meow

I laugh when I think of my child as "cat napper." What I wouldn't give for my child to sleep as much as Sophie, our orange tabby cat. This is how Sophie spends a majority of her day:My child does. not. sleep. Ok, that's an exaggeration because I know Owen's friend Cohen really doesn't sleep. But my child didn't get the memo that things were supposed to start mellowing out around 3 months and they're supposed to be giving their mama's more time to snooze. My child is loving his 20-30 minute naps. It's like he has an alarm clock, because they're never longer than that. And we've tried everything. Swaddled, unswaddled. Room darkening shades. White noise with a fan. White noise with a CD. Nursed, un-nursed.

And his night sleep isn't that much better. He'll sleep from 7-11 but then we're up every 2 hours. We're vaguely falling into a time routine (finally), where he's up at 7 or 8 for the day (minus today when he though 4am was a fun time to be up for the day). Then we nap around 9 or 10, again around 2, around 5, and then in bed by 7. But those naps are usually only 20 minutes. Talk about getting nothing done. I feel like I'm living in his room trying to get him to go to sleep. Any suggestions? Or is my kid just going to be a short napper?

And oh yeah, we're also going on one week with no poop. I found this quote online from The Scoop on Poop:

There is a difference between constipation and infrequent stooling. Infrequent stoolers are gassy and have a large, soft bowel movement every three to seven days. If your baby's poop is soft and he's not overly fussy, his digestive system is doing its job.

That's totally Owen. Awful gas that makes even William wrinkle his nose. I called the doc and she's not worried as it doesn't seem to be upsetting him much. I'm just dreading leaving the house because when it comes, I know it will be massive and definitely require a bath versus wipes. Yuck.

why I'm on birth control

Ok, just joking with the title! :) But I will say, whew, GO YOU moms with more than one kid. This morning, Grace came over to play so her mommy could sleep, puke, and gestate a new kid in peace. We had a great time together, but I will say that it was REALLY hard to manage both of them when my little guy is fighting sleep altogether. He would cry, she would cry. But we had fun all the same. Grace loves books and I loved reading them to her, book after book! She showed off all her animal sounds and letter recognition. She also spent a lot of the time trying out Owen's things:
Snack time. Gotta love cheerios!
She kept using the monitor as a phone. She'd hold it up to her ear and say "ello?" Adorable!We hope you come back and play with us soon Grace!

Sweet. . .

corn that is. Today was a fun day! We kissed daddy goodbye this morning as he went to Peoria (well, Morton) for an interview with a company. I have to be kinda vague at this point, but let's just say that our many days years of prayers for a new job might be working. I don't want to jump the gun, but we're so excited that maybe a door might be cracking open. We feel like we've hit wall after wall as we press into God about where we're supposed to go in life. So just keep praying for us. It's no surprise to anyone that I would LOVE to go to Peoria. Not only because of my parents, but the idea of church planting again is really exciting to us!

So back to today, despite having a rough go at his naps (I need a whole other post for that one), I re-organized all his clothes (for the millionth time). It's pretty sad to pack away all those cute 0-3 clothes in a tub. But I'm excited for some of the new ones he's getting into. We tried out the new Bumbo:Then we got ready to head out for the Sweet Corn Festival! Despite the heat, we thought it'd be fun to have dinner there! Aren't my guys the cutest?
I'm so in love with him:
Our attempt at a self-family portrait:
We ate some corn, which was a little disappointing, but the cotton candy was (as always) great. The kettle corn was also fabulous! We walked around, listened to a little of the bad music and went home just as Owen was about to lose it. Bath and bed time went great and now it's time for a movie.

Thank you Jesus for this bit of hope. We trust that you have good plans for our lives and we look forward to what's in store for us this next year!

lovies

My sweet little man is starting to love blankets up by his face and rubbing them between his fingers. Darn, I guess I'll HAVE to get on Etsy and get him a couple "lovies." :) Maybe a tag blanket? Do any of your kids have favorite blankets or stuffed animals? I'm definitely picking up one of these from Angel Dear that we have at Bella. They're SO soft!

One Week Boutique

For those of you not in the area, let me explain the greatness that is One Week Boutique. Twice a year, mommies clean out their kid's closets for the biggest "garage" sale I've ever seen! That's the really short version. It's way more complicated and they have quite the system in place. Last winter I went with my mom to the early birds new mommy sale. I was really disappointed with the long lines and nothing I needed. WHAT WAS I THINKING!?

