PS Mommy Thread-Newborn to 12 months!

[basil]

Pupp - oh, what cute pictures! N is so yummy!

Moxie - I totally remember you! Lucy is just one day older than Hayden so not too surprising we're going through the same things at the same time. It is nice knowing that it's somewhat normal. I don't envy you exclusively pumping...some days I feel like the only thing I'd dislike more than breastfeeding is pumping! I'm clinging to the fact that it's burning extra calories for me to keep myself going. Oh, and it's good for Hayden too Have you gotten a chance to be away from Lucy yet? I haven't...except for an hour or so at the mall when DH held him at the bookstore while I shopped. But we have a date planned for Thursday while my mom is here. People keep asking me if I'm nervous, but I'm actually really excited to get away for a few hours. Anyway, I know it's hard to post while taking care of your LO, but if you get a chance I'd love to see pictures of Lucy!

Skippy - I'm not back at work yet...I get a 12 week leave which is pretty generous, I think. So I go back the last week in October. I have kind of mixed feelings - I know I will miss Hayden but I also miss work being away from it and I miss the people there. I think I'll feel better once I get childcare straightened out. Two more nanny interviews next weekend.

 

[charbie]

Hi ladies!
Glad im able to make the jump over here! Aubrey arrived last Weds without complications, and I was pretty pleased with the quick labor and delivery! I've been pretty sore and swollen but taking pain meds and icing helps. Nursing is going well. My supply is establishing itself and we are usually nursing every 2 or so hours, and then Ill pump a bit afterwards. At night she's been great...sleeping until I wake her up at 3 hrs to nurse. I know it probably wont always be like this, but ill enjoy it while it lasts! Her pediatrcian said to keep waking her for now, but hopefully by next week she will be back at birthweight, and then he said we can cut it back and not wake her if she's not waking herself up. Ill still have to wake up to pump though.
Now comes the part that is very difficult for me to discuss. Our little squirt was born with a heart defect called VSD- a hole in her heart between the ventricles. It was so shocking to get the news. They heard a murmur on day 2, and instead of being discharged home from the hospital, we were sent straight to the children's hospital for testing (echo and ekg) and to meet with a cardiologist. That is where they confirmed that she has the hole, and also determined based on size and location of the hole, we will require open heart surgery sometime in the next 6 months. They assured us that this is not totally uncommon, and her defct is the most common among heart defects. Its just soooooo scary to know that normal progression means she will get worse before better, and justthe thought of our sweet little lady getting open heart surgery petrifies me. Being a new mom is scary enough, throw this into the mix and I've been a basketcase.
So. That's that. We met her pediatrcian today, and he is absolutely amazing. We go to a large practice but have the option of just having her use 1 doc or all of them. I prefer for her to maybe have 1 primary and then 1 or 2 others we are comfortable with in case he isn't around. He said she is perfect, gaining weight back already, and said DH and I are doing a great job. Made us feel much more comfortable with the VSD, and will work closely with the cardiology team to make sure we are getting her on the best diet to gain weight (one of the issues babies with VSD have).

Please, don't say, 'Im sorry' or feel bad for us. Aubrey is a little fighter, and she is going to be just fine, I know it. The next few months are going to be so hard, but I still want to savor every moment of her being this tiny little ball of heaven. I don't want her to be 'different' she just has a few more medical needs than other munchkins, and we focus on the positives. She really is a gorgeous little baby. Im a little biased, but she has these perfect little features and the cutest little faces that she makes. I just love her so much already!

 

[Skippy123]

PUPP, aww, he is so cute!!! what great pictures!!!

BASIL, oh that is great you get 3 months off to be with Hayden; he is so precious!!!

CHARBIE, oh momma, it is so good to see you, welcome!!! I will keep you all in my prayers, your daughter is a fighter! I believe little ones are strong; congrats on your beautiful girl!

The babies turned 5 months yesterday!!! Where did the time go??

 

[Kunzite]

LV - We need some new pictures of little S!! We ended up getting the Up & Up formula. It's comparable to what the hospital sent us home with and it's cheaper. I'm so happy to hear that you started a bedtime routine. Yea!! Have you tried letting her fall asleep on her own? We've found that O will cry right before he falls asleep. So he'll play a little, let out one big cry, and then pass out. So we never really had to let him CIO, we just had to realize that he was just fighting sleep for a brief minute and then he'd be done. O is still waking early in the morning too, like around 4. We've just taken to feeding him and putting him back to bed. It's probably not the best for teaching him that it's sleep time but it actually works out really well for our schedule in the morning so we're still doing it. He woke up at one in the morning a few nights ago and just sat in his crib and played for an hour! What is up with that? Luckily that only happened one night and he never cried. Sorry to hear you guys have a cold too. I think it's been going around. DH and O both got over theirs in a matter of days, but mine went strong for weeks!

