How, oh how, did I let it get to this? I haven't posted in 3 months! Might be because the love of my life is still napping and sleeping ON mommy and WITH mommy!
Carter is 9 months and I am more in love with him than I was yesterday! Hard to believe, I know, but it's true. He is my amazing little buddy!
So to catch up....Carter now has 4 teeth! And loves to bite mommy with his teeth and laugh! When he gets really excited (usually when daddy is trumpeting like an elephant), he nips me in the arm. Lovely.
We've had a lot of firsts since I last posted: Carter attended his first concert (Hullabaloo at Java Mamas), his first playdate (watermelon and swimming with Molly), completed his first sign language course (Sign4baby.com), and ate his first solids (tofu, cereal, and nectarines appear to be our favorites)!
He is growing by leaps and bounds...even took a few tentative "steps" as a crawler a few days ago. And, lest I forget, Carter is training for the, let's see, what would it be....the 2028 Summer Olympics? We are taking some private swimming lessons and Carter doesn't seem too worried about the underwater stuff. Just sort of takes it all in stride!
He visits his horse regularly. Concerto has moved down to a wonderful spot in Blossom Valley. There's a nice grassy area for Carter to sit...and eat bugs, leaves, and even rabbit poop. Mmmmm, rabbit poop.
Carter got his first wagon yesterday. Mommy took it out of the car and the young lad just went berserk. I've attached a photo of the event as proof of the love a young boy has for his wagon....
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Friday, May 2, 2008
Pearly Whites and Other Notables
Carter's finally got his teeth! They appeared the day before his 6-month birthday! They are now long enough to count as teeth and boy are they sharp! We love to bite people's fingers...hard.
Carter still isn't rolling, not since he decided to start (and stop) rolling at 3 months. He sits up though really well. Plays with his toys and likes his new perspective on life. Mommy's working on not gasping when he tips over and hurtles toward the door jamb. The gasping scares him...the fall usually not.
He's still the cutest baby I have ever seen
Carter still isn't rolling, not since he decided to start (and stop) rolling at 3 months. He sits up though really well. Plays with his toys and likes his new perspective on life. Mommy's working on not gasping when he tips over and hurtles toward the door jamb. The gasping scares him...the fall usually not.
He's still the cutest baby I have ever seen
Carter's Girlfriend
I know they grow quickly, but to be faced with the fact that my son is in love with another woman? Heartbreaking. Her name is Conchita. She dresses very colorfully and has a lovely smile. She keeps her hair in a neat little braid. The only thing I can really find fault with is that she needs a good washing.
My son's in love with a potholder! I bought her in Guatemala years ago and she hangs from the kitchen cbinet. Carter discovered her a few days ago and goes mad at the sight of her. Kicks his legs, grins, drools. When daddy holds Carter in the kitchen, he practically breaks his neck trying to get a glimpse of his beloved. She came off of the cabinet to give Carter a smooch. I swear he blushed!
My son's in love with a potholder! I bought her in Guatemala years ago and she hangs from the kitchen cbinet. Carter discovered her a few days ago and goes mad at the sight of her. Kicks his legs, grins, drools. When daddy holds Carter in the kitchen, he practically breaks his neck trying to get a glimpse of his beloved. She came off of the cabinet to give Carter a smooch. I swear he blushed!
Saturday, April 12, 2008
New Tricks
How is it possible that I wake up next to a completely different baby from one day to the next? One day he's staring at a toy and the next day he's grabbing for it. And the next day he's holding his arms out to be held. Then sitting by himself. And the big event? On April 10th, 2008, I actually ate my food slowly, using both hands while Carter entertained himself in his highchair.
He looks a bit silly in his highchair...kind of swallowed up in the big padded harness, like a miniature astronaut waiting for take-off. I've never seen an astronaut chew on his harness though.
And the poor guy isn't even getting any food in the chair. We're waiting to feed solids until Carter is 7 months old. Well I am waiting, my husband just shrugged his shoulders and muttered something under his breath when I told him. I'm not sure what he muttered...probably something along the lines of "well, you're a good mom, so I trust your judgement". Or not.