This time around, I was a consignor, meaning I brought items to sell. I had to drop off my stuff early so I had time to walk around the sale before it opened. I made a list of things that I wanted, in order of the things that might go the fastest. I also got into the sale earlier because I was a consignor. Although I did wait in line for about an hour, here is what I scored:
Just for fun, I thought I'd try to see what I would have spent if I bought all these things new! Maybe if just to help me justify what I spent!

1. Exersaucer - average $80, but I did see one at Walmart for around $50, so I'll say $65 (Mom, aren't I a little small for this thing? :)
2. Bumbo seat with tray - $50
3. Janie and Jack sweater - $44
4. Fisher Price Little People Cement Truck - $12 (missing the people, but oh well)
   
5. Fisher Price Little People Dump Truck - $12
6. Fisher Price Little People tractor - $18
7. Fisher Price Peek a Block Train - $70 (I know, seriously?!)
8. Halo Sleep Sack - $30
9. Tiny Love Gymini with lights and music - $55
10. Baby Einstein Baby Da Vinci From Head to Toe DVD - $17
11. Black Pea Coat- $30?
12. OshKosh Fall Jacket - $15?
13. 3 pairs of shoes (Old Navy, Gymboree, and Carter's) - $20?
14. Halloween costume - $15? here's a sneak peak
15. Lots of other clothes (one button down, orange puffy vest, Nike Windbreaker set, gray firetruck outfit, 2 sleepers, fleece vest and pants, Adidas hoodie, romper) - $100? Can you tell I was loving the orange?
16. new pack of 3 Gerber slip on shirts - $6
    
17. 11 Carter's onesies (4 long sleeve and 7 short sleeve)- $20?

That's a grand total of $579! And what did I get it for? $170! Woohoo. Go me for saving us $409. And that's without the money that I'll be making on selling some things. I'm even more excited about next spring when Aubrey and I volunteer and we get in FIRST for the sale. What a great budget friendly way of stocking that kid's wardrobe! And to close, here's my little man checking out his new play mat for the first time. Not the most exciting video in the world, just a warning.

just pictures

"I've found my hands!" I know it won't be long before everything is going in his mouth!
And thanks Brianne for my monkey outfit!

first day on the job!

Today (Wednesday) was my first real day at Bella! I cried pretty hard last night and on my way to work. I had to keep telling myself that it was good for him and me (and Grammy)! All in all, it was an ok day. I put out some new adorable clothes, redressed mannequins, rearranged a table or two, sold a few things, and did lots of cleaning.

Many people have said that I might enjoy the adult interaction from a job. But on the whole I will say that I much prefer baby talk at home with Owen. But I'm definitely giving it through September and then I'll see how I (and our budget) feel at that point.

Happy Birthday Angie!

Oops. . .forgot to post this sooner! Happy birthday to my dear friend Angie! I am so lucky to have you in my life. I am looking forward to see what this year has in store for you! Hope you enjoy getting a few new things to help you with your new knitting stash!

hanging out at Pam's (I didn't mean to coordinate):
Laura and Owen:
out before the party even got going:
the birthday cupcake (and "candle"):
I think we all know what she wished for:
He loves the birthday girl!

convertible car seat

I know it's a little early to be researching convertible car seats! But the way this little guy is growing, I know I'm going to have to give up my beloved bucket seat earlier than I want to! And we'll need to be stashing away the extra cash for it. :) So I just thought I'd ask out there in mommy-land which seat you got and why. I'm leaning towards the Britax Marathon, but there are SO many options out there. Help!

his birth announcment

I realized I never posted this. I LOVE the way they turned out. Thanks to Jenna for the pictures and to Sara at Less Ordinary Designs for the layout!

Vaccinations

I've had quite a few of you ask about my delayed vaccination plan, so I just thought I'd post it. This has been gathered from lots of web research and from Dr. Sears The Vaccine Book. Of course, it's subject to change as I continue to research and ask questions from other mommies! Note to those of you with co-pays. This will require you to go in every month as opposed to the every other month schedule set by most pediatricians. I just have to make sure I stay on top of scheduling additional appointments and be ok with the additional co-pays.

