Friday, March 29, 2013
How to Wear Out a Baby
One evening Ben was trying to get Max through his evening routine while I was out with some girlfriends. Max was being a bit of a wild man and was refusing all of Ben's attempts to feed him a bottle, read stories, rock, or do anything else remotely related to bedtime. So, Ben decided to change Max in to his jammies and stuck him in the jumperoo to try and wear him out. Take a look at the video below... I bet you'll agree that he was successful. :-)
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Starting Solids
Although the pediatrician gave us the green light to start solids at four months, we decided to stick to the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization and feed Max breast milk exclusively for his first six months of life. After getting a bit of guidance from the pediatrician at his six month well visit we jumped in to the world of solids the day after his six month birthday. At Dr. Khan's recommendation we started with oatmeal instead of rice cereal. I made it myself by grinding up oatmeal very fine in the blender and we mixed it with a bit of breast milk. Since then we have switched to store bought baby oatmeal as I can't grind it up fine enough in my home blender. The store bought stuff is almost like a powder and is much smoother and thinner when prepared. Max seems to like it much better and is more likely to actually swallow the bite.
Here is a video of his first tastes of "real" food!
We have also tried bananas, peas, and carrots and he seems to like them all so far! I've been making his fruits and vegetables at home by steaming them until very mushy and pureeing them in the food processor with a bit of the cooking water. The veggies tend to thicken up a bit after being in the fridge so we usually thin it with a bit of breast milk when it's time to serve it to Max. The pediatrician said this can also help with the transition to solids as the breast milk lends a familiar taste, and it helps make it more of a "runny milkshake" consistency.
For the bananas I just break off a one inch piece and mush it up really well with a fork before thinning it with breast milk. Sometimes we mix the bananas in to his oatmeal. Per the pediatrician's instructions we wait 3-5 days between introducing each food. This way, if Max has an allergic reaction we will know exactly what food is the source of the cause. Since we tried two vegetables in a row we are going to try another fruit next... yay for pears!
Max eats solids once or twice a day, and he is swallowing more and more of the food. He is also getting better at clearing the spoon with his top lip (versus having us sort of pour it in to his mouth). Sometimes he will eat the whole serving and other times he closes his lips tightly and turns his head away after two bites. When he does that we usually give him a little break and then try putting the spoon to his lips again to see if he'll eat a little more. His level of interest in eating solids seems to vary and we don't push it on the days he is done after two bites. At this point it's more for fun and practice than for nutrition and calories, and breast milk will continue to be his primary source of nutrition until sometime around his first birthday.
We'll add in "lunch" closer to his seven or eight month birthday, and transition to finger foods closer to his eight or nine month birthday. When it comes to solids it seems to be more of a "watch the baby for readiness cues" versus going by the calendar. Until then, open wide baby bird! Yum!
Friday, March 15, 2013
I Have No Idea What You Are Talking About...
...so here's a baby with a napkin on his head.
A little ode to the popular "Bunny With a Pancake on It's Head" meme...
Dear Max: Six Months Old
Dear Max,
How is it possible that it has already been half a year since we welcomed you in to our lives? It seems like you were just a tiny, curled up newborn with your little squeaks and grunts, always looking off in to the distance. I can remember getting excited that you were able to lift your head high enough to turn it side to side while doing tummy time, and just the other day you were pushed up all the way to your waist while reaching, grabbing, and playing for nearly 20 minutes! I've packed away even more of your clothes and pulled out some larger clothes only to find that some already fit you perfectly (which means they won't be out for long!).
It blows my mind how fast you are growing and changing, and it is hard to wrap my brain around the fact that you are now closer to being a toddler than a newborn. I am doing my best to embrace this time while you are still small to indulge in extra snuggle time; and I admit that sometimes I just sit and hold you for a few minutes after the occasional middle of the night feeding even if I am bleary eyed and exhausted. I know these days will pass too quickly and there will come a time when I miss our special 3:00am snuggles (which are already not a regular occurrence... admittedly this is bittersweet as I really like sleeping but I also cherish the extra moments we have together).
As you head in to your sixth month of life we are beginning the teething journey! You have been drooling like it's your job and sticking everything in your mouth since before Christmas but there hasn't been much going on in your mouth. Recently, Dad and I noticed that we could see two tiny little nubs just under your gums on the bottom, and a few days before your six month birthday they broke through your gums! We affectionately call them your "toof-ers" and you are always rubbing your tongue against your new little teeth. We knew something was up, too, because the day before you took a really, really long nap and then that night you nursed two or three times at night (you usually don't nurse at all overnight).
