did a little photo shoot so we can send out an Easter card. None of the pics are quite what I'm looking for but then again, Blaine is a baby so what can people expect? And if you are thinking "wow that's a lot of peeps," well I cropped out about 2/3rds of them! LOL.

Blaine's Funny Face