My husband's a little worried that Carter will still be sleeping with us, or god forbid still nursing when he's three. I told him that of course we won't all be sleeping together by that time...Rob will be in the guest room by then.
He looks a bit silly in his highchair...kind of swallowed up in the big padded harness, like a miniature astronaut waiting for take-off. I've never seen an astronaut chew on his harness though.
And the poor guy isn't even getting any food in the chair. We're waiting to feed solids until Carter is 7 months old. Well I am waiting, my husband just shrugged his shoulders and muttered something under his breath when I told him. I'm not sure what he muttered...probably something along the lines of "well, you're a good mom, so I trust your judgement". Or not.
My husband's a little worried that Carter will still be sleeping with us, or god forbid still nursing when he's three. I told him that of course we won't all be sleeping together by that time...Rob will be in the guest room by then.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Easter Morning
Carter is now just over 5 months (I can't believe it) and is sitting in his Rainforest Bouncer while mommy attempts to clear the fog from her brain with a cup of coffee. Mommy is also trying to type while batting at Agatha, the poop-eating dog, who has just come in from outside and has a slightly suspicious odor about her.
Carter now reaches out and "pets" the dogs....well, grabbing loose skin, pulling really hard, and shoving said skin in his mouth is more like it. Agatha, however, isn't terribly smart and stands next to Carter wagging her tail, because well, let's face it, with a 5 month old around, we take what affection we can get it in this house.
Since the last post, Carter and his family have moved to sunny San Diego! We are now the proud owners of a 1968 ranch-style house in the foothills of El Cajon. Major fixer upper. What were we thinking? My husband and I have both always talked about getting a fixer upper and remodeling it and we are doing just that. Have any of you seen the movie The Money Pit? It's kind of like that, only scarier.
To give you an idea of our life: we are living on wooden sub-flooring. I actually vacuumed the subflooring yesterday and dusted the 5 pieces of furniture in the 1 1/2 rooms we are living in. I stacked all of our papers in the office and shoved boxes and cords into neat piles. Ahh, much better.
My husband has been painting non stop the last 24 hours. The carpet is being installed in Carter's room and the two guest rooms on Tuesday and the rooms were in desperate need of a new coat of paint. I am so excited. We will be able to unpack Carter's clothes Tuesday night. Thank god. I have been rotating through the 4 remaining outfits that he actually still fits into.
At his four month check up he was just under 20 pounds and 27 inches......a month later and he's gained another pound and his feet now touch the ground in his Rainforest Jumperoo....wheeeee...
We were just looking at "baby Carter" pictures the other day. Can't get over how much he's grown. I think we love the laughing the most...it's so rewarding to make your baby laugh. Of course we caught him giggling hysterically at a watering can yesterday, so we might not be as funny as we think.
My favorite new trick is that Carter likes to hold his, well, as my husband delicately puts it, "his stuff". Carter has discovered that the part of his anatomy between his legs really lends itself to tugging, kneading, and pulling really really really hard. Sort of like silly putty. It's actually quite entertaining and during most diaper changes you can hear my husband or I yelling to the other, "come check it out....you should see what he's doing with it now!". Such fun. Grandma likes to think it's because he can't quite reach his feet. Mommy knows better however, I've seen him reach his feet.....
Carter now reaches out and "pets" the dogs....well, grabbing loose skin, pulling really hard, and shoving said skin in his mouth is more like it. Agatha, however, isn't terribly smart and stands next to Carter wagging her tail, because well, let's face it, with a 5 month old around, we take what affection we can get it in this house.
Since the last post, Carter and his family have moved to sunny San Diego! We are now the proud owners of a 1968 ranch-style house in the foothills of El Cajon. Major fixer upper. What were we thinking? My husband and I have both always talked about getting a fixer upper and remodeling it and we are doing just that. Have any of you seen the movie The Money Pit? It's kind of like that, only scarier.
