Friday, August 30, 2013
Baby Food for Bigger Babies
At every pediatrician's appointment, we get a handy chart explaining what Gideon can eat at this age, suggested amounts, and finger food recommendations. At G's newborn appointment, I realized we would be introducing meat at around 9 months, and it was then that I decided I'd be making all of his food. I'd love to say that I was seriously concerned with providing him with all-organic produce, or a preservative-free diet, but I feel like I need to come clean...
The thought of baby food meat grosses me out.
It's really that simple; I cannot handle the thought of pureed, shelf stable meat. And so I figured if something grossed me out that much, why would I let my child eat it? (I know I'll be singing a different song in a few years when little bear is lobbying for dinosaur chicken nuggets or crazy flavored yogurt- I'll pick my battles then).
So when the 9 month mark rolled around, I made some protein rich homemade meals for little man-
-Chicken spaghetti with pasta stars- I made a quick homemade marinara sauce with extra veggies (corn and carrots- it was just what was in the fridge), pureed it with the immersion blender, added some finely chopped cooked chicken and mixed the sauce with cooked pasta stars. He gobbled this one up!
-Chicken and vegetable casserole- I cooked some veggies on the stovetop (carrots, broccoli, onion), added some flour and milk to make a quick sauce, then stirred in some cheese and some cooked chicken cubes. I pulsed this on in the food processor until the bites were more baby friendly. G also loved this one very much!
-Chicken with mashed root vegetables- This one is self-explanatory- I mixed cooked chicken with mashed sweet potato, carrot, and parsnip. Yummy!
I'm planning on introducing fish pretty soon, since that would be very easy to pick up- and very healthy, too!
I also have some dishes that are higher in protein but meat free- we made a lentil and vegetable dish a few weeks ago.
G is also really expanding his finger food experiences- some things he loves so far are
-toast bites with cream cheese (and we're planning on trying toast with hummus this week)
-red grapes (cut into quarters to prevent choking)
-banana bites (I slice bananas in rounds, then cut each slice into quarters to prevent choking)
-mandarin oranges
-shredded cheese
-cooked pasta shapes (these are hard to catch, though)
-black beans
He is just growing up so fast! What a precious little boy!
Saturday, August 24, 2013
9 months old!
Long time, no blog. Things are so busy with our growing little boy. Here are some quick updates-
Stats- 50th percentile head circumference, 10-20th percentile weight, 50-75th percentile height. He's long and slender. Currently in 9 month clothes and size 3 diapers.
Words- G is getting better at making many letter sounds- he currently says 'ba', 'ma', 'pa', 'ga' and 'da.' He also babbles constantly, and likes to use his outside voice to squeal.
What's he up to?
-sitting for extended periods to play
-standing (very briefly) with support
-he's doing some creeping on his stomach- he usually goes backwards or in a circle. He hates being on his stomach, so our tummy time doesn't last very long.
-reaching up to caregivers when he wants to be picked up
-starting to figure out how to clap
-lots and lots of raspberries
-he loves to be in his jumperoo
His favorite-
food- this one is tough. He loves to eat.
toy- his Baby Einstein piano
dog- Lucy. She lays down beside him so he can "pet" her (his petting is not very gentle- we'll work on it)
New things?
-This week he got promoted to a new class at school. He's with the older babies now, and is adjusting very well to his new environment. He's making lots of friends, taking good naps, and playing nicely. They also provide lunches, so that's one less thing for Mommy to do, which is wonderful!
-Daddy got a new car. When we bought the Jeep Wrangler (the old vehicle), we only thought through a baby seat, but neglected to think through a convertible seat. Since the American Academy of Pediatrics says that babies should be rear facing until age 2, we needed a larger vehicle to accommodate a rear facing convertible seat. Safety first!
-Since G is 9 months old, we can start adding meat to his diet. I made some yummy meals for him tonight to add some protein to his diet (chicken spaghetti with pasta stars, chicken and veggie casserole with cheese, and chicken with root vegetables).
G is so much fun! I sure do enjoy having a little one.
Stats- 50th percentile head circumference, 10-20th percentile weight, 50-75th percentile height. He's long and slender. Currently in 9 month clothes and size 3 diapers.
Words- G is getting better at making many letter sounds- he currently says 'ba', 'ma', 'pa', 'ga' and 'da.' He also babbles constantly, and likes to use his outside voice to squeal.
What's he up to?
-sitting for extended periods to play
-standing (very briefly) with support
-he's doing some creeping on his stomach- he usually goes backwards or in a circle. He hates being on his stomach, so our tummy time doesn't last very long.
-reaching up to caregivers when he wants to be picked up
-starting to figure out how to clap
-lots and lots of raspberries
-he loves to be in his jumperoo
His favorite-
food- this one is tough. He loves to eat.
toy- his Baby Einstein piano
dog- Lucy. She lays down beside him so he can "pet" her (his petting is not very gentle- we'll work on it)
New things?
-This week he got promoted to a new class at school. He's with the older babies now, and is adjusting very well to his new environment. He's making lots of friends, taking good naps, and playing nicely. They also provide lunches, so that's one less thing for Mommy to do, which is wonderful!
-Daddy got a new car. When we bought the Jeep Wrangler (the old vehicle), we only thought through a baby seat, but neglected to think through a convertible seat. Since the American Academy of Pediatrics says that babies should be rear facing until age 2, we needed a larger vehicle to accommodate a rear facing convertible seat. Safety first!
-Since G is 9 months old, we can start adding meat to his diet. I made some yummy meals for him tonight to add some protein to his diet (chicken spaghetti with pasta stars, chicken and veggie casserole with cheese, and chicken with root vegetables).
G is so much fun! I sure do enjoy having a little one.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
8 Months Old!
Wow- time flies with a little one. Here are a few quick updates on our sweet little boy.
Sizes- size 6-9 month clothes, size 3 diapers
Eating- little man weaned himself this week, so he's now exclusively formula fed. After battling bleeding, months of Raynaud's syndrome, and significant supply issues, I'm okay with closing this chapter in his life. Gideon has between 24 and 32 ounces of formula a day, plus two solid meals a day. He eats like a champ! His favorite foods are any puree that contains blueberries, and sweet potatoes. His favorite snack foods are mandarin oranges and peach cubes. He loves to feed himself, and assumes any food around him is his to eat. Watch your plates!
Sleeping- two naps a day, plus sleeping 12+ hours a night. I'm blessed with a great sleeper!
Development Milestones- So many fun things this month!
-Fine tuning his pincher grasp. This was really noticeable with mandarin oranges this month- the first few times they were offered, he would grab them so hard (in his whole hand) that the juice would run out. Now he can pick them up, one at a time, bite off half, and then eat the rest. He's also starting to eat more equally with both hands, instead of just eating left handed.
-Sitting independently for longer stretches.
-Reaching for toys that he wants to play with
-Making some "inchworm" movements on his tummy. No sign of crawling yet, mainly because little man does not like being on his tummy at all. He'll roll on to his back almost immediately.
-Bigger smiles and laughs. He's started to squinch the bridge of his nose when he smiles or giggles.
-Establishing object permanence. I've noticed him leaning around me to find toys that I've hidden, or to see where the doggies have gone.
-Starting to understand "cause and effect." (I hit this button on my toy, and now I hear noise).
New Words- "Mama" is his first word! Melt my heart! He recognizes that saying "mama" gets praise and enthusiasm from me, so he says it a lot, and then giggles when I respond. This has also made naptime a little comical. I laid him down yesterday and could hear him on the monitor saying "mama....MAMA!!....mama mama mama." He's also doing a great job with the "B" sound. He's making another sound pretty often that I'm convinced is in Hebrew- maybe he's a future seminarian?
New experiences- this month Gideon started full time day care at a local church. The ladies who take care of him are so precious, and he has lots of babies his age to be friends with.
Favorite toys- his most favorite toy this month is his ring stacking toy- the kind with five rings of various sizes that stack on top of each other. He likes to pull all the rings off, and then try to eat them. He also loves his shape sorter toy with various shaped blocks. Anything that he can hit together and have it make noise is lots of fun right now.
Favorite books- Our new goodnight story is "Llama Llama Nighty Night."
Unofficial momma endorsement- I have fallen in love with labels from a company called Mabel's Labels. I ordered a set of these to label all of Gideon's bottles and sippy cups for school. They stick well, lay flat on curved surfaces without puckering, and are completely dishwasher safe. I am a huge fan.
It is so fun to watch Gideon grow!