Lanie - That little bug walker is ADORABLE! O is just so rough and tumble that I'm not sure a walker is such a good idea for us. He seems to be learning how to move around just fine without any help from us so we'll just keep at that. How was the transition back to daycare? That must be hard to get to spend the summer with A and then have him go back.

Noel - I love that O and S are so similar! He tries to taste everything in the house too, including the toilet We need some sort of fence around it! Luckily he's easily redirected to the bath tub, he loves it too! He has also started with the tears. I used to see the kids in daycare that would cry these giant tears and be so thankful that O didn't do that because it was so sad looking. I guess I didn't realize that they would start eventually! Now when he gets upset, huge tears!! Boy, it's sad. Thanks for the picture!! It sounds like your work is going to be really great about your return. I'm so happy to hear that. I can't imagine any company here being that generous!

pupp - Such cute pictures of N! He looks like he had a great time. That striped one piece is super cute, where did you get it? O is running out of clothes and I can't find anything I like to get him! I'm starting to think that the rate that babies develop has less to do with ability and more to do with personality. O has always had this glimmer in his eye telling us that he wanted to MOVE!! I think he was just determined to be able to get what he wanted without relying on us!! Independent little bugger. DH told me the other day that he read an article about babies "talking." I guess when they babble they really are having some sort of a conversation that makes sense to them. I thought that was interesting, although I'm not sure how anyone could really know that!

shiny - Such cute pictures of L!!

IHA - Welcome! I love the name Liam! Sorry to hear that your birth experience wasn't what you wanted, but I'm happy to hear everything turned out okay.

basil - I'm so happy to hear that H is sleeping so well! At least he gives you some good days between the bad ones, lol! O was just a constant terror! I can't wait to see what you got from GOG! H does look crazy long! He'll grow out of the fussing in public thing. O did that at first too and we thought we'd never be able to take him out, but now he loves it! He just doesn't like his car seat.....

geri - C does look all innocent! What a cutie. I would be going for that chocolate too!! O goes for anything we have on the end table. It could be the most boring thing in the world, but if it's on the table he wants it!

Skippy - The boys are getting so big! I'm so happy to hear that!! They are such dolls!!

moxie - Welcome! Congrats on the birth of Lucy. Sorry to hear that you're EPing but just know that there are/were quite a few of us. There's a pumping thread around here too if you need some support.

AFU - Sleep is still our big issue. Why doesn't my baby like sleep!? He started taking ONE nap at DC last week. He's only 8 months adjusted, he should not be taking one nap a day!! Our teachers are part of the problem too. I swear none of them know the first thing about baby sleep requirements or sleep cues. They should be required to take some sort of class! They always tell me something like, he was just having so much fun playing, or he didn't look tired. Obviously! O has never had strong sleep cues which is why we nap him on a schedule. They know that but it's like they start to ignore it if we haven't brought it up in awhile. I guess we'll have to sit down and have another talk tomorrow. No, it's not fun to get the kid to nap, but that's what he needs! His morning teacher is really defensive when you bring anything up too. He was coming home with the rise of his diapers unsnapped again and when we brought it up she said it was the only way they wouldn't leak. I tried to explain to her that that didn't make any sense, when you unsnap the rise he'll just leak out the leg, but she just wasn't having it. Ugh. She's so nice and I know she takes good care of O, so I just dropped it. If she wants to unsnap all of his diapers I guess it's not hurting anything. It just shows me how unwilling she is to listen though.

Winter mamas, is O the only one left without any teeth? I keep thinking we're going to have a tooth any day and it never appears. Not that I'm complaining, I love his gummy smile, but where are the teeth?!

And no pertussis symptoms yet, thank goodness! I just hope all of the other babies are still healthy too.

 

[Kunzite]

Wow, that took me so long to write I missed new stuff!!

Charbie - Welcome!!! Congrats on the birth of little A, it sounds like it went really well. I know you said no sorries, but I am sorry. It just sucks when something doesn't go as planned and I'm sure heart surgery wasn't in your plans or even on your mind! The good thing is that you have a great team to help her and that having surgery at such a young age will be less scary for her than if she was old enough to know what was going on. You'll be in my thoughts!