To give you an idea of our life: we are living on wooden sub-flooring. I actually vacuumed the subflooring yesterday and dusted the 5 pieces of furniture in the 1 1/2 rooms we are living in. I stacked all of our papers in the office and shoved boxes and cords into neat piles. Ahh, much better.
My husband has been painting non stop the last 24 hours. The carpet is being installed in Carter's room and the two guest rooms on Tuesday and the rooms were in desperate need of a new coat of paint. I am so excited. We will be able to unpack Carter's clothes Tuesday night. Thank god. I have been rotating through the 4 remaining outfits that he actually still fits into.
At his four month check up he was just under 20 pounds and 27 inches......a month later and he's gained another pound and his feet now touch the ground in his Rainforest Jumperoo....wheeeee...
We were just looking at "baby Carter" pictures the other day. Can't get over how much he's grown. I think we love the laughing the most...it's so rewarding to make your baby laugh. Of course we caught him giggling hysterically at a watering can yesterday, so we might not be as funny as we think.
My favorite new trick is that Carter likes to hold his, well, as my husband delicately puts it, "his stuff". Carter has discovered that the part of his anatomy between his legs really lends itself to tugging, kneading, and pulling really really really hard. Sort of like silly putty. It's actually quite entertaining and during most diaper changes you can hear my husband or I yelling to the other, "come check it out....you should see what he's doing with it now!". Such fun. Grandma likes to think it's because he can't quite reach his feet. Mommy knows better however, I've seen him reach his feet.....
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
The Same Questions Over and Over (from January 21st)
The Same Questions Over and Over
Sleeping through the night:What's up with all of these people whose babies sleep through the night? 'Cause I don't know any of them.I would love to have started a tally the day Carter was born just to keep track of how many times I was asked: is he sleeping through the night? I'm betting that I've heard that question, oh, maybe a hundred times at least. Are these people just mean? Just wanting to confirm that their non-sleeping baby experiences were normal? Or are they just making fun of us?I should have a t-shirt made up that reads: "NO! He doesn't sleep through the night! If you couldn't tell by the bags under my eyes, my unwashed hair and the fact that I'm wearing the same outfit this morning that I wore yesterday to go grocery shopping and then slept in, then maybe you are just plain stupid!"But that would just prove that I'm really close to losing it...and that fact, well, we're trying to hide it from the general public.I have news for you. BABIES WHO BREASTFEED DON'T SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT! Not until 9-10 months. Check with your pediatrician, check with La Leche, check with Dr. Sears. Sleeping through the night isn't typical.And please, do not bring up the book Babywise to me. My baby isn't an assembly-line worker. He does not need to be on a schedule. He's on a schedule that works just fine for him...his own! Sometimes we sleep a couple of hours in a row, sometimes five or six. I just chalk it up to growth patterns, congested noses, and the fact that...HE IS A BABY!Breastfeeding: The question of how long I will be breastfeeding Carter is another sticky point. Since he's now only 3 months old and still deemed young enough to nurse by the conservative masses, I have only been asked this question a few times and by friends who mean no harm. I am however steeling myself for this question when he's a year old (or older) and some disapproving soul, who has had no positive boob time themselves, asks. My answer, and I admit, I have borrowed it from someone else....How long will Carter breastfeed? Well, if he goes away to college, I guess we'll have to figure something out.Crying it out: This would be another issue (or one of the many soapboxes my husband is constantly tripping over) that makes me a little CRAZY.When Carter cries, he is picked up and his needs are met. He doesn't have to cry for very long for food, a dry diaper, or a change in scenery. His only job right now is to learn that mommy, daddy and other adults around him make him feel happy, safe, warm, and keep his tummy full. Studies show, yes I am going down that road, that babies whose needs are met and who don't "cry it out" are more independent, trusting, empathetic, and creative than babies who learn to soothe themselves. When Carter is old enough in a few months to entertain himself, he will start to hear the words, "you're okay, mommy will be right there, she's making dinner" and rumor has it, he will know, based on his past history of being taken care of, that he is okay and that someone will be with him in a few minutes.And the truth is...I can't stand to hear him cry.