Sizes- size 6-9 month clothes, size 3 diapers
Eating- little man weaned himself this week, so he's now exclusively formula fed. After battling bleeding, months of Raynaud's syndrome, and significant supply issues, I'm okay with closing this chapter in his life. Gideon has between 24 and 32 ounces of formula a day, plus two solid meals a day. He eats like a champ! His favorite foods are any puree that contains blueberries, and sweet potatoes. His favorite snack foods are mandarin oranges and peach cubes. He loves to feed himself, and assumes any food around him is his to eat. Watch your plates!
Sleeping- two naps a day, plus sleeping 12+ hours a night. I'm blessed with a great sleeper!
Development Milestones- So many fun things this month!
-Fine tuning his pincher grasp. This was really noticeable with mandarin oranges this month- the first few times they were offered, he would grab them so hard (in his whole hand) that the juice would run out. Now he can pick them up, one at a time, bite off half, and then eat the rest. He's also starting to eat more equally with both hands, instead of just eating left handed.
-Sitting independently for longer stretches.
-Reaching for toys that he wants to play with
-Making some "inchworm" movements on his tummy. No sign of crawling yet, mainly because little man does not like being on his tummy at all. He'll roll on to his back almost immediately.
-Bigger smiles and laughs. He's started to squinch the bridge of his nose when he smiles or giggles.
-Establishing object permanence. I've noticed him leaning around me to find toys that I've hidden, or to see where the doggies have gone.
-Starting to understand "cause and effect." (I hit this button on my toy, and now I hear noise).
New Words- "Mama" is his first word! Melt my heart! He recognizes that saying "mama" gets praise and enthusiasm from me, so he says it a lot, and then giggles when I respond. This has also made naptime a little comical. I laid him down yesterday and could hear him on the monitor saying "mama....MAMA!!....mama mama mama." He's also doing a great job with the "B" sound. He's making another sound pretty often that I'm convinced is in Hebrew- maybe he's a future seminarian?
New experiences- this month Gideon started full time day care at a local church. The ladies who take care of him are so precious, and he has lots of babies his age to be friends with.
Favorite toys- his most favorite toy this month is his ring stacking toy- the kind with five rings of various sizes that stack on top of each other. He likes to pull all the rings off, and then try to eat them. He also loves his shape sorter toy with various shaped blocks. Anything that he can hit together and have it make noise is lots of fun right now.
Favorite books- Our new goodnight story is "Llama Llama Nighty Night."
Unofficial momma endorsement- I have fallen in love with labels from a company called Mabel's Labels. I ordered a set of these to label all of Gideon's bottles and sippy cups for school. They stick well, lay flat on curved surfaces without puckering, and are completely dishwasher safe. I am a huge fan.
It is so fun to watch Gideon grow!
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Goin' Swimmin'
For the past three years, we've spent the weekend of the 4th with a set of family friends in Mt. Hope. We were very excited to come back this year as a family of three!
First we had to get Gideon all decked out in appropriate sun protective gear. Poor kid has alabaster skin, just like his momma.
Check out those cool sunglasses! We got him some that actually wrap around his head so that he won't pull them off.
Keith tried dipping Gideon's toes in the water first to see how he would react. He wasn't very impressed.
He was content to sit on Daddy's lap for a family photo.
We walked around the pool and let him splash his feet in the water. He was very content to do little splashes. We even played "washing machine."
And then he let me push him around on a float. He seemed pretty content in this big float- he did NOT like the "kiddie" float we tried to put him in first.
Overall, Gideon was a great little boy for our day trip. There was so much activity that he didn't want to sleep, so he's made up for missed sleep today. We look forward to more fun swimming trips here soon!
Thursday, June 27, 2013
7 Months Old
Our sweet little boy is 7 months old! Here are a few updates...
Sizes? Size 6 or 9 month clothes- he just wears what fits since sizes vary between manufacturers. Size 2 diapers during the day, and size 3 at night.
Eating? He nurses once a day, and receives three additional formula bottles a day (8 oz). He's on a pretty great schedule- 6, 10, 2, and 6. He gets two solid meals a day, as well as snacks of puffs or teething biscuits. I'm also letting him try to eat some finger foods, and he's done great with fruit. He's eaten a whole banana (cut into small pieces), a pear fruit cup, and a peach fruit cup. I'm feeding him fruit packed in water with no added sugar, and breaking the larger fruit pieces into smaller chunks- he loves to pick up the pieces and feed himself!
Sleeping? Like a champ! Bedtime is at 6:30 pm, and he'll sleep until 6:30 am. He also takes a short morning nap and a longer afternoon nap. I love that he's such an easy baby to put to sleep- we just lay him down, give him his WubbaNub, crank the mobile, turn on the sound machine, and make a hasty exit (I promise that only takes 10 seconds in real life- it looks complicated in print). He'll talk to his mobile for a little while, but then settle right down and go to sleep.
Favorite things? Our dogs- He grins bigger for the dogs than anything else. He also loves to play with his blocks from Mimi and Pop, his Sophie the Giraffe, and his push toy that makes a lot of noise.
New this month?
-First sick visit to the pediatrician for some diaper rash that just wouldn't clear up.
-First date night out for mom and dad, which meant babysitting from his sweet great aunt.
-First trip to the dog park to let the puppies play.
We also got to celebrate Keith's first father's day this month! We even made a fun Auburn-inspired craft for Keith to place in his office.
Totally unrelated to our craft and a blurry photo, but too cute not to post. Look at this cutie pie!
I have the most precious little boy in the world. I am so blessed to have him in my life.
Sizes? Size 6 or 9 month clothes- he just wears what fits since sizes vary between manufacturers. Size 2 diapers during the day, and size 3 at night.
Eating? He nurses once a day, and receives three additional formula bottles a day (8 oz). He's on a pretty great schedule- 6, 10, 2, and 6. He gets two solid meals a day, as well as snacks of puffs or teething biscuits. I'm also letting him try to eat some finger foods, and he's done great with fruit. He's eaten a whole banana (cut into small pieces), a pear fruit cup, and a peach fruit cup. I'm feeding him fruit packed in water with no added sugar, and breaking the larger fruit pieces into smaller chunks- he loves to pick up the pieces and feed himself!
Sleeping? Like a champ! Bedtime is at 6:30 pm, and he'll sleep until 6:30 am. He also takes a short morning nap and a longer afternoon nap. I love that he's such an easy baby to put to sleep- we just lay him down, give him his WubbaNub, crank the mobile, turn on the sound machine, and make a hasty exit (I promise that only takes 10 seconds in real life- it looks complicated in print). He'll talk to his mobile for a little while, but then settle right down and go to sleep.
Favorite things? Our dogs- He grins bigger for the dogs than anything else. He also loves to play with his blocks from Mimi and Pop, his Sophie the Giraffe, and his push toy that makes a lot of noise.
New this month?
-First sick visit to the pediatrician for some diaper rash that just wouldn't clear up.
-First date night out for mom and dad, which meant babysitting from his sweet great aunt.
-First trip to the dog park to let the puppies play.
We also got to celebrate Keith's first father's day this month! We even made a fun Auburn-inspired craft for Keith to place in his office.
How did we live before Pinterest? I mean, really?
"What did you do to my feet, mommy?"
"I can make my Bumbo turn ORANGE!"
Totally unrelated to our craft and a blurry photo, but too cute not to post. Look at this cutie pie!
I have the most precious little boy in the world. I am so blessed to have him in my life.
Sunday, June 9, 2013
More Baby Food
I'm two months in to homemade baby food making, and I still love preparing all of little man's food for him. Just look at how pretty these purees are!
From top to bottom, left to right, potato-carrot-corn, strawberry, broccoli, mango, nectarine-strawberry, parsnip, cherry-banana, carrot.
Some other purees I've made that he's loved have included strawberry-blueberry, mango-banana, and blueberry-banana.
One of my baby food making books says that purees containing bananas aren't suitable for freezing. I couldn't think of a reason why Gideon couldn't eat previously frozen bananas, other than freezing then thawing bananas changes the texture. Little man LOVES banana containing purees. (If I want to make just plain banana, I smush a banana with a fork and serve. I don't prepare plain banana puree in advance).
Some tricks I've learned along the way with my most recent batches of food-
-Corn needs to be processed through a food mill or pressed through a sieve before freezing for texture. I should've done this when I prepared english peas, as well.
-Strawberries are in season, so I've made multiple strawberry-containing purees. It's a huge advantage of homemade baby food making- prepare what's in season for a HUGE cost savings!
-Nectarines peel easily if the peels are scored on the bottom, the nectarines are placed in boiling water for a minute, and then removed and placed immediately in ice water. The skin just falls off.
-Peeled nectarines are slippery.
-My dogs really like nectarines.