On a related note, we are going to start feeding you solids pretty soon. You now sit in your little booster seat/high chair at the table and we've given you a few "practice" bites with an empty spoon. It's so cute to see you take a "bite" and to have you at the table! It makes you seem and look more like a boy, but at the same time you still possess so many of your little baby qualities that we adore. We love watching you pat on your tray and bang your little toys around. While you are in your chair we have given you an empty plastic bowl to play with, too, and it's so neat to see you explore it as a new object when, to us, it's just a mundane, ordinary thing we interact with each day.
Like last month, your hair continues to grow and fill in. There is finally a little peach fuzz on the bald spot you had rubbed on the back of your head, and the top is getting long enough that we comb it a bit to the side. It makes you look so fancy. You were born with a little bit of hair on the "rims" of your ears (weird, right?) and for the most part it has finally fallen out. There is still a little fuzz, though, and I admit we are glad it seems to be falling out rather than filling in!
You've learned to roll from your tummy to your back and we were so, so excited! Unfortunately you only did it three times one morning and haven't done it since; and you have never rolled from your back to your tummy. We give you lots of "tummy time" so you can continue to build your strength, and we help you do some practice rolls to help you get the idea of what to do. Your pediatrician said she is not worried about it because of your other physical skills (I've been a bit obsessed with the fact that you haven't rolled because it was on the list of milestones for your four month well visit). In fact, she said there is a chance you could just skip rolling over and move right on to crawling or pulling up to standing! It will be fun to see how things progress with your physical development.
The jumperoo continues to be one of your favorite activities during playtime. You seem to alternate between bouncing and being very still and focused on the toys that are attached on the rim. It's neat to watch you explore how the different toys work. Sometimes Dad or I will lay on our backs and have you either sit or stand on our hips. We raise our hips up in the air and then drop you halfway down and back up again. It makes you laugh so much! You seem to like it most when we make sound effects at the same time.
Getting you dressed and changing your diaper is starting to get more interesting these days. You often flip your feet up to your face or straighten your legs and hips so much that we almost have to force you to bend a leg to get it in your pants. One cute thing you do is when we are putting your arm in a sleeve you have figured out how to push it through on your own. Basically we just get it started and then pull the end over your hand if it gets stuck and you do the rest! Sometimes when we are getting you out of your car seat you will pull your arms inside the straps and start leaning forward to help us lift you out. Such a helpful little baby.
Your six month well visit at the pediatrician went well. The doctor answered all my questions (I always ask about a million things!), and you didn't seem to mind all her poking and prodding. As usual, you had a round of vaccines and Dad and I continue to marvel at how well you seem to handle the prick. You always cry, of course, but it only lasts ten or fifteen seconds and then you're all set. I accidentally left the pacifier at home and was worried you'd cry longer, but it didn't seem to make much of a difference. You're one tough cookie!
Here are some facts about you as a six month old boy...
Nicknames: Muffin, Sugar Plum, Pumpkin, Pumpkin Face, Silly Head, MJ Butter Boy
Loves: Jumping in the jumperoo, playing "drop" games with Mom and Dad, co-sleeping, playing with your feet, snuggling, tasting everything, playing peek-a-boo type games
Dislikes: When we've had you on your tummy too long, not having a captive audience
Height: 26.25 inches (44th percentile)
Weight: 16 pounds 7 ounces (36th percentile)
Head Circumference: 17 inches (34th percentile)
Clothing Size: 3 month, 3 - 6 month, 6 month, size 3 diapers
You are such a special boy, Max, and there are so many people who love you! Dad and I are Co-Presidents of your fan club, and we are so glad that God chose us to be your parents. You amaze us everyday and we truly treasure each moment we spend with you. It's hard to imagine what life would be like without you!
Love,
Mom
How is it possible that it has already been half a year since we welcomed you in to our lives? It seems like you were just a tiny, curled up newborn with your little squeaks and grunts, always looking off in to the distance. I can remember getting excited that you were able to lift your head high enough to turn it side to side while doing tummy time, and just the other day you were pushed up all the way to your waist while reaching, grabbing, and playing for nearly 20 minutes! I've packed away even more of your clothes and pulled out some larger clothes only to find that some already fit you perfectly (which means they won't be out for long!).
It blows my mind how fast you are growing and changing, and it is hard to wrap my brain around the fact that you are now closer to being a toddler than a newborn. I am doing my best to embrace this time while you are still small to indulge in extra snuggle time; and I admit that sometimes I just sit and hold you for a few minutes after the occasional middle of the night feeding even if I am bleary eyed and exhausted. I know these days will pass too quickly and there will come a time when I miss our special 3:00am snuggles (which are already not a regular occurrence... admittedly this is bittersweet as I really like sleeping but I also cherish the extra moments we have together).