Skippy - 5 months!!! Wow! Those boys are just too cute for words. Look at that smile and that smirk!!

 

[Skippy123]

KUNZITE, oh thank goodness about the whooping cough! I so glad to hear he didn't get. Can you make a list of sleep cues for her? some people just don't get it. I am so sorry, our babies DO need their sleep. If she doesn't listen can you talk to the director? If you lived close by I would watch your beautiful Oliver. hugs momma and I hope he gets more naps!!! thanks about my boys!

 

[noelwr]

will write more tomorrow, just want to say

Kunzite - Skye is a 1 nap a day baby. she wasn't on a schedule because she does give good sleep cues (rubbing her eyes). they tried to get her to nap 2x a day at day care, but if she wakes up at 8:30, there's no way she wants to sleep again at 10. so instead now she sleeps after lunch for an hour to 1.5hr and has been doing that for a while so maybe that is a schedule, then. but there are days when she goes without any nap. she's a stubborn little girl. and Skye also has no teeth! every time she has a day where she cries more than usual we always say that the teeth are probably coming... and they don't. DH is so worried that he was asking me if it's possible that she might not ever get teeth! and when people say to him that a lot of babies get their teeth at 6 months, he gets very defensive, haha!

 

[Puppmom]

Kunzite, the striped romper is from Gap. It's last season. We have been fortunate enough to get about 50% of N's clothes from my nephew who is 7 months older and a big boy too. We've been getting a lot of our clothes from Gap. I don't like their selection online but I went into the store yesterday and snatched up a bunch of stuff. I got 4 pairs of pants, 6 shirts and one pair of PJs for $90. It's definitely a transition seeing him in big boy clothes. Oh, and thank goodness O is fighting those cough germs! How scary!

RE: being motivated. We didn't see that in N until recently. It's like he didn't realize the freedom that came with mobility. Now that he's moving, he never sits still!

RE: sleep cues. MIL is famous for saying things like "He seemed tired but I wasn't sure if I should put him down or not." or "He didn't yawn at all." DH always looks for the yawn too...it totally irritates me! Now that N's older, he'll let us know if me miss his cues. He'll grab his lovey and lay his head on the nearest available piece of furniture or lap.

Skippy, those kids are cute! It must be fun watching them interact. N is still perplexed by other kids. When we're around other kids he stares...a lot. Good thing kids don't have no staring rules like adults!

Charbie, welcome! A is a doll! I'm glad you're enjoying her and things are going well. The heart issue must have pulled the rug out from under you but I'm glad that you and DH were quick to realize that thinking positive and cherishing these early moments was the way to go. Babies are so resilient so I bet A will bounce back from surgery in no time. Is she required any special care other than the doc appts in the meantime?

...crap, have to cut this short. Work is calling. Sorry to anyone I missed!

 

[somethingshiny]

Charbie~ Welcome and congrats!! Lily was born with VSD along with her SVT. The VSD has caused no problems at all and was pretty much gone by the time she was a few months old. It is very common and now we suspect that JT also was born with VSD due to a history of murmur that cleared when he was about 2 or so. I know it's an issue you'll always be aware of, but it certainly won't define Aubrey!

 

[Kunzite]

Skippy - I don't think you'd want to watch O, haha! He's a handful right now. He's running circles around me today!! I will write down a sample schedule for his teachers every now and then just to give them something to look at, maybe I'll do that with a few hints. I don't want to be the crazy mom though! It's such a balance.

noel - I can't believe S is already down to one (or no!!) nap a day. I just put O down for his afternoon nap and he's just looking into the camera growling at me, I swear that kid can see me looking at him!! We totally do the same thing with teeth, every time he starts to drool more or get cranky, oh it must be teeth!

pupp - I should have known that was Gap. Nearly all of the stuff we have for O in his current size is Gap, but we don't have a Baby Gap near us and I hardly find much at the regular stores. I'll have to go again. The poor thing needs some clothes! I've been sending him to daycare in his pajamas lately So sweet about N laying his head down. I can just picture it and it's so precious!

 

[Loves Vintage]

Hello Mamas!! So much to say!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Charbie, Welcome! Congrats again on your beautiful little girl. I'm sorry to hear about Aubrey's VSD, but hope you feel reassured that everything will be ok. I know I would be beside myself, even if the docs weren't worried. Heck, I've worried about much smaller things!! Worry comes with the territory, I think! Glad to hear breastfeeding is going well. Enjoy every moment of these early days. I was feeling nostalgic for them just yesterday! Being a new mom can be scary, but it also so so so sweet and wonderful, those early days of getting to know your little one. Ahhhhhhhhhh.