A few days ago I was in Target, and a mom walked past me on the baby aisle saying she was looking for mango baby food. She continued to explain how mango was her son's favorite, but she had a really hard time finding mango puree. This past week mangos were 10 for $10 at Publix, so for four dollars, I made six to eight servings of mango baby food, without having to search high and low for it! Yet another homemade baby food advantage!
I think his current favorite is the cherry-banana. The first time he tried it, he tried to steal the bowl away from me and grab the spoon. See?
Bless him, if only I had a spoon-straw.
I'm looking forward to trying some new recipes in the coming weeks. I'd really like to try making a puree from kale, and I can't wait until peaches are in season.
I'm looking forward to trying some new recipes in the coming weeks. I'd really like to try making a puree from kale, and I can't wait until peaches are in season.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Slow down, time!
Oh my gracious little boy is growing up so fast! Look at these neat accomplishments!
Holding and manipulating Sophie the Giraffe
Playing in my activity center
And sitting all by myself!
"The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow, for babies grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow. So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep. I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep."
Playing in my activity center
"The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow, for babies grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow. So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep. I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep."
Sunday, May 19, 2013
How is he 6 months old already?
I cannot believe we have had our precious baby for 6 months now; it does not feel like 6 months has passed! He is such an incredible blessing!
Sizes? We have our six month appointment tomorrow to find out an updated weight/length, but right now sizes are kind of hard to determine -- one brand's 3-6 months is another brand's 6 months which is another brand's 6-9 months. Who knows? He wears what fits. I can definitely tell he's grown!
Eating? Gideon is 75% formula fed and 25% breast fed. He nurses once per day, then receives 3 other formula bottles throughout the day (6-8 oz a bottle). He also eats two solid meals per day, with oatmeal or rice cereal mixed with some fruit around lunch time, and a veggie around dinner time. He likes to play with baby "snacks" like Gerber puffs and yogurt drops, and we even tried out a mesh feeder today with some cut up strawberry dropped in. He LOVED it! Gideon is definitely an eater, and will try to eat anything that he sees you eating. He's gone after my hot tea recently, and tried very hard to steal some Fritos off my plate at a church social today.
Favorite foods? Banana-blueberry puree and banana-mango puree are favorites right now.
Least favorite foods? He doesn't like green vegetables right now. I think it's a texture issue more than a taste issue- a small downside of homemade baby food making.
Favorite toys? Gideon still loves his crinkly giraffe; he snuggles with it at bedtime. He also loves his activity gyms that have items hanging down, and works very hard to try to pull the items off of the gyms. His train from grandma is always a favorite, especially once he realized that it makes noise if he pushes it off of his high chair. He'll play with pretty much anything these days- a recent favorite is a wooden spoon.
Other favorite things? Our labrador, Benelli. Gideon smiles his biggest smile for Nelli dog. He likes to put his hands on her cheeks, and Nelli responds with lots and lots of kisses. They are so sweet together! I'm hoping Nelli will be good crawling/walking incentive in a little while. (Gideon also likes our other dog, Lucy, but since Lucy is not quite a year old, she's still a puppy and very clumsy. We don't trust her as easily with Gideon, yet).
Developmental milestones?
-Learning to use a sippy cup. He can get it to his mouth without help, but since we usually just have a small amount of water in the bottom, he needs help to get the cup angled to where he can drink.
-Some self-feeding. He can get a "wagon wheel" snack in his mouth and feed it to himself. He also held his mesh feeder without help.
-Sitting in a bumbo seat for extended periods
-ALMOST sitting without support. There have been a few times recently where he's been sitting with me just using a finger or two to keep him balanced.
-Lots of different noises! I love to hear him "talk" to his mobile/toys/dogs.
-Distance vision- I noticed today at church that while we were a half a room's length apart from each other, he found me in a group of ladies and was focused on me.
He is such a precious little boy! I just love being a mommy!
Sizes? We have our six month appointment tomorrow to find out an updated weight/length, but right now sizes are kind of hard to determine -- one brand's 3-6 months is another brand's 6 months which is another brand's 6-9 months. Who knows? He wears what fits. I can definitely tell he's grown!
Eating? Gideon is 75% formula fed and 25% breast fed. He nurses once per day, then receives 3 other formula bottles throughout the day (6-8 oz a bottle). He also eats two solid meals per day, with oatmeal or rice cereal mixed with some fruit around lunch time, and a veggie around dinner time. He likes to play with baby "snacks" like Gerber puffs and yogurt drops, and we even tried out a mesh feeder today with some cut up strawberry dropped in. He LOVED it! Gideon is definitely an eater, and will try to eat anything that he sees you eating. He's gone after my hot tea recently, and tried very hard to steal some Fritos off my plate at a church social today.
Favorite foods? Banana-blueberry puree and banana-mango puree are favorites right now.
Least favorite foods? He doesn't like green vegetables right now. I think it's a texture issue more than a taste issue- a small downside of homemade baby food making.
Favorite toys? Gideon still loves his crinkly giraffe; he snuggles with it at bedtime. He also loves his activity gyms that have items hanging down, and works very hard to try to pull the items off of the gyms. His train from grandma is always a favorite, especially once he realized that it makes noise if he pushes it off of his high chair. He'll play with pretty much anything these days- a recent favorite is a wooden spoon.
Other favorite things? Our labrador, Benelli. Gideon smiles his biggest smile for Nelli dog. He likes to put his hands on her cheeks, and Nelli responds with lots and lots of kisses. They are so sweet together! I'm hoping Nelli will be good crawling/walking incentive in a little while. (Gideon also likes our other dog, Lucy, but since Lucy is not quite a year old, she's still a puppy and very clumsy. We don't trust her as easily with Gideon, yet).
Developmental milestones?
-Learning to use a sippy cup. He can get it to his mouth without help, but since we usually just have a small amount of water in the bottom, he needs help to get the cup angled to where he can drink.
-Some self-feeding. He can get a "wagon wheel" snack in his mouth and feed it to himself. He also held his mesh feeder without help.
-Sitting in a bumbo seat for extended periods
-ALMOST sitting without support. There have been a few times recently where he's been sitting with me just using a finger or two to keep him balanced.
-Lots of different noises! I love to hear him "talk" to his mobile/toys/dogs.
-Distance vision- I noticed today at church that while we were a half a room's length apart from each other, he found me in a group of ladies and was focused on me.
He is such a precious little boy! I just love being a mommy!
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Gideon's Baby Dedication
Gideon was dedicated to the Lord this morning at church- something I'd been looking forward to for a long time.
However, I was a little sad this morning coming to church. Since one grandfather is a pastor and another grandfather is a nurse practitioner who was scheduled at the hospital, we knew that extended family would not be able to make it up for the service, and I was thinking today how I wished his family could be here with us. Then we walked into the church building. Immediately, we were greeted by various "aunts" and "uncles" who approached Gideon, and I realized what a blessing we have here- an incredible church family who loves Gideon almost as much as we do. How wonderful to be surrounded by people who care so deeply for your family!
For those unfamiliar with a baby dedication service, a baby dedication is designed to give parents the opportunity to publicly commit to raising their child in a Godly home, and to give the church body the opportunity to stand behind the family and hold them accountable for raising their child to fear and love the Lord. Having Gideon dedicated does not ensure that I will get to see him again in heaven one day; that decision will be up to him when he's older. I pray daily that he will chose to follow the Lord, as his parents have.
After we were called on stage, Gideon was presented to the church and we received a small gift to share with him- a storybook Bible (he's got quite a collection of those, now!), a small New Testament with his name engraved on it, and a letter for him to open the day he decides to follow Jesus. I cannot wait for that day! The pastor prayed over us, and then we took Gideon to the nursery.
(Burp cloths- Spring 2013's hottest accessory)
We understand that it is not the church's responsibility to fully shape Gideon's spiritual growth- that responsibility ultimately lies with us, his parents- but we are so blessed to have a church family walking with us. Even now, we're trying to teach Gideon about how much Jesus loves him. We pray with him and over him, we read to him from his storybook Bible, and we sing songs about how much Jesus loves him. I pray that the simple truths we're repeating day after day will be truths he'll grow to understand.
"God loves Gideon. God loves Gideon. In your Bible book it says that God loves Gideon."
What a blessing he is. The time we have with him is moving so quickly.
After we were called on stage, Gideon was presented to the church and we received a small gift to share with him- a storybook Bible (he's got quite a collection of those, now!), a small New Testament with his name engraved on it, and a letter for him to open the day he decides to follow Jesus. I cannot wait for that day! The pastor prayed over us, and then we took Gideon to the nursery.