Age	Planned
birth	none - declined HepB
2 months	DTaP*
3 months	Pc, Hib
4 months	DTaP, Rotavirus(RV)**
5 months	Pc, Hib
6 months	DTaP, RV
7 months	Pc, Hib
8 months	RV
9 months	Polio (IPV)
12 months	Mumps***, IPV
15 months	Pc, Hib
18 months	DTaP Booster (maybe), Chickenpox****
2 years	Rubella***, IPV
3 years	Measles***
3 1/2 years	Hep A, Hep B (if going to preschool, if not, hold off)
4 years	Hep B, IPV
4 1/2 years	Hep B
5 years	MMR Booster
6 years	Chickenpox
12 years	Hep B (3 doses – if not given at 3 ½)
13 years	Meningococcal (once Meningococcal vaccine is approved for age 2, Dr. Sears will move it there and delay Hep B by 6 months)

Notes:
*DTaP - there is a little controversy over this one as the Diptheria and Tetanus aren't little kid diseases, but the Pertussis is. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine for just the Pertussis, so they have to get the whole thing. Recommended brand: Adacelc. Do Not Use: Daptacel, Infanrix, or Pediarix.

**Rotavirus – Have to start by 14w9d. Can’t be given after 8 months. Still undecided about delaying this one a bit. They say if your baby is breastfed and not at daycare, then it's not a big issue. What do they use – Rotarix (can’t be repeated if spit out) because it requires only two oral doses, compared with three for RotaTeq (can be repeated if spit out) Same questions go for the Pc vaccine – is it really necessary if no day care and breastfeeding?

***MMR - there is mixed info about whether or not you can split these up anymore.
If you can split:
Mumps – 12 mo
Rubella – 2 years
Measles – 3 years
Booster – age 5

If you can't split:
MMR – age 4 (done all at once with no other vaccines)
Booster - age 5

****Chickenpox (varicella)- I'm still not sure about the chickenpox one. I think I'd rather expose my young kid as the immunity is better from actually getting chicken pox than the vaccine. If they haven't gotten it by age 11 or 12, I'd vaccinate.

Other notes:
- Still unsure about Hep B at all and same as Pc.
- No Vaccine should contain the preservative Thimerosal. (usually in the flu vaccine)
- All shots must be separated. No combo shots. Only one shot containing Aluminum is allowed at a time.

Happy 2 Months!

Ahhh. . .it's been 2 months already! Here's a run down of this month. I totally believe people now that say that every stage is SO fun!

Measuring
At his 2 month well baby check, he weighed in at 13lbs, 9.5oz and is now 24 1/4 inches tall. Both of those are in the 83rd percentile. His head is still on the smaller side at 39.3 cm (32nd percentile). To me, he feels huge! There's no way I'm going to be able to lug him around in that carrier until he's 22 pounds!

Milestones

• He's smiling a ton, but they're hard to catch on camera. Here's a couple for you. It's amazing how much he's filled out this month. The first picture was from the start of month 2 and the second picture was right at the end.

• He's moving his head to follow sounds and people. He'll follow me with his eyes and head around the room.
• He's reaching out to grab things with both hands:
• He's cooing and making a ton of noises. His favorite sound is /m/ and many times it sounds like he's saying mom. Aww. (Darn video uploader is having problems. I'll have to post those adorable videos later!)
  

Schedule
He still doesn't have a "get up at 7, nap at 9" schedule. But ohh, I'm looking forward to that day. Right now, I'm devouring the book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child and am glad to say I was already doing many of the principles he talks about. Owen sleeps, gets up and eats, and is then awake anywhere from 45 min to an hour and half. I'm learning how to recognize his sleepiness cues which are always a yawn or rubbing his eyes. If he starts crying, I know I've waited too long and it's always harder to get him to go to sleep. He's definitely getting better at going right back to sleep in the middle of the night. So even though we're still getting up 3-4 times a night, that makes getting up a little more bearable! He still doesn't love naps during the day, but we're working on that! They're pretty short, around 30-45 minutes, so I'm sure not getting a lot done around the house!

Feeding
He's definitely turning into a little chunker and is still a champ nurser! He almost always only eats from one side now which was a little painful at first, but the boobs have adjusted. Sometimes during the longer night stretches, I pump the other side. He averages about 7-9 minutes which I know after talking to several mommies is fast and I should be very thankful!

Other things that have happened:

• He got a mild case of cradle cap this month. But a regular routine of baby oil and a soft brush, then a bath cured it right up.
• He stopped pooping. Seriously, it went from everyday to every 3-4 days. So after scouring the web, I called the doc. She said this is totally normal. The first couple days, we had to use gas drops because he was hurting. Now the boy just farts all the time and man do they stink. Also, because of the back up of poop, I always have to be prepared for an explosion. One happened last night at church and it took my mom and me almost a whole pack of wipes to clean that poor boy up. I have never seen anything like that. Whew.
  
