Snow

at least 6 inches, now it's freezing rain/sleeting and packing it down some. just yucky out.

bobby finally rolled over from his front to his back. and he seemed really proud of himself. he did it repeatedly on my bed, but since he leads with his head, he seems not wanting to repeat it on the floor.

he slept well enough last night. doc said antibiotics would take 3 days to work but we definitely got some peace, slept 7p-2a straight, then i couldn't put him in his crib so we slept in my bed 3-7 with some wakeups, but so much better than the last 2 weeks for sure. he skipped his morning nap and is down now, i want to go shovel but might give him 10 minutes to make sure he's under.

local paper came, but NYT and WSJ did not... (i actually thought the same guy delivered them all)

sophie attacked the diaper pail yesterday. carried it into bobby's room, several feet and chewed the handle, but thank god, was unable to penetrate to get to the poop!

Wah

I feel like I've been giving Bobby a lot of Tylenol lately, so I decided to not give it to him last night since he had a fine day. I don't know if it was coincidence or what, but Bobby has an ear infection. I wonder if the Tylenol had been suppressing his fever and it just came out last night or what. Probably not, but I hope he hasn't been sick for long and I ignored it. But I guess if you have a cold for a month, it's going to turn into something like this. He wasn't draining liquid from his ear or pulling at it so the 101.0 fever this morning told me to go to the doctor. He had a very sleepless and irritable night but has gotten 2 good naps in today and when he wakes up, I'll start him on the amoxicillian. He was 19,5 pounds at 7 and 3/4 months - still a lean little thing.

The cold has come in. It is suddenly very bitter out and I guess the snow is coming. If they say 6-12", it'll be about 3-5 I'm guessing. Enough to make us stay home of course. I wanted to have a big errand day and hit the gym before it came, but the boy needs sleep and cuddle time, so that's the new plan. Also, wanted to see the Wilson's this weekend, but that might have to wait.

Jan. wrap up

nothing special going on, except our chronic nonsleeping, so I haven't written much lately. napping is a bit of an issue now, he's just not interested in staying down (or can't make himself) and likes being awake in general. sometimes takes 2 naps, then gets cranky at night.

i screwed him up majorly at bedtime. i can get him to fall asleep fine, even without the swaddle, but now i can't get him into the crib, out of my arms, without waking him up. it usually takes 3 tries even when i was sure he was asleep.

we almost have all 4 top teeth fully through. he likes to try to bite us with them.

still working this cold, no fever, just snot and an occasional cough

he's still pretty happy if not just a bit short tempered.

rick is getting out of iraq next week.

my new month resolution is a spending freeze. airplane tickets, shower gifts, wedding gifts, new dresses, new makeups, trainer sessions, new car tires, little gym. i am stopping as soon as i find shoes for the wedding.

MLK Day

A sleeping blog- what a surprise. Either out of sheer exhaustion or some tylenol, Bobby slept from 7pm to 3am last night, then ate and slept again until 5:30am. And he was even going down again, but I think he had swallowed so so much snot all night, he vomited up everything in his tummy. It was so sad seeing it go everywhere. He got in a quick rest from 6-7am.

I think he feels absolutely lousy, but only acts like it when tired. So the Martins are watching him currently since he only managed a 40 minute nap and cried literally as soon as I turned on the computer and settled down with a diet coke.

These teeth are probably the beginning of a rough period for the little guy while more teeth come in! I had said recently, teething only causing teeth, but I amend that. No diaper rash or fever for us, but mucous for sure. He had a snotty cold for several weeks that just dried up and this different than that.

Sunday 1/17

Having a great time visiting with the Martins. Lunch out yesterday, then Cash's birthday celebration. Baptism today. We had a super rough night, two actually, but last night he was up probably 8 times in the (only) eight hours he was in bed. We figured it must be teething, He's been mouthing everything. I hadn't checked in a while, so I went in, and sure enough - teeth!

Top four teeth. The middle two seem to be right under the surface, one for sure you can see, but what's sort of goofy is that the two outside front teeth have come through. Very vampire-esque.

1/16/09

Bobby can clap! He's been banging things he holds together for a while now and would hit things in his hand with his other hand, but Grandma Vegas taught him how to clap with flat palms tonight. Yay.

Off to the new City Center tomorrow and having a little birthday celebration for Cash.

Las Vegas

Back on the road again. 7 months old is very different than 7 weeks or 4 months - the last times we flew. Bobby was still really good, very charming, and quiet. Luckily I was literally the only one in security line in Greensboro. Followed no one, no one else came up. Good thing b/c I took my time. Baby/carrier/stroller/purse/shoes/belt/diaperbag (with laptop and kindle in it!). I think I took 10 minutes, but the TSA folks did come and help load me up, maybe I looked that pathetic.