We understand that it is not the church's responsibility to fully shape Gideon's spiritual growth- that responsibility ultimately lies with us, his parents- but we are so blessed to have a church family walking with us. Even now, we're trying to teach Gideon about how much Jesus loves him. We pray with him and over him, we read to him from his storybook Bible, and we sing songs about how much Jesus loves him. I pray that the simple truths we're repeating day after day will be truths he'll grow to understand.
"God loves Gideon. God loves Gideon. In your Bible book it says that God loves Gideon."
What a blessing he is. The time we have with him is moving so quickly.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Baby Food- Prep Day 2
Since I was off today, I spent a few minutes making some more baby food for Gideon. I decided to make a few single vegetable purees, as well as some blended fruits. I'm excited for Gideon to have more variety in his diet; we'll see what foods he likes next!
Prep Day 2
Spent- Approximately $7
Yield- Approximately 50 oz
Time- 30-45 minutes
Green Bean Puree
- Prepare 1 bag of "steam in bag" green beans, puree until smooth, and add water to desired texture. Place in ice cube trays and freeze. Yield- 1 ice cube tray
Carrot Puree
-Peel 1 bag of carrots and cut into cubes. Steam until soft. Puree until smooth, adding water if necessary. Yield- 1 ice cube tray
*I'd done some research which suggested that the nitrates in soil could precipitate certain types of anemias in infants who ate home prepared carrots. My pediatrician didn't seem alarmed about my wanting to prepare my own baby food, and said that this risk was very small. To make the risk of anemia even smaller, I prepared this recipe with organic carrots, and thinned the puree with fresh water (instead of residual cooking liquid).
Banana-Blueberry Puree
-Cook 1/2 cup blueberries over low heat with a small amount of water until soft. Puree with 3 peeled bananas. Yield- 1 ice cube tray. (These are VERY yummy!)
Strawberry-Plum Puree
-Peel, cube and steam 4 plums, as well as 12 fresh strawberries. Puree until smooth. Yield- 1 ice cube tray. (This makes a very pretty puree, and it tastes very yummy, too!)
*Strawberries used to be a "Forbidden Food" due to the risk of food allergies. Some recent publications from the AAP suggest that after exclusively breast feeding for at least 4 months, there are no protective benefits from withholding certain foods from a baby's diet (with the obvious exceptions of things that could cause a child harm, like honey). There is additional evidence that suggests that cooking strawberries reduces their allergenic potential. Since there are zero food allergies on either side of Gideon's family, and our pediatrician did not suggest that we withhold strawberries until 1 year old, I was okay with introducing them.
Simple avocado puree
-Smush up 1/2 avocado. Serve.
*I'd read that due to the high fat content of avocado, this puree is nutritionally similar to breast milk. I know of other mommies who mix avocado with banana. I know several babies who LOVE mashed avocado; Gideon was less than impressed.
We've also added a new snack food to Gideon's diet- Gerber Graduate Puffs. He REALLY likes them. He also tried to steal my Earl Grey tea yesterday morning.
Little boy is growing up so fast!
Prep Day 2
Spent- Approximately $7
Yield- Approximately 50 oz
Time- 30-45 minutes
Green Bean Puree
- Prepare 1 bag of "steam in bag" green beans, puree until smooth, and add water to desired texture. Place in ice cube trays and freeze. Yield- 1 ice cube tray
Carrot Puree
-Peel 1 bag of carrots and cut into cubes. Steam until soft. Puree until smooth, adding water if necessary. Yield- 1 ice cube tray
*I'd done some research which suggested that the nitrates in soil could precipitate certain types of anemias in infants who ate home prepared carrots. My pediatrician didn't seem alarmed about my wanting to prepare my own baby food, and said that this risk was very small. To make the risk of anemia even smaller, I prepared this recipe with organic carrots, and thinned the puree with fresh water (instead of residual cooking liquid).
Banana-Blueberry Puree
-Cook 1/2 cup blueberries over low heat with a small amount of water until soft. Puree with 3 peeled bananas. Yield- 1 ice cube tray. (These are VERY yummy!)
Strawberry-Plum Puree
-Peel, cube and steam 4 plums, as well as 12 fresh strawberries. Puree until smooth. Yield- 1 ice cube tray. (This makes a very pretty puree, and it tastes very yummy, too!)
*Strawberries used to be a "Forbidden Food" due to the risk of food allergies. Some recent publications from the AAP suggest that after exclusively breast feeding for at least 4 months, there are no protective benefits from withholding certain foods from a baby's diet (with the obvious exceptions of things that could cause a child harm, like honey). There is additional evidence that suggests that cooking strawberries reduces their allergenic potential. Since there are zero food allergies on either side of Gideon's family, and our pediatrician did not suggest that we withhold strawberries until 1 year old, I was okay with introducing them.
Simple avocado puree
-Smush up 1/2 avocado. Serve.
*I'd read that due to the high fat content of avocado, this puree is nutritionally similar to breast milk. I know of other mommies who mix avocado with banana. I know several babies who LOVE mashed avocado; Gideon was less than impressed.
We've also added a new snack food to Gideon's diet- Gerber Graduate Puffs. He REALLY likes them. He also tried to steal my Earl Grey tea yesterday morning.
Little boy is growing up so fast!
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
5 Months Old!
Our sweet boy amazes us more each day with how much he's growing and changing. Here are a few updates from our big 5 month old boy!
Sizes? Size 2 diapers, size 3-6 month clothes. We're actually going shopping today cause he has outgrown all of his pajamas- as in every single pajama outfit we have.
Eating? We're in the middle of transitioning from exclusive breast feeding to a combination feeding schedule. Once the transition is complete, he'll receive formula bottles during the day and breast milk at night. He also eats about 2oz of fruits and veggies in the evenings.
Favorite foods? Right now Gideon loves apples and sweet potatoes the best, but he did try a fresh banana over the weekend and was very excited about it.
Least favorite food? English peas. Can't blame the kid; I don't like peas either.
Favorite bottles? His favorites are still Dr. Brown's bottles, but he'll also take a Tommee Tippee bottle with no trouble. He does not do well with Medela bottles.
Favorite toys? His crinkly giraffe. (Is that a word? Crinkly? As in, an object that makes a crinkle sound when it's manipulated?)
Developmental milestones?
-Rolling from front to back. He's VERY close to rolling from back to front, but not quite there yet.
-Reaching out for objects he wants- he really does this when the dogs are around, or when he wants to be picked up.
-Holding his own spoon during dinnertime. This is a very messy milestone- I've cleaned squash from hair, eyelashes and dog fur.
-Practicing more sounds- he really likes to work on his "H" sound.
-Propping up on his arms while on his tummy and looking around.
Like mommy? Your big grin. I've also noticed our eyes are the same shape- with the right eye being more pronounced than the left.
Future predictions? We still think you're going to be left handed.
He just gets more precious every day. I never knew something so small could be such a big blessing!
Sizes? Size 2 diapers, size 3-6 month clothes. We're actually going shopping today cause he has outgrown all of his pajamas- as in every single pajama outfit we have.
Eating? We're in the middle of transitioning from exclusive breast feeding to a combination feeding schedule. Once the transition is complete, he'll receive formula bottles during the day and breast milk at night. He also eats about 2oz of fruits and veggies in the evenings.
Favorite foods? Right now Gideon loves apples and sweet potatoes the best, but he did try a fresh banana over the weekend and was very excited about it.
Least favorite food? English peas. Can't blame the kid; I don't like peas either.
Favorite bottles? His favorites are still Dr. Brown's bottles, but he'll also take a Tommee Tippee bottle with no trouble. He does not do well with Medela bottles.
Favorite toys? His crinkly giraffe. (Is that a word? Crinkly? As in, an object that makes a crinkle sound when it's manipulated?)
Developmental milestones?
-Rolling from front to back. He's VERY close to rolling from back to front, but not quite there yet.
-Reaching out for objects he wants- he really does this when the dogs are around, or when he wants to be picked up.
-Holding his own spoon during dinnertime. This is a very messy milestone- I've cleaned squash from hair, eyelashes and dog fur.
-Practicing more sounds- he really likes to work on his "H" sound.
-Propping up on his arms while on his tummy and looking around.
Like mommy? Your big grin. I've also noticed our eyes are the same shape- with the right eye being more pronounced than the left.
Future predictions? We still think you're going to be left handed.
He just gets more precious every day. I never knew something so small could be such a big blessing!
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Pears, Potatoes, and a Rice Cereal Hiatus
Gideon is a pretty outstanding sleeper, as far as babies go. In general, we do his bedtime routine (bath, bottle or nursing and swaddle) around 6:30-7, he'll go to sleep very quickly, sleep until around 3:30 when he wakes up to nurse, and then back to sleep until I wake him up at 6:30 to nurse before work. This schedule worked great from about 8 weeks until about 4 months old, when he started waking up for a 10:30 feeding every night. I'd read that waking up for previously skipped feedings was a sign of solid foods readiness, so we decided to gradually introduce some solid foods.