Sleeping through the night:What's up with all of these people whose babies sleep through the night? 'Cause I don't know any of them.I would love to have started a tally the day Carter was born just to keep track of how many times I was asked: is he sleeping through the night? I'm betting that I've heard that question, oh, maybe a hundred times at least. Are these people just mean? Just wanting to confirm that their non-sleeping baby experiences were normal? Or are they just making fun of us?I should have a t-shirt made up that reads: "NO! He doesn't sleep through the night! If you couldn't tell by the bags under my eyes, my unwashed hair and the fact that I'm wearing the same outfit this morning that I wore yesterday to go grocery shopping and then slept in, then maybe you are just plain stupid!"But that would just prove that I'm really close to losing it...and that fact, well, we're trying to hide it from the general public.I have news for you. BABIES WHO BREASTFEED DON'T SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT! Not until 9-10 months. Check with your pediatrician, check with La Leche, check with Dr. Sears. Sleeping through the night isn't typical.And please, do not bring up the book Babywise to me. My baby isn't an assembly-line worker. He does not need to be on a schedule. He's on a schedule that works just fine for him...his own! Sometimes we sleep a couple of hours in a row, sometimes five or six. I just chalk it up to growth patterns, congested noses, and the fact that...HE IS A BABY!Breastfeeding: The question of how long I will be breastfeeding Carter is another sticky point. Since he's now only 3 months old and still deemed young enough to nurse by the conservative masses, I have only been asked this question a few times and by friends who mean no harm. I am however steeling myself for this question when he's a year old (or older) and some disapproving soul, who has had no positive boob time themselves, asks. My answer, and I admit, I have borrowed it from someone else....How long will Carter breastfeed? Well, if he goes away to college, I guess we'll have to figure something out.Crying it out: This would be another issue (or one of the many soapboxes my husband is constantly tripping over) that makes me a little CRAZY.When Carter cries, he is picked up and his needs are met. He doesn't have to cry for very long for food, a dry diaper, or a change in scenery. His only job right now is to learn that mommy, daddy and other adults around him make him feel happy, safe, warm, and keep his tummy full. Studies show, yes I am going down that road, that babies whose needs are met and who don't "cry it out" are more independent, trusting, empathetic, and creative than babies who learn to soothe themselves. When Carter is old enough in a few months to entertain himself, he will start to hear the words, "you're okay, mommy will be right there, she's making dinner" and rumor has it, he will know, based on his past history of being taken care of, that he is okay and that someone will be with him in a few minutes.And the truth is...I can't stand to hear him cry.
Attachment Parenting Basics-Baby Wearing
Just like breastfeeding, this one is a bit of a no brainer for me.So, I spent most of my pregnancy, as I'm sure all pregnant women do, paying close attention to the habits of mothers with babies and toddlers. Just spend one hour in a grocery store, Target, or a shopping mall and you will have enough subjects for your own scientific study. And based on my sampling, approximately 98.3% of all new mommies drag their baby around in the car seat. I suppose it's to avoid waking up their little bundle, but guess what? Those car seats are frickin' heavy. Add a "moose" child (see earlier posting re. Breastfeeding) and they are impossible to haul around.An easy solution is to keep the car seat.....in the car. And take just the baby with you. I learned rather quickly that Carter was going to have to spend the majority of his time with me....not just with me, but ON me. That's how he slept, ate, and spent his, as they call it, "quiet alert" time. And I loved it. But oddly enough, I still found the need for both of my hands and so started "wearing" Carter.I find it interesting that what most cultures do without much thought, we need guidance to do. Just google "babywearing" and see what comes up. You will find entire websites and mommy groups dedicated to this activity. There are even instructions on how to wear your baby. And I'm not making fun of this. As many cultures as there are.....there are that many different ways of wearing your baby. And I tried a lot of them. I have a sling, a wrap, a Baby Bjorn, and an Ergo carrier. The Ergo is our favorite.
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