Short flight to Charlotte felt longer, was cramped, but I dealt and we were able to just play a bit since the flight was 4-4:40 ish. Was able to stop in the USO when changing terminals since I didn't leave until 6pm. Changed diaper, tried to nurse, had a little snack, went to gate, boarded close to last - to see where the empty seats were and to shorten the amount of time we were cramped in there.

Luckily I had an aisle seat and no one was in the middle. This was huge b/c I could nurse him and use the seat for his junk. There was a 6 year old girl across the aisle who loved him and Bobby just liked watching her - and everyone and anyone else on the plane. I guess he fell asleep around 7 (i'm guessing) for maybe an hour and a half, I guess I should wear a watch, but he was definitely up at 9pm and then stayed up. Sleepy but unaffected and definitely not interested in going back to sleep. luckily we got in about 40 minutes early. Got our bags, met Carolyn and then he finally lost it in the carseat - just sobbing.

So quickly to bed (now on to pacific time, 8:30pm). I thought he was just adjusting to the time change wisely, but at 3am he seemed to forget he wasn't on Eastern time. He woke up 11pm, 3 am - wouldn't go back down until 4:30 and then was up at 6:30 but very chipper. He wouldn't nap this morning until after 10am but he's a trooper and enjoying Cash and Allison and Slider, and of course Carolyn and Chandler.

We're babysitting Cooper currently and it's quiet time for a little bit longer I hope. It's crazy how quickly I forgot how 'new' babies are. Just awkward, noisy little things. But sweet too.

Last Night

Bobby slept from 6:40 (-7:20) - 3:40.
Chugged a bunch of milk, projectile spit up a ton, then slept again, 5-5:40-7:30.
That shouldn't be impressive for a 7 month old, but for him 8+ hours is really unusual, after several nights of midnight/2am/4am/5:30am wakeups. I actually got up at 2am to check on him. He had rolled onto his tummy and that is probably why is slept for so long. Naps are still generally 40 minutes but the second one has been 2 hours a few times, but that also means he's awake from 2 or 3pm on and gets cranky way before what I would like bedtime to be.

7 Months Old

Thought I'd just put some notes up. Bobby is still a good bit snotty, going on 3 weeks now, but no other symptoms and seems to act just fine. It seems to be manageable and we suction out a lot in the mornings, b/c I worry about that all draining when he's nursing, but it doesn't bother him.

Sleep issues are still the same. In bed about 11.5-12 hours at night, maybe just under, but still waking up 3-5 times. Up around 6:30am usually. Naps are where I would like to improve if I could. He usually takes three 40 minute naps. You can set your watch by it. So there isn't a lot of time to get a ton done, usually a shower and he's up e.g. Sometimes it's less, but it's often all he needs and it takes the edge off and we go back to playing.

He is ridiculously energetic and curious. Grabbing for everything and anything. Likes to bang things together.

He is about the same verbally. Occaisonal da/ga/ma/la sounds, but more often just grunts and giggles and squeals.

His favorite method of communication is spitting though. It's like a raspberry on steriods. I don't think I taught him this, I don't know what triggers it, he just does it, and follows it with a cheeky smile. Even if you don't react shocked or at all, he still will do it a couple times, including during a meal. I have tried to get it on video but not successfully yet.

Some Firsts

Bobby took his first nap in his real crib today. He had previously been sleeping in a portacrib (about 25 x 37) but he'd been scooching up against the sides and sticking limbs through and sometimes even turning perpendicular in it, so it was time to get the man some more real estate. So we brought Grammys crib down from the third floor and it is now in Bobbys room. Cousin Archer is actually using it tonight, but we'll get in there soon.

Also, we took a bath in the real tub tonight! We are not done with the blow up duck bath yet, but he sure does look comfortable in there. He actually started out with Wiley and Archer for about 30 seconds but was soon all alone and seemed to enjoy it. He sat very well and didn't slip around at all. It was even fairly deep.

Duh

Forgot to mention, best Christmas present ever, Rick's unit is leaving Iraq in January!!!

They are the last Marines in Iraq, and they're getting out. Assuming he's on the last plane out, I tell myself February. Also, a lot could change between now and then. What we really don't know is, if he 1. is cut loose altogether, 2. still has to work in California, 3. still has to work in St. Louis, where the unit is from, or 4. has to go to Afghanistan. Some men are going to Afg. but he isn't one of them as far as he knows. Better ramp up the job search. Don't want to be one of the statistics and make him move in with his in laws for too long.

Best present would be him actually coming home, but this is great news compared to May.

More

Continued.... Doctors appt went well, talked about eating and development and such, all seems to be going well. He thought Bobby sat up very well, which he really does, He has excellent body control, he's just a bit lazy and doesn't roll over. I forgot to ask about sleep. It doesn't concern me, but I think it should and I think we can be doing better and I don't want to ingrain habits that will bite me later, but it is what it is.

He said we are okay to eat 3 times a day, eat meat, even more finger foods etc.