Our "feeding table" from the pediatrician's office said to introduce rice cereal first, so we gave that a try. While he tolerated the cereal pretty well, he wasn't a reliable cereal eater. Some nights he would love it and eat every single bite, other nights he'd decide cereal wasn't for him (which is not okay when that cereal is mixed with breast milk!). After doing some research, I realized that the American Academy of Pediatrics doesn't recommend rice cereal as a first food (they actually don't have a recommendation on which food to introduce first), so I opted to forego cereal for a while and introduce just fruits and veggies. As I love to cook, I decided I'd try my hand at homemade baby food. I figure I'll update here with the recipes I try out and Gideon's reactions to his new foods. This should be fun!
Some homemade baby food basics- baby food is prepared and placed in ice cube trays, frozen, and then the cubes are removed and stored in freezer bags. Each "ice cube" is approximately 1 ounce of food.
Baby Food Prep Day #1
Total Kitchen Time- 1 hour
Total Money Spent- approx $8
Final Yield- 90 oz baby food
On this prep day I decided to stock our freezer with the basics- pears, apples, peas, sweet potatoes and butternut squash. (Recipe note- while I used cooking liquid or plain water to thin purees, it would be best to use breast milk. I don't have much extra to spare, so I opted to thin purees with water).
Sweet potatoes- Wash 2 sweet potatoes and prick multiple times with a fork. Bake at 350 until tender. Spoon the flesh away from the skin, puree, and add water if necessary. Yield approximately 1 ice cube tray (I had one full tray plus about 5 cubes on another tray).
Butternut squash- Cut 1 squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds, and place face down in a baking dish with a small amount of water. Bake at 350 until the skin puckers, spoon flesh away from the skin, puree, and add water if necessary. Yield approximately 1 ice cube tray (again, I had one full tray and a few cubes on another tray).
Peas- Prepare one bag of "steam in bag" english peas according to the package. Puree until smooth and add water if necessary. Yield- 1 ice cube tray. (This could be a smoother puree if done in a food mill instead of a food processor. I don't have a food mill or a strainer, so hopefully Gideon won't complain).
Apples- Peel, core, and cube 4 medium sweet apples (I used Red Delicious). Place in saucepan with a small amount of water and cook on low until tender. Puree until smooth. Yield- 1 ice cube tray plus a few extra cubes
Pears- Peel, core and cube 4 medium pears. Place in saucepan with a small amount of water and cook on low until tender. Depending on the ripeness of the pears, water could be optional. Puree until smooth. Yield- 1 ice cube tray.
So far Gideon has had sweet potatoes and pears, and has LOVED both of them. I'm looking forward to trying more fruits and veggies here soon!
Our "feeding table" from the pediatrician's office said to introduce rice cereal first, so we gave that a try. While he tolerated the cereal pretty well, he wasn't a reliable cereal eater. Some nights he would love it and eat every single bite, other nights he'd decide cereal wasn't for him (which is not okay when that cereal is mixed with breast milk!). After doing some research, I realized that the American Academy of Pediatrics doesn't recommend rice cereal as a first food (they actually don't have a recommendation on which food to introduce first), so I opted to forego cereal for a while and introduce just fruits and veggies. As I love to cook, I decided I'd try my hand at homemade baby food. I figure I'll update here with the recipes I try out and Gideon's reactions to his new foods. This should be fun!
Some homemade baby food basics- baby food is prepared and placed in ice cube trays, frozen, and then the cubes are removed and stored in freezer bags. Each "ice cube" is approximately 1 ounce of food.
Baby Food Prep Day #1
Total Kitchen Time- 1 hour
Total Money Spent- approx $8
Final Yield- 90 oz baby food
On this prep day I decided to stock our freezer with the basics- pears, apples, peas, sweet potatoes and butternut squash. (Recipe note- while I used cooking liquid or plain water to thin purees, it would be best to use breast milk. I don't have much extra to spare, so I opted to thin purees with water).
Sweet potatoes- Wash 2 sweet potatoes and prick multiple times with a fork. Bake at 350 until tender. Spoon the flesh away from the skin, puree, and add water if necessary. Yield approximately 1 ice cube tray (I had one full tray plus about 5 cubes on another tray).
Butternut squash- Cut 1 squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds, and place face down in a baking dish with a small amount of water. Bake at 350 until the skin puckers, spoon flesh away from the skin, puree, and add water if necessary. Yield approximately 1 ice cube tray (again, I had one full tray and a few cubes on another tray).
Peas- Prepare one bag of "steam in bag" english peas according to the package. Puree until smooth and add water if necessary. Yield- 1 ice cube tray. (This could be a smoother puree if done in a food mill instead of a food processor. I don't have a food mill or a strainer, so hopefully Gideon won't complain).
Apples- Peel, core, and cube 4 medium sweet apples (I used Red Delicious). Place in saucepan with a small amount of water and cook on low until tender. Puree until smooth. Yield- 1 ice cube tray plus a few extra cubes
Pears- Peel, core and cube 4 medium pears. Place in saucepan with a small amount of water and cook on low until tender. Depending on the ripeness of the pears, water could be optional. Puree until smooth. Yield- 1 ice cube tray.
So far Gideon has had sweet potatoes and pears, and has LOVED both of them. I'm looking forward to trying more fruits and veggies here soon!
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
4 Months Old!
I cannot believe we have had Gideon in our lives for four months now! Here are a few quick updates on our sweet little man.
Sizes? Size 2 diapers, size 3-6 month clothes
Eating? His diet is still primarily breastmilk, however, we did introduce rice cereal just a few days ago. Our eating chart from the pediatrician's office said to start at 2 TBSP a day, but since some babies have a really hard time digesting cereal, I wanted to start even smaller. Right now he's getting a TBSP at night, and we're gradually increasing the consistency every day. I'm looking forward to adding fruits and veggies in a few months!
Sleeping? In general, he's a great sleeper at night. He usually goes to bed between 6:30-7, wakes up around 3, and then I wake him up at 6:30 to eat before I go to work. This past weekend was rough, and Gideon woke up every 2 hours wanting to nurse. After introducing cereal at night he fell back in to just waking up once, and even slept through the night one night!
Naptime? Gideon does not like naps, and spends vast amounts of energy fighting them. We're getting his nursery set up this weekend (what? Babies sleep in their parents room the first few months anyway), so hopefully having a set nap time routine will get better once we have his crib.
Developmental Milestones? The things I can remember off the top of my head include
-interest in the game "peek-a-boo" (This one is really precious, it's funny to watch him furrow his brow and then light up when you "reappear")
-Propping up on his arms when on his tummy
-Discovering his feet
-Intently watching his hands
-Linking his fingers together when his hands are palm to palm
-Reacting to sounds that he can't see (for example- noticing that Daddy has spoken from the other side of the room).
-Discovering his voice- he'll babble for hours. It's like he's listening to hear what sounds he can make.
-Almost rolling. He's SO close.
-Reaching for toys when they're in front of him.
-Tracking objects by just moving his eyes. I really notice this when the dogs are around.
He is such a blessing!
Sizes? Size 2 diapers, size 3-6 month clothes
Eating? His diet is still primarily breastmilk, however, we did introduce rice cereal just a few days ago. Our eating chart from the pediatrician's office said to start at 2 TBSP a day, but since some babies have a really hard time digesting cereal, I wanted to start even smaller. Right now he's getting a TBSP at night, and we're gradually increasing the consistency every day. I'm looking forward to adding fruits and veggies in a few months!
Sleeping? In general, he's a great sleeper at night. He usually goes to bed between 6:30-7, wakes up around 3, and then I wake him up at 6:30 to eat before I go to work. This past weekend was rough, and Gideon woke up every 2 hours wanting to nurse. After introducing cereal at night he fell back in to just waking up once, and even slept through the night one night!
Naptime? Gideon does not like naps, and spends vast amounts of energy fighting them. We're getting his nursery set up this weekend (what? Babies sleep in their parents room the first few months anyway), so hopefully having a set nap time routine will get better once we have his crib.
Developmental Milestones? The things I can remember off the top of my head include
-interest in the game "peek-a-boo" (This one is really precious, it's funny to watch him furrow his brow and then light up when you "reappear")
-Propping up on his arms when on his tummy
-Discovering his feet
-Intently watching his hands
-Linking his fingers together when his hands are palm to palm
-Reacting to sounds that he can't see (for example- noticing that Daddy has spoken from the other side of the room).
-Discovering his voice- he'll babble for hours. It's like he's listening to hear what sounds he can make.