Kunzite, Ebay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have gotten so many ADORABLE little baby gap outfits from ebay. Some NWT, some worn a few times. I only say this because it is FUNNY, but I seriously developed carpal tunnel symptoms in my right hand because I was looking for the perfect little dress for my perfect little angel for a wedding next month. I looked at every dress in the US on ebay (so thousands of dresses) and deemed them all inadequate. I wound up getting her an ADORABLE dress from ebay UK. Then, of course, 2 weeks later, at the baby gap retail store, I found another perfect dress (as well as some gold kitty cat face shoes to go with the first dress). Would it be insane to do an outfit change after the ceremony? I AM KIDDING, OF COURSE! So seriously, check it out!!

Re: sleep. In the past, whenever we put her in her crib, she would just SCREAM. She needs her cuddles! Well, last night, we did our routine, and I've been noticing that when I feed her, she's been pretty sleepy. So, I put her in her crib, rolled to her side, and held her hand (aww). She fell asleep in under a minute. A-MAZING! I think now is just her time to work it all out.

Basil, Did you mention you have an ERGO? Try a walk with the ergo, instead of the stroller, or bring it with you just in case? I was wearing S in the ERGO as I steamed the floors over the weekend. My husband was like -- does she ever cry in that thing? And, my answer was no! She loves it! She hasn't cried in the stroller either, on walks, so not sure if that's your answer, but I have a feeling he might prefer it. Worth a shot, right?

Skippy, Your boys are so handsome!!!! Gorgeous eyes!!

Pupp, AWWWWWWW! SO ADORABLE!! I can see how N brings you so much joy! He is just filled with joy in every photo! So fun!

Moxie, Welcome!! Congrats on little Lucy! Photos welcome, of course. I totally EMPATHIZE with you on the pumping. Have you seen the pumping thread?

Geri, C is just perfect! I love her round face. She is a real beauty!

IHA, Welcome!!!! I posted to you in the preggo thread, but Congrats again!!!!! Enjoy this special time, every moment!

HMG, Special call-out for you, mama! Are you lurking??? We'd love to hear from you!!!

*************************
A few updates:

SLEEP - Three nights in a row, STTN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I feel so RESTED and HAPPY and RELIEVED.

TEETH - One little baby tooth is popping in on the bottom. It is going to be ADORABLE!!

 

[Loves Vintage]

My baby!

 

[Loves Vintage]

I have more to say!

Puppmom - About the sippy cup, I've been meaning to comment. Have you tried a few different kinds? I had one from my shower, and she took to it right away. Silly me thought, oh, there's got to be a better one, variety is the spice of life, after all. Uhm, no. So, now I have three different kinds and she really just likes the first one. Does N use a pacifier? If I recall correctly, he's never been one for the bottle, right? That might be why he's having a harder time transitioning? They make some with straw like attachments, but I wonder if that doesn't really help with the ultimate goal of drinking from a cup.

How many days will he be at daycare? Has he had a cold yet? If not, all I can say is BRACE YOURSELF! I hate it so much. There were 7 little babies at daycare this morning, all with runny noses, including my little princess. Hate it!! It was so sad to see. Of course, she was happy as a clam! They all seemed to be quite happy, actually.

**********

Another thing I forgot to mention -- Noel and Kunzite -- oh my goodness, the tears and the insane crying (wailing) lately. I guess we are not alone. About two weeks ago, she started doing this.

**********
And, a WWYD. So, I have noticed this mom at daycare. She drives a HUGE SUV, like an escalade, but a different one. EVERY TIME that I see her pulling into or out of the parking lot, she is on her CELL PHONE. Every time I see her, I think to myself: "that woman is a MENACE." I am always so super cautious in that parking lot because there are constantly people pulling in and out and walking their kids in. She barrels in and out while on her phone!! Would you say something to the director? Would you say something to her? (It is against the law in my state to talk on your cell phone while driving. That is a bit beside the point. I just think it is incredibly rude and selfish to do that especially in a daycare parking lot. I mean, really, she can't wait til she gets out of the lot?) MENACE!!

 

[somethingshiny]

LV~ At our schools and daycares, there are posted signs prohibiting the use of cell phones. I'd check into that first. You may have every right to actually contact police. If not, I'd say something to the director. All of the children are theoretically at risk due to her behavior. It's unacceptable. If you ever question the security or safety of your child (or any child for that matter) I firmly believe that you should do whatever your gut tells you.