We also went to open play time at the little gym with the 11-19 month olds. Bobby had fun, mostly watching but also holding on (in lieu of climbing) and assisted jumping.

Oh yah, he has a really nasty cold. Super serious snot. Very congested and not even a runny nose, it's just all up in his head - if only the poor thing could blow his nose, he'd feel a thousand times better. I just keep hoping for big sneezes. I measured a little fever with it, but at the doctors they said only 98.3. He is a bit irritable but otherwise still happy. We can play normally, but he'll cry a little when I lay him down to change his diaper. Just seems to have a short temper. It sounds so slurpy when he's nursing and he won't let me suction it out, and it doesn't work well enough anyway. And, he really won't even let me wipe the 2 green streams that come from his nostrils. Very irritated when i wipe, same with food after dinner. So we'll see how the night goes, he's down already at 6:30, but I'm sure he'll be up in about 30 minutes. Might bust out the tylenol to give him some relief.

Six Months (and 17 days)

17 pounds, 15 ounces. (50th percentile)

27.75 inches (75%)

44.5" head circumfrence (50%)

4 needles, including H1N1

SNOW

Snow, and sleep. I've pretty much decided not to let him cry it out, It probably does work, but still can't do it. I think every 3 hours is unnecessary, but there's not much I can do about it. Maybe things will change when we get down to 2 naps, but with upcoming travel disruptions, it's not the time now (and he's still young).

It snowed a good bit today, started at 1pm and hasn't stopped, just lightened off and on. It's really wet snow, but has a good accumulation. It's actually really pretty and peaceful. We'll venture out if the sun comes out. Don't know if I'll drive to the gym yet. no rush to get out there with the southern folk.

12/18

It's snowing here!

Last night, Bobby went to bed for good at 7:30pm, then was up at 10:30pm, 1:30am, and 4:30am. At 4:30 it took an hour to get him back down, he was very drowsy but wouldn't go back to sleep all the way. Then he slept from 5:30am to 7am. Any advice out there? Our friends pediatrician just told her to do some sleep training b/c there's no reason she shouldn't be sleeping through the night at 6 months. We'll see what they say on Monday. I am not looking forward to that but I know something should be done as he's getting worse. Now I don't have to go to work or anything, but we'll see. He is also taking very short naps and is still swaddled and nursed to go down. I forsee problems with this down the road, especially when I stop nursing, and he doesn't take a bottle or a pacifier.

He continues to do well at eating. Both feeding himself and eating his mush. Very interested in whatever I eat. So far likes all the veggies plus apples and pears and crackers and a bit of pudding too. Advocado was lunch today. Had some banana at breakfast and we'll try some oatmeal and maybe vegetables for dinner, making this our first three "meal" day.

Happy Baby

I wish you all could be in my bedroom in the morning while we hang out and get ready for the day. Bobby is so chatty and smiley and seems really like he is having fun. He's so charming. When he gets out and about, he's a little more mellow, although today he did really well with strangers while shopping and he is getting used to the crowd at the library and at the girls at the gym. (It seems like all my pictures look the same lately, but it just happens to be where I charge the camera and he's so happy, I want to capture it.)

12/14

Bobby loves to play with drawstring cords, all cords basically - you know, anything he could strangle himself with...

I think I've mentioned it before, but Bobby loves Sophie. He watches her all the time, to the point of distraction. And now that Bobby might have some food around him, Sophie likes him back. And of course, the teething biscuits look like dog treats.

He was up at midnight, 2am and 4am last night.

12/13

Quiet weekend here.

Bobby had a good visit at the gym day care today. No tears. He was rested and well fed and is hopefully getting used to it.

He continues to not really nap though. He went down three times, yes, but for probably 3.5 hours combined. And we've reverted to being held a lot and waking up a lot in the middle of the night. He went down around 8 tonight in the hope to stay asleep a little longer than 5:30am. I didn't keep him up late, he just woke up from a nap at 5:30pm so it was natural.

Christmas shopping is almost all done, presents are wrapped and cards are sent. Still don't have the holiday spirit though and I'm really fighting the urge to bake the cookies that I want to so badly.

December

• We are now eating oatmeal with carrots. delicious.
• Took him to the child care at the gym. They came and got me out of aerobics class after about 40 minutes. He was crying. This wrecked me b/c if your kid never cries, its so hard to see him with wet red eyes. It was probably the tons of toddlers and loudness and crazy colors and tv and whatnot. We're going back nonetheless tomorrow.
• He's a really good baby. Very chill and very happy. Easy to take care of. I'm lucky.
• Soooo excited to see Cooper J.
• Rick is good. Probably a bit bored. Mentioned that it is good that everyday is the same b/c there is no build up to Christmas.
• 6 month check up and vaccines isn't until the 21st
• Thinking about driving up to DC to shop and kill time