Category: Babies

Snack + Chat

We’ve hit that stage. The snack and chat phase.

Happy chatting three month old baby boy

Our little boy likes to breastfeed for a few sucks, then unlatch, talk earnestly to me, smile, and then latch himself back on. REPEAT. OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

Happy chatting three month old baby boy

Meanwhile I’m spraying milk everywhere.

He clearly has lots to say. (And is so smiley and proud of himself for being able to latch on himself.)

I can’t imagine where he gets that constant chatting thing from. We’re not big talkers around here at all.

HA!

Clearly he’s a part of the family.

Happy chatting three month old baby boy

Now latch back on, sweet baby, and finish your feeding. We need to get on with our day.

Cradle Cap, Be Gone

Thank you internet for the miracle cradle cap cure. (I love a good Google search.)

Ready?

Rub in coconut oil (yum!) and squirt the baby’s head with breast milk. A few hours later the cradle cap should be easy (!) to scrape/scrub right off.

That’s it.

Getting rid of cradle cap turned out to be really easy

Ta-da!

I really wish I had heard about that five years ago.

Oh, and it might have been the coconut oil OR breast milk that worked, but since I did them together I couldn’t tell you which one did the trick. Let’s pretend you need to do both.

Three Months Old

Our little guy is three months old! (I can hardly believe it.) He’s incredibly chill, hardly ever cries (as long as this breastfeeding mama stays away from dairy!), and feels content to watch and absorb the world around him.

Brother and sister cuddles

He’s an earnest talker, putting on a very serious expression as he soliloquies.

He’s so physical: standing with assistance, rolling from his back to his tummy at every opportunity, even getting close to sitting on his own. He holds his head up at every opportunity, only placing it down reluctantly if he needs to sleep.

Brother and sister cuddles

When he smiles his face transforms. The much-sought-after belly laugh brings us such joy. Today he laughed at his sister for the first time. Up until now he’s been so focused and serious watching her. (What will tomorrow bring?!)

His hands (or thumb!) are always in his mouth and drool is ever present.

Brother and sister cuddles

Our boy prefers to sleep on us (daddy or I) during the day, usually in this baby carrier. At night he sleeps for long stretches (cuddling next to mama), only feeding every 4-7 hours (usually at my insistence). He doesn’t bother to open his eyes and always goes right back to sleep as soon as he latches on. We thank you for this, sweet one.

He adores his big sister, who may love him to death right back. She loves talking, reading, singing, dancing, being fun and crazy (think exuberant!) for him. Giving him loving attention is her forte and I feel thankful for that on a daily basis. Her help has been invaluable (especially when I need to put up another load of laundry, make lunch, take a shower or go to the bathroom). Our daughter is such a kind helper. I don’t know how I’d get through the day without her.

Brother and sister cuddles

Our life feels so rich and full. David and I go to bed early (if the kids will let us!) and exhausted each night, with smiles on our faces, loving these children and this life of ours.

Hello Growth Spurt

Just last week I lamented to David that our son might never be as chubby as our daughter when she was a baby. Silly me. Give it time…

201305_growing2

Our little guy has started his twelve week growth spurt. He and I are eating pretty much nonstop these days. Thankfully we’re still sleeping through the night (oh, cosleeping, how I love you!), but I’m feeling rather hobbitish with my second breakfasts and whatnot. I’m eating us out of house and home. Although I suppose I should say “we” since technically I’m eating for two. Wow, does this (not so) little guy have an appetite.

12 weeks old and growing fast

We’ll see you back here in a few days with a rather chubby baby. (Oh, I’m excited just thinking about that.) This mama loves–and feels rather proud of–those baby fat rolls. Babies are meant to be chunky, don’t you think?

Essential Reading for Expectant Moms

While I joke that reading Calvin and Hobbes is the best way to prepare for parenthood, I consider three books must reads for all expectant moms.

(When you’re pregnant or a new mom the last thing you want to do is Google issues; there is so much crap advice online. Instead I recommend you stick with informative, non-alarmist books written by experts. These are the books for you.)

Essential Reading for Expectant Moms

1. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by Diane Wiessinger, Diana West, and Teresa Pitman
2. Having a Baby, Naturally by Peggy O’Mara
3. The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two by William and Martha Sears — currently on sale for $9, that’s 60% off.

The above books are so comprehensive that I’ve tossed all our other pregnancy books and consult these regularly. (You don’t even need to read them all the way through; just read the chapters that interest you and then keep a copy handy for when problems arise.)

In fact, this week I’ve already reread parts relating to drinking alcohol while breastfeeding (one glass of wine with dinner is fine on occasion once your milk is established) and the frequency of poops in newborns (skipping a day or two or seven evidently is entirely normal in newborns older than six weeks).

Ah, parenting can be so glamorous.

Stay tuned for several AWESOME parenting books to read. I found a couple that are WAY better than all the rest. I’m excited to share them with you soon.

Whoops! Evidently I wrote this exact same post five years ago. These must really be the best books out there. HA!