As you head in to your sixth month of life we are beginning the teething journey! You have been drooling like it's your job and sticking everything in your mouth since before Christmas but there hasn't been much going on in your mouth. Recently, Dad and I noticed that we could see two tiny little nubs just under your gums on the bottom, and a few days before your six month birthday they broke through your gums! We affectionately call them your "toof-ers" and you are always rubbing your tongue against your new little teeth. We knew something was up, too, because the day before you took a really, really long nap and then that night you nursed two or three times at night (you usually don't nurse at all overnight).
On a related note, we are going to start feeding you solids pretty soon. You now sit in your little booster seat/high chair at the table and we've given you a few "practice" bites with an empty spoon. It's so cute to see you take a "bite" and to have you at the table! It makes you seem and look more like a boy, but at the same time you still possess so many of your little baby qualities that we adore. We love watching you pat on your tray and bang your little toys around. While you are in your chair we have given you an empty plastic bowl to play with, too, and it's so neat to see you explore it as a new object when, to us, it's just a mundane, ordinary thing we interact with each day.
Like last month, your hair continues to grow and fill in. There is finally a little peach fuzz on the bald spot you had rubbed on the back of your head, and the top is getting long enough that we comb it a bit to the side. It makes you look so fancy. You were born with a little bit of hair on the "rims" of your ears (weird, right?) and for the most part it has finally fallen out. There is still a little fuzz, though, and I admit we are glad it seems to be falling out rather than filling in!
You've learned to roll from your tummy to your back and we were so, so excited! Unfortunately you only did it three times one morning and haven't done it since; and you have never rolled from your back to your tummy. We give you lots of "tummy time" so you can continue to build your strength, and we help you do some practice rolls to help you get the idea of what to do. Your pediatrician said she is not worried about it because of your other physical skills (I've been a bit obsessed with the fact that you haven't rolled because it was on the list of milestones for your four month well visit). In fact, she said there is a chance you could just skip rolling over and move right on to crawling or pulling up to standing! It will be fun to see how things progress with your physical development.
The jumperoo continues to be one of your favorite activities during playtime. You seem to alternate between bouncing and being very still and focused on the toys that are attached on the rim. It's neat to watch you explore how the different toys work. Sometimes Dad or I will lay on our backs and have you either sit or stand on our hips. We raise our hips up in the air and then drop you halfway down and back up again. It makes you laugh so much! You seem to like it most when we make sound effects at the same time.
Getting you dressed and changing your diaper is starting to get more interesting these days. You often flip your feet up to your face or straighten your legs and hips so much that we almost have to force you to bend a leg to get it in your pants. One cute thing you do is when we are putting your arm in a sleeve you have figured out how to push it through on your own. Basically we just get it started and then pull the end over your hand if it gets stuck and you do the rest! Sometimes when we are getting you out of your car seat you will pull your arms inside the straps and start leaning forward to help us lift you out. Such a helpful little baby.
Your six month well visit at the pediatrician went well. The doctor answered all my questions (I always ask about a million things!), and you didn't seem to mind all her poking and prodding. As usual, you had a round of vaccines and Dad and I continue to marvel at how well you seem to handle the prick. You always cry, of course, but it only lasts ten or fifteen seconds and then you're all set. I accidentally left the pacifier at home and was worried you'd cry longer, but it didn't seem to make much of a difference. You're one tough cookie!
Here are some facts about you as a six month old boy...
Nicknames: Muffin, Sugar Plum, Pumpkin, Pumpkin Face, Silly Head, MJ Butter Boy
Loves: Jumping in the jumperoo, playing "drop" games with Mom and Dad, co-sleeping, playing with your feet, snuggling, tasting everything, playing peek-a-boo type games
Dislikes: When we've had you on your tummy too long, not having a captive audience
Height: 26.25 inches (44th percentile)
Weight: 16 pounds 7 ounces (36th percentile)
Head Circumference: 17 inches (34th percentile)
Clothing Size: 3 month, 3 - 6 month, 6 month, size 3 diapers
You are such a special boy, Max, and there are so many people who love you! Dad and I are Co-Presidents of your fan club, and we are so glad that God chose us to be your parents. You amaze us everyday and we truly treasure each moment we spend with you. It's hard to imagine what life would be like without you!
Love,
Mom
Growing Up!
One Week Old:
One Month Old:
Six Months Old:
How in the world is it possible that our tiny little baby is already so big????