-Almost rolling. He's SO close.
-Reaching for toys when they're in front of him.
-Tracking objects by just moving his eyes. I really notice this when the dogs are around.
He is such a blessing!
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Baby "Must Haves"- Months 0-3
The day I found out I was pregnant, Keith took me to look around Babies R Us for the first time. I left the store feeling so overwhelmed; I had no idea there were so many baby products out there! I did extensive research before making my baby registry, and found the best advice came from seeking out family blogs.
So, to help out any pregnant friends, as well as to help me remember in case we decide to have another child, here are my top baby "must haves" for months 0-3.
1. Fisher Price Cradle 'n Swing.
Gideon is a finicky napper during the day, but we can usually count on him taking a good nap in his swing. I like this particular swing because it plugs in to the wall, meaning we're not having to spend extra money on batteries (or turn a crank repeatedly like my parents had to with my sister's swing). The swing can move from side to side or front to back, and has a fun mirror and mobile overhead for Gideon to watch. This was the first baby item we received, and something we use every single day.
2. Moby Wrap
I love my Moby Wrap! The day we brought Gideon home from the hospital I was overwhelmed, exhausted, and recovering from emergency surgery. I had no clue how to take care of a newborn! We realized in the hospital how much Gideon liked to be swaddled and snuggled, so I figured he would like being in the Moby Wrap. I was right. I figured I couldn't screw up taking care of my child when he was right on my chest, so I tied the Moby on (it's easier than it looks!) and snuggled him in. We use the Moby at least weekly now; it makes a great substitute for a stroller when I'm running errands. I just tie it before I leave and then put him in the wrap when we arrive wherever we're going. The wide fabric means his weight gets evenly distributed across my shoulders, so wearing him this way doesn't hurt me. (Side note- since drafting this post I've discovered that Moby makes a Moby Petite wrap for smaller framed mommies. This would have been a better purchase for me.)
3. Boppy Pillow
This pillow was a nursing lifesaver the first few weeks of Gideon's life. The C shape gave me a place to rest Gideon beside me, so he could nurse without putting any pressure on my incision. We still use this daily for feeding, as well as a means to prop him up during playtime.
4. Fisher Price Animal Krackers Rinsin' Fun Tub
We purchased this product based on a recommendation from a stranger in Babies R Us. Seeing our looks of bewilderment (there are so many bath tub options for babies!) she pointed this tub out and told us this was what we needed. I'm so glad we took her advice! Our favorite features include
-a newborn sling attachment, which keeps Gideon safely upright
-indented "feet" on the bottom, so the tub sits securely over our double sink. This also means there's virtually no bending over at bath time, which is great for our backs.
-a drain, so no struggling to dump out a tub full of water
5. Angelcare Monitor
We already had a baby monitor when we brought Gideon home, but it didn't have motion detection. The Angelcare monitor has a movement sensor pad that rests underneath the mattress, and registers Gideon's movements on the parent unit. A warning beep sounds if he goes 15 seconds without moving, and an alarm sounds if he goes 20 seconds without moving. We are able to sleep without constantly jumping up to make sure Gideon is still breathing. We love it!
6. WubbaNub pacifiers
This is such a great idea! We were sold the first time Gideon spit out a paci and it got "eaten" by our house. (Seriously, where do lost pacifiers go?) Since these are larger, they're much harder to lose, and the stuffed animal part helps keep the pacifier in his mouth. He currently has a frog, bear, and dinosaur.
7. Dr. Brown's Bottles
I'd heard veteran moms praise these bottles for months before I got pregnant, so I knew Dr. Brown's bottles would be a "must have" baby item. He took one of these bottles for the first time at 3 weeks old, and has had no issues with them at all. The lack of gas/spit up with these bottles makes their cleaning and assembly (they have multiple parts) worth the extra time.
3. Boppy Pillow
This pillow was a nursing lifesaver the first few weeks of Gideon's life. The C shape gave me a place to rest Gideon beside me, so he could nurse without putting any pressure on my incision. We still use this daily for feeding, as well as a means to prop him up during playtime.
4. Fisher Price Animal Krackers Rinsin' Fun Tub
We purchased this product based on a recommendation from a stranger in Babies R Us. Seeing our looks of bewilderment (there are so many bath tub options for babies!) she pointed this tub out and told us this was what we needed. I'm so glad we took her advice! Our favorite features include
-a newborn sling attachment, which keeps Gideon safely upright
-indented "feet" on the bottom, so the tub sits securely over our double sink. This also means there's virtually no bending over at bath time, which is great for our backs.
-a drain, so no struggling to dump out a tub full of water
5. Angelcare Monitor
We already had a baby monitor when we brought Gideon home, but it didn't have motion detection. The Angelcare monitor has a movement sensor pad that rests underneath the mattress, and registers Gideon's movements on the parent unit. A warning beep sounds if he goes 15 seconds without moving, and an alarm sounds if he goes 20 seconds without moving. We are able to sleep without constantly jumping up to make sure Gideon is still breathing. We love it!
6. WubbaNub pacifiers
This is such a great idea! We were sold the first time Gideon spit out a paci and it got "eaten" by our house. (Seriously, where do lost pacifiers go?) Since these are larger, they're much harder to lose, and the stuffed animal part helps keep the pacifier in his mouth. He currently has a frog, bear, and dinosaur.
7. Dr. Brown's Bottles
I'd heard veteran moms praise these bottles for months before I got pregnant, so I knew Dr. Brown's bottles would be a "must have" baby item. He took one of these bottles for the first time at 3 weeks old, and has had no issues with them at all. The lack of gas/spit up with these bottles makes their cleaning and assembly (they have multiple parts) worth the extra time.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
3 Months Old!
Sweet Gideon is three months old! I cannot believe he's three months old already. Here are a few quick updates on our precious little guy-
Sizes? Size 2 diapers, size 3 month clothes. His size 0-3 month clothes still fit, but they're getting snug.
Eating? Still exclusively nursing between 5 and 6 times a day when Mommy is home. When Mommy is at work he takes between 4 to 5 oz of expressed milk per feeding. Our favorite bottles are Dr. Brown's, but we realized this week he'll take a Tommee Tippee bottle with no problems. The Tommee Tippee bottles have fewer parts, so they're much easier to clean.
Sleeping? In general, he goes to bed between 6:30-7:30 and will sleep until around 3, then he goes back to sleep until Mommy wakes him up again (on days I work) so he can eat again before I leave. He typically takes a morning nap and an afternoon nap, but he is a pro at fighting naptime. I hope this isn't setting the stage for the future, or we will have one grouchy toddler!
Childcare? With my return to work, we have started to rely on childcare a few days a week. On Mondays and Tuesdays he goes to "school" at a nearby Baptist church. On Sundays we've started putting him in the nursery so that I can enjoy the worship service without distraction. Unfortunately, increased childcare led to his first head cold.
Developmental milestones? This month we've noticed
-rolling from back to side to back again
-watching hands for spans of time
-bringing fists to mouth to suck on fingers (This one is pretty funny. He sometimes takes a few tries to get his fist into his mouth, so we'll see fist to forehead, fist to eye, fist to nose, then fist to mouth.)
-Rubbing eyes when he gets sleepy
-Laughing!
-Increased "vocabulary" of coos. I'm hearing a greater variety of vowel sounds, and he attempts to have conversations with us. He also likes to talk to his mobile, his toys, and his puppy sisters.
Future predictions? Right now he favors his left hand, so we're guessing he will be left handed.
Like mommy? Your big smile
Like daddy? Your long eyelashes and the look you get when you're thinking really hard about something.
Sizes? Size 2 diapers, size 3 month clothes. His size 0-3 month clothes still fit, but they're getting snug.
Eating? Still exclusively nursing between 5 and 6 times a day when Mommy is home. When Mommy is at work he takes between 4 to 5 oz of expressed milk per feeding. Our favorite bottles are Dr. Brown's, but we realized this week he'll take a Tommee Tippee bottle with no problems. The Tommee Tippee bottles have fewer parts, so they're much easier to clean.
Sleeping? In general, he goes to bed between 6:30-7:30 and will sleep until around 3, then he goes back to sleep until Mommy wakes him up again (on days I work) so he can eat again before I leave. He typically takes a morning nap and an afternoon nap, but he is a pro at fighting naptime. I hope this isn't setting the stage for the future, or we will have one grouchy toddler!
Childcare? With my return to work, we have started to rely on childcare a few days a week. On Mondays and Tuesdays he goes to "school" at a nearby Baptist church. On Sundays we've started putting him in the nursery so that I can enjoy the worship service without distraction. Unfortunately, increased childcare led to his first head cold.