• He had his first shot (DTaP) at his 2 month well baby check. Dr. Tripathy was fully on board with our delayed schedule. It just means I have to take him in every month instead of every other, but no biggy!
• He still won't fall asleep in the stroller and really doesn't love his bucket seat.
• We're still swaddling for all our naps and bedtime, but that boy is a Houdini and always finds a way to get his left hand out. Any tips swaddler moms?
  

William
Daddy doesn't like going to work and being away from him all day. But now with my new work schedule, they're going to get some good time together. Thankfully, Owen is taking a bottle no problemo!

Me
I had my post partum check up on Thursday, July 22nd with Christi. She assured me that my stitches healed great and I was ready to jump back on the wagon. Haha. That's been a slower process than I thought it would be. :) I've realized that these last 15 pounds aren't going anywhere and I'm ok with that for a little while. But I'm still loving moomyhood! We decided to go with the progesterone only birth control for a little while. Ok, so I've picked it up, but actually haven't started taking it. I'm just praying there aren't any changes in my milk supply, but will quit instantly if I see any changes. Then, around 6-9 months I'll start charting again. 18 months is about the closest I think I could handle #2.

Here's a few more pictures of my darling boy:
I love you so much buddy and can't wait for more of doing life with you!

Bella

No, this post isn't about this sweet little girl, Bella, although I could write and write about how great her and her mom are!It's about my new job. That's right folks, as of today, I'm a working woman again. A few weeks ago, Laura emailed me saying they were looking for someone at Bella for about 10 hours a week (well, technically 14 one week, 7 the next). It's an adorable little boutique that just moved to a new store on Neil St. I met with Jennifer, my boss and she was super sweet! I went home and really went back and forth about it. This was a really hard decision for me. I was most likely going to have to sub on Thursdays and Fridays (when my mom was free) and I was DREADING this decision. Not because of the kiddos, but my fear was that I would get into a classroom where I didn't have a break, and therefore couldn't pump. I'm not willing to sacrifice all the hard work we've done so far with breastfeeding. But Jennifer said that it would be no problem for me to leave the floor once or twice a shift to pump and there's a cute bathroom to do it in, along with a fridge for storage! So I'm working every Wednesday and every other Friday from 1-8. Ahh, that seems likes a long time, but my mom's going to watch him from that 1-5 time and then William will be home with him. It's totally doable. I can pump. A little extra money. A good reason to shower and wear "real" clothes. And maybe no subbing (I'll have to see how I feel about that every other Friday). I did cry on the way to training today, but everyone survived and my mom loved having time with her grandbaby. Laura was a great trainer and we had some good conversations along the way!

Speaking of the other Bella's mom, Michelle. . .she bought Owen these adorable shoes from See Kai Run. He's actually going to wear them to church this weekend. Aren't they precious?
Well, here's the problem. I'm working to actually bring a little more money into our house. But this job could be dangerous. Thankfully, I don't have a girl. Seriously. We carry Daily Tea, Sweet Petunia, Mimi and Maggie, Baby Lulu and so much more. My entire paycheck would go towards those stinkin' cute bows, dresses, and oh those winter coats. It will be seriously hard for me not one off those pink and brown over the top coats, just to stash away for a *hopefully* future girl. I digress. So all in all, thanks to Owen being Owen, I won't lose my whole paycheck!

Lafayette ladies

Last Thursday, Owen and I took a little road trip to visit some very special ladies in my old stomping ground. It was my first longer drive with Owen. He started crying a few minutes into the trip and I thought I might be crazy for doing this. But by St. Joe, he was asleep and stayed asleep as long as the car was moving. :) We met at Teresa's new house which was GORGEOUS! I miss these gals SO much and it's always so good to catch up on the Cumberland drama. It feels so weird to not be talking about getting my classroom ready! Here we are from L to R: Courtney, Teresa, Kassi, Kathy, Brianne, grumpy Owen, me, and Angie. I hope we continue to keep in touch for a long time!
Then, on my way out of town, I decided to call me old neighbor just to see if they were home. I was in luck!! Erin (and Abby at the time) was the greatest neighbor a girl could ask for. She's a riot to hang out with and always willing to loan out anything she has. Malia was born 1 day before William and I got married. I guess Erin had a good reason for missing the wedding. I cannot believe she's 3 years old (going on 16). We miss having them as neighbors!! Here's the little miss practicing to be a big sister:
We had to make one stop in Danville on the way home because Owen was a little tired of his car seat and screaming, but all in all, it was a fabulous day catching up with good friends!

already?

Happy 2 months little man!

I'll post his full 2 month review after I get a few more pictures. He just wasn't having it today. I guess we're all entitled to our bad days, right?