One Month Old:
Six Months Old:
How in the world is it possible that our tiny little baby is already so big????
Friday, March 8, 2013
Big Boy Chair
Max has spent countless hours in his bouncy seat starting the very first day we brought him home from the hospital. It has been by far our most used piece of "baby gear" as it is easy to move and is a safe and secure spot to put Max down while we do grown-up things like shower, cook, eat, and other daily tasks. Our tiny baby is growing up and in the past few weeks has begun expressing his displeasure (to put it mildly) of sitting in his bouncy seat on the floor while we eat dinner. Often, I end up picking him up and eating dinner with him in my lap as it seems to be the only sure fire way for Ben and I to talk and eat dinner in peace (note that this is much more difficult than it sounds as I have to navigate hot forkfuls of food from my plate to my mouth while steering clear of grabby baby hands).
Our inconvenient seating arrangements combined with the knowledge that Max will be starting solids very soon, made us decide to get his booster seat/high chair out of the box! To save space in our small kitchen we opted for a booster seat with a tray that attaches directly to one of our kitchen chairs instead of a traditional highchair. From the moment we put Max in his seat he seemed so happy! He can't sit unassisted just yet so he kind of flopped to one side when he was in the seat (it has straps that go between his legs and around his waist, but not over the shoulders). We ended up putting two rolled up kitchen towels beside him to prop him up side to side, and the tray pushes in far enough that it keeps him from flopping forward.
It was quite clear that Max loved sitting with us at the table and it was the first meal in a long time that was not spent trying to quiet a loud baby. Instead, we were all laughing and having a great time and it truly felt like we were having a family dinner with all three of us around the table.
We gave Max a bowl and spoon to play with while he sat in his chair so he could start getting used to them before we start solids. Unfortunately he kept sticking the spoon too far in his mouth and would gag himself so we took that away and gave him some teething toys to play with instead. He loved trying to eat everything (what else is new? ha!) and banging on his tray with his hands. The next morning at breakfast we tried playing some games where we would hide a toy underneath his bowl and see if he could figure out how to get the toy out. So fun! I can tell we have many fun family meal adventures ahead of us.
Our inconvenient seating arrangements combined with the knowledge that Max will be starting solids very soon, made us decide to get his booster seat/high chair out of the box! To save space in our small kitchen we opted for a booster seat with a tray that attaches directly to one of our kitchen chairs instead of a traditional highchair. From the moment we put Max in his seat he seemed so happy! He can't sit unassisted just yet so he kind of flopped to one side when he was in the seat (it has straps that go between his legs and around his waist, but not over the shoulders). We ended up putting two rolled up kitchen towels beside him to prop him up side to side, and the tray pushes in far enough that it keeps him from flopping forward.
It was quite clear that Max loved sitting with us at the table and it was the first meal in a long time that was not spent trying to quiet a loud baby. Instead, we were all laughing and having a great time and it truly felt like we were having a family dinner with all three of us around the table.
We gave Max a bowl and spoon to play with while he sat in his chair so he could start getting used to them before we start solids. Unfortunately he kept sticking the spoon too far in his mouth and would gag himself so we took that away and gave him some teething toys to play with instead. He loved trying to eat everything (what else is new? ha!) and banging on his tray with his hands. The next morning at breakfast we tried playing some games where we would hide a toy underneath his bowl and see if he could figure out how to get the toy out. So fun! I can tell we have many fun family meal adventures ahead of us.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Rolling Over!
It's an exciting morning at the Lilly household! After months of tummy time and weeks of practice, Max rolled from front to back all by himself this morning! :-)
Friday, March 1, 2013
Videos Galore
Here are several recent videos that I thought would be fun to share. Some videos display as a narrow bar in the middle of the screen because they were recorded on my phone and not a regular camera.
Max and Bambi (Side note- I recorded this on my iPhone and was using the front facing camera. He could see himself on the screen which is why he is looking so intently.):
Playing with a butterfly:
Playing in the sheets:
Using his fingertips to spin the lizard (versus using his whole hand to spin the lizard):
"Talking" and making new noises:
More "Talking" (I keep saying "La La La" in the video because over the weekend he started mimicking us when we would make that sound! He sort of does it in this video.):
Max and Bambi (Side note- I recorded this on my iPhone and was using the front facing camera. He could see himself on the screen which is why he is looking so intently.):
Playing with a butterfly:
Playing in the sheets:
Using his fingertips to spin the lizard (versus using his whole hand to spin the lizard):
"Talking" and making new noises:
More "Talking" (I keep saying "La La La" in the video because over the weekend he started mimicking us when we would make that sound! He sort of does it in this video.):
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