Developmental milestones? This month we've noticed
-rolling from back to side to back again
-watching hands for spans of time
-bringing fists to mouth to suck on fingers (This one is pretty funny. He sometimes takes a few tries to get his fist into his mouth, so we'll see fist to forehead, fist to eye, fist to nose, then fist to mouth.)
-Rubbing eyes when he gets sleepy
-Laughing!
-Increased "vocabulary" of coos. I'm hearing a greater variety of vowel sounds, and he attempts to have conversations with us. He also likes to talk to his mobile, his toys, and his puppy sisters.
Future predictions? Right now he favors his left hand, so we're guessing he will be left handed.
Like mommy? Your big smile
Like daddy? Your long eyelashes and the look you get when you're thinking really hard about something.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Tornados and Trampolines
I hate severe weather. HATE. My biggest fear in the world is death by tornado. As a southern girl, I've spent my fair share of time huddled in a basement listening to a weather radio, and just the sound of static-laden weather updates and the emergency alert on the radio will make me hypertensive. My fear started before the storms on April 27th- an F5 tornado "jumped" my house as a middle schooler, and then I had another frightening experience as a high-school freshman while being driven home through straight-line winds. Tornado sirens increase my prayer life and my blood pressure.
On Wednesday morning the sirens woke us up. We live on the border of two counties, so Keith went to check the tv to see where the storms were before we got Gideon out of bed. Since the storms were close to us, we all relocated to the hall bathroom- dogs included. Nelli (our labrador) associates that bathroom with getting a bath, so she reluctantly jumped inside the tub. Lucy (our stray who adopted us) followed suit. Sweet southern girls, they know what to do during tornado warnings. I held Gideon close and had a thick blanket ready to cover him, just in case. The threat passed quickly and we went about our day as usual. Unfortunately, the warning really threw off Gideon's schedule- we had a very fussy little guy yesterday.
I went grocery shopping in the afternoon, and then decided to feed Gideon before unloading the car since we were very close to dinner time. I let the dogs out and was taking care of Gideon when I heard a loud sound outside- my first thought was that something had blown off of our house. Almost immediately, both dogs were scratching at the back door to be let in. I opened the door to investigate, and was shocked to discover the source- our neighbor's trampoline had been picked up by the wind and thrown over our privacy fence into our backyard. I figured the neighbors might come knocking to see if we'd found a stray trampoline, so I went to put the dogs in their crates. Easier said than done. Both dogs were hiding and refused to come out, even for treats.
I put Gideon in his swing and went to unload groceries from my car, and heard another funny noise. Our sweet Lucy was so terrified by the flying trampoline that she'd followed me into the garage and hidden under the Journey. Once I opened the back hatch to get groceries out, she jumped in. As I went to get her, she jumped over the back seats and into the "middle back." I opened the "middle back" doors, and she jumped into the front seat. This continued for several minutes- a terrified Lucy avoiding me by jumping around our car. I think I would've been upset with her had I not been laughing so hard. Poor scared puppy! I finally got her calm enough to where I could catch her, and I carried her inside to her crate.
I got Gideon in bed and tried to take care of my puppies. Nelli would bark every time she'd notice the trampoline outside, and Lucy was so skittish that she would go running towards the garage any time she heard a noise. They got better as the night went on, but even today they're growling/barking at the upside-down trampoline in the yard.
The bright side of this experience is we have a great reason to meet and fellowship with our neighbors. You can't just toss a trampoline back over a fence.
Watch out for flying trampolines, everyone!
On Wednesday morning the sirens woke us up. We live on the border of two counties, so Keith went to check the tv to see where the storms were before we got Gideon out of bed. Since the storms were close to us, we all relocated to the hall bathroom- dogs included. Nelli (our labrador) associates that bathroom with getting a bath, so she reluctantly jumped inside the tub. Lucy (our stray who adopted us) followed suit. Sweet southern girls, they know what to do during tornado warnings. I held Gideon close and had a thick blanket ready to cover him, just in case. The threat passed quickly and we went about our day as usual. Unfortunately, the warning really threw off Gideon's schedule- we had a very fussy little guy yesterday.
I went grocery shopping in the afternoon, and then decided to feed Gideon before unloading the car since we were very close to dinner time. I let the dogs out and was taking care of Gideon when I heard a loud sound outside- my first thought was that something had blown off of our house. Almost immediately, both dogs were scratching at the back door to be let in. I opened the door to investigate, and was shocked to discover the source- our neighbor's trampoline had been picked up by the wind and thrown over our privacy fence into our backyard. I figured the neighbors might come knocking to see if we'd found a stray trampoline, so I went to put the dogs in their crates. Easier said than done. Both dogs were hiding and refused to come out, even for treats.
I put Gideon in his swing and went to unload groceries from my car, and heard another funny noise. Our sweet Lucy was so terrified by the flying trampoline that she'd followed me into the garage and hidden under the Journey. Once I opened the back hatch to get groceries out, she jumped in. As I went to get her, she jumped over the back seats and into the "middle back." I opened the "middle back" doors, and she jumped into the front seat. This continued for several minutes- a terrified Lucy avoiding me by jumping around our car. I think I would've been upset with her had I not been laughing so hard. Poor scared puppy! I finally got her calm enough to where I could catch her, and I carried her inside to her crate.
I got Gideon in bed and tried to take care of my puppies. Nelli would bark every time she'd notice the trampoline outside, and Lucy was so skittish that she would go running towards the garage any time she heard a noise. They got better as the night went on, but even today they're growling/barking at the upside-down trampoline in the yard.
The bright side of this experience is we have a great reason to meet and fellowship with our neighbors. You can't just toss a trampoline back over a fence.
Watch out for flying trampolines, everyone!
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
2 Months Old!
Our precious Gideon is two months old! What a big boy we have!
Firsts this month?
-first vaccinations at the Dr's office
-first dose of acetaminophen
-first time spending the night away from home
-first time meeting great-grandma Gallahair
Developmental milestones?
-much improved head control
-regular "talking"in coos and gurgles
-starting to support his weight on his feet while being held upright
-reacting to sounds in another room by turning head
-tracking objects in his field of vision by moving his eyes
-spontaneous smiling
-daily attempts at laughing- right now no sound comes out. It's the most adorable thing I've ever seen.
Sizes?
-size 2 diapers
-size 0-3 month clothes
Eating?
-Nursing every 3-4 hours during the day, but longer stretches at night. He's consistently dropped either his 10pm or 2am feeding, depending on when he does his long sleep stretch. Taking 4 oz of expressed milk at feedings if mommy isn't home.
Sleeping?
-Right now he generally takes a morning nap, an early afternoon nap, and a late afternoon nap. Bedtime is between 6:30 and 7:30, and he'll usually sleep until about 1 or 2, eat, and then sleep for another 4 hours or so.
Favorite things?
-Your swing
-Your playmat that has dangling toys that play music if you hit them
-Watching ceiling fans
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Vaccines and Vacays
This was another huge week of firsts for our little guy!
We started out our long weekend with a trip to the pediatrician for his "two month" check up. Our pediatrician opts to do this appointment at 6 weeks to get the first round of vaccines on board before mommy goes back to work. Since the CDC says the vaccines are safe and effective at 6 weeks, mommy is okay with it. This was mommy's first time "flying solo" with Gideon at an office visit, and he did such a great job! Our big boy is now 10 lb 12 oz and 23 inches long, making him 50th percentile for weight and 75th percentile for length. I was very pleased with the nurse who administered all of Gideon's immunizations- she went very fast and laid all of her equipment to the side so that I could pick him up as soon as she was done. There were just a few tears from the initial shock of the vaccines (which was still hard for mommy), but then he stopped crying as soon as I picked him up. I gave him some prophylactic acetaminophen before the appointment to help with soreness and fever, and we continued the APAP around the clock for 48 hours. This mommy LOVES infant acetaminophen; I had a different baby once it kicked in.
Speaking of acetaminophen, a brief pharmacist rant...
There used to be two types of children's acetaminophen liquids, infant drops (80 mg/ 0.8 mL) and children's suspension (160 mg/5 mL). With the old infant drops, two droppersful (1.6 mL) would equal the same acetaminophen dose as one teaspoonful (5 mL) of children's suspension. The problem with two concentrations on the shelf is the risk of accidental overdose for children. Say a mommy calls her pediatrician to get an acetaminophen dose for her child and is told to give one teaspoonful (5 mL). Mommy goes home, grabs infant drops, and measures out one teaspoonful- accidentally giving her child 500 mg of acetaminophen (the equivalent of an adult extra-strength Tylenol!), instead of the intended 160 mg. Children can't metabolize acetaminophen as well as adults, so this is a very dangerous problem. To combat this, the manufacturers discontinued the infant drops and began marketing infant acetaminophen concentrated the same as children's acetaminophen, 160 mg/5 mL. This is great news- standardized concentrations across the board. However, this pharmacist has a problem with the new packaging- there is a complete lack of dosing recommendations on the bottle for a child under 2 years old.
Now this mommy knows how to dose acetaminophen, but most mommies don't. What concerns me is a mom who has multiple children who thinks "well with my older child I just gave a full dropper," and doses her new baby the same way- giving her child a full dropper of the new infant suspension- the appropriate dose of acetaminophen for a 30+ pound child. See the problem?
So, a brief pharmacy PSA- always ask your pharmacist the appropriate dose of acetaminophen for your child, based on your child's weight. If you have any of the old infant drops in your medicine cabinet, throw them away! (They're probably close to expired, anyway).
Rant over, thanks for listening :)
After our MD visit, we took a weekend trip to Demopolis to visit with some sweet friends and to give the men a chance to go hunting. Our friends in Demopolis have many animals mounted on their walls, and Gideon LOVED looking at their fish. (Someone is going to have a great time in Ft. Myers in a few years!) Gideon also did great sleeping in his pack-n-play, and even slept from 11 to 6 one night! He handled the long car rides like a champ as well. We're blessed to have such a good car seat sleeper.
Before church on Sunday we took a family photo- check out my handsome men!
We're looking forward to many more adventures with our little guy!
We started out our long weekend with a trip to the pediatrician for his "two month" check up. Our pediatrician opts to do this appointment at 6 weeks to get the first round of vaccines on board before mommy goes back to work. Since the CDC says the vaccines are safe and effective at 6 weeks, mommy is okay with it. This was mommy's first time "flying solo" with Gideon at an office visit, and he did such a great job! Our big boy is now 10 lb 12 oz and 23 inches long, making him 50th percentile for weight and 75th percentile for length. I was very pleased with the nurse who administered all of Gideon's immunizations- she went very fast and laid all of her equipment to the side so that I could pick him up as soon as she was done. There were just a few tears from the initial shock of the vaccines (which was still hard for mommy), but then he stopped crying as soon as I picked him up. I gave him some prophylactic acetaminophen before the appointment to help with soreness and fever, and we continued the APAP around the clock for 48 hours. This mommy LOVES infant acetaminophen; I had a different baby once it kicked in.
Speaking of acetaminophen, a brief pharmacist rant...
There used to be two types of children's acetaminophen liquids, infant drops (80 mg/ 0.8 mL) and children's suspension (160 mg/5 mL). With the old infant drops, two droppersful (1.6 mL) would equal the same acetaminophen dose as one teaspoonful (5 mL) of children's suspension. The problem with two concentrations on the shelf is the risk of accidental overdose for children. Say a mommy calls her pediatrician to get an acetaminophen dose for her child and is told to give one teaspoonful (5 mL). Mommy goes home, grabs infant drops, and measures out one teaspoonful- accidentally giving her child 500 mg of acetaminophen (the equivalent of an adult extra-strength Tylenol!), instead of the intended 160 mg. Children can't metabolize acetaminophen as well as adults, so this is a very dangerous problem. To combat this, the manufacturers discontinued the infant drops and began marketing infant acetaminophen concentrated the same as children's acetaminophen, 160 mg/5 mL. This is great news- standardized concentrations across the board. However, this pharmacist has a problem with the new packaging- there is a complete lack of dosing recommendations on the bottle for a child under 2 years old.
Now this mommy knows how to dose acetaminophen, but most mommies don't. What concerns me is a mom who has multiple children who thinks "well with my older child I just gave a full dropper," and doses her new baby the same way- giving her child a full dropper of the new infant suspension- the appropriate dose of acetaminophen for a 30+ pound child. See the problem?
So, a brief pharmacy PSA- always ask your pharmacist the appropriate dose of acetaminophen for your child, based on your child's weight. If you have any of the old infant drops in your medicine cabinet, throw them away! (They're probably close to expired, anyway).
Rant over, thanks for listening :)
After our MD visit, we took a weekend trip to Demopolis to visit with some sweet friends and to give the men a chance to go hunting. Our friends in Demopolis have many animals mounted on their walls, and Gideon LOVED looking at their fish. (Someone is going to have a great time in Ft. Myers in a few years!) Gideon also did great sleeping in his pack-n-play, and even slept from 11 to 6 one night! He handled the long car rides like a champ as well. We're blessed to have such a good car seat sleeper.
Before church on Sunday we took a family photo- check out my handsome men!
We're looking forward to many more adventures with our little guy!
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
2012 Year In Review
2012 was a pretty amazing year for the Gallahair family! Here are a few highlights from our whirlwind year.
January
-We visited with some sweet friends in Demopolis, as we do every year.
February
-We assisted with Glo weekend at church (a Disciple Now weekend). I led the Jr High girls while Keith led the youth guys.
March
-I celebrated my birthday week
-Keith led a group of 10th grade guys at a Disciple Now weekend in Peachtree City, GA
-Keith served as an usher in a fraternity brother's wedding, while I spent the weekend wondering why I wasn't feeling well.
April
-We're having a baby! We decide to keep the news a secret until I graduate pharmacy school.
-We find out baby is coming sooner than we thought, so we travel to tell the family early.
-Keith got accepted to seminary at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, pursuing a Master of Arts in Church Ministries.
May
-After 8 long years of college, I achieve my goal and officially become Bethany G, Pharm.D. (Why yes, you can call me "Doctor.")
-I travelled to Orlando to train for my new role at work.
-My little sister graduated high school.
June
-Keith is hired at The Brook.
-I was a bridesmaid (brides-matron?) in my college roommate's wedding. She picked a forgiving dress to accommodate my growing belly.
July
-We purchase a new vehicle to transport our growing family. It's not a minivan.
-I pass the NAPLEX and MPJE and appear before the Alabama Board of Pharmacy to petition for licensure.
-I begin working as a pharmacist
-We officially find out that we're having a boy.
August
-We started house shopping and put an offer on our first home. After some back-and-forth with the owners, we decided to walk away from house #1. We placed an offer on another house, which is accepted.
-Keith went on a work retreat and got adopted by a stray puppy who is obviously malnourished and recovering from injuries. We named her Lucy and welcomed her into our family.
September
-We closed on our first house.
October
-I got in a car wreck on the way home from work (not my fault) and spent the night in Labor and Delivery for monitoring. Gideon stayed put.
November
-Our lives changed forever after a traumatic morning, and we are a family of three.
-We came home from the hospital on Thanksgiving Day, and enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner with family.
-Keith celebrated his birthday.
December
-We took Gideon to church for the first time and celebrated Christmas at home with family.
We're looking forward to this coming year and seeing what God has in store for us!
January
-We visited with some sweet friends in Demopolis, as we do every year.
February
-We assisted with Glo weekend at church (a Disciple Now weekend). I led the Jr High girls while Keith led the youth guys.
March
-I celebrated my birthday week
-Keith led a group of 10th grade guys at a Disciple Now weekend in Peachtree City, GA
-Keith served as an usher in a fraternity brother's wedding, while I spent the weekend wondering why I wasn't feeling well.
April
-We're having a baby! We decide to keep the news a secret until I graduate pharmacy school.
-We find out baby is coming sooner than we thought, so we travel to tell the family early.
-Keith got accepted to seminary at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, pursuing a Master of Arts in Church Ministries.
May
-After 8 long years of college, I achieve my goal and officially become Bethany G, Pharm.D. (Why yes, you can call me "Doctor.")
-My little sister graduated high school.
June
-Keith is hired at The Brook.
-I was a bridesmaid (brides-matron?) in my college roommate's wedding. She picked a forgiving dress to accommodate my growing belly.
-We purchase a new vehicle to transport our growing family. It's not a minivan.
-I pass the NAPLEX and MPJE and appear before the Alabama Board of Pharmacy to petition for licensure.
-I begin working as a pharmacist
-We officially find out that we're having a boy.
August
-We started house shopping and put an offer on our first home. After some back-and-forth with the owners, we decided to walk away from house #1. We placed an offer on another house, which is accepted.
-Keith went on a work retreat and got adopted by a stray puppy who is obviously malnourished and recovering from injuries. We named her Lucy and welcomed her into our family.
-We closed on our first house.
-I got in a car wreck on the way home from work (not my fault) and spent the night in Labor and Delivery for monitoring. Gideon stayed put.
November
-Our lives changed forever after a traumatic morning, and we are a family of three.
-Keith celebrated his birthday.
December
-We took Gideon to church for the first time and celebrated Christmas at home with family.
We're looking forward to this coming year and seeing what God has in store for us!
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