 

[basil]

LV - S is adorable! I love her hair! I have a feeling H will be bald for a while. I do have an Ergo and I also have a sling. But silly me, I spent so much money on the stroller I wanted to use it We went to the mall today and he was pretty content in the sling for almost 3 hours, so I have a feeling we will be using that for a while.

Kunzite - so glad that O doesn't have any pertussis!

Skippy - your boys have such beautiful smiles! I can't believe they are 5 months already!

Charbie - You have such a good attitude! I'm sure it was shocking getting that news, no one expects something like that. But FWIW, I had a friend in college who had a VSD at birth and had the surgery, and he was a star on the soccer team. I bet it won't affect her life very much at all.

Anyway, I am in a child care dilemma. We were initially searching for a nanny and we interviewed several candidates. We liked a few but they ended up taking other jobs, I think because they started earlier and we were looking earlier. We are interviewing two more promising candidates this weekend - have been nannies before, are college educated, etc. But then I got a call today from the daycare at the hospital DH works at, that they have a spot right when I go back to work. It would be convenient for DH to drop off and pick up, and not too far out of my way if I need to anyway.

Our hesitation with daycare has always been fear of germs...it's hard for us to take a random day off because of patient schedules and such. So if H gets sick and can't go to daycare, what do we do? But this daycare is nice and there's a certain part of me that is uncomfortable with the idea of someone in my house with my baby alone when I'm not here. And he's got to get the germs at some point. Plus, there's the $$$. We are fortunate that we can afford a nanny but of course daycare is way cheaper. And DH pointed out that if we took the money we saved and put it in his college fund, it would make a bigger difference in his life than whether he was in daycare as an infant or not.

I know there are a few moms with babies in daycare...have you been happy with it? How often did the baby get sick enough to not be able to go to daycare? Is there anyone here who has a nanny?

 

[HOUMedGal]

LV - helloooooo friend!! Thanks to Ms Skippy, who sent me a message on FB to let me know you make a special call-out for me!! Thank you for asking about us - we are doing great!! Super busy with my new job, but also super happy. I have work I still need to do tonight on the computer (ugh) but I promise a detailed update in the next few days!!! Along with a pic, of course. Just a little teaser - we have 4 teeth (4! Although the most recent 2 just came in within the past week), have been consistently sleeping 12 hrs every night for about 2 months now, and have decided that we are pretty much done with baby food and are full steam ahead on table food!!

And hello to all the other mamas!! I have missed you guys, sorry I haven't been so good at keeping in touch. I'm going to spend a little time reading back a bit to catch up on things!! LOVE all these sweet baby faces!!! PS'ers just make the cutest babies!!

 

[Lanie]

HOU -- good to see you here! HAve you moved yet? I want to see an updated pic!!!

Basil -- I love love love love love love love my daycare. I think it depends on the situation. There are nannies that I'm sure people love too. I just love that he does different activities every day, and he gets to encounter other people and other settings. He loves going. He has only been sick one time where I had to stay home one day and DH had to stay home the next. It sucked. Neither of us have family close in town to ask, so we had to do what we had to do. The biggest problem with a nanny is when THEY have to call in sick, and then you are completely out of luck. Or they quit. Or their mom gets sick and they have to be out for 2 weeks taking care of her, etc.

LV -- Yes, it's a big no no, and I might say something to the director. If that doesn't change it, leave a note on her car or talk to her directly. I see it all of the time, and I haven't really worried about it. People are on cell phones outside of Babies R Us and Toys R Us too. I don't complain to them. Maybe I'm just super easy going.

AFM -- Anderson is 9 months old today!!!! I can't believe my baby is growing up! I got so teary eyed just holding him last night after he fell asleep in my arms. Doesn't happen often, so I was just relishing in the moment. I love when I pick him up at daycare and he makes a beeline for me when he sees me walk through the little gate!

 

[drk]

Basil - we totally love our nanny. Whether I'd do the daycare or not would depend on a couple things.
- will your DH always be able to drop-off + pick-up when they're open? Most daycares around here don't open till 7:30am, and I have to leave for the hospital at 7:20am. DH travels once or twice a month for business, so he wouldn't always be able to do the drop-off. When he's traveling, our nanny just comes in an hour earlier.
- Is there a backup for any days when your baby's too sick to go in? In my city, there is an agency that will get you last-minute childcare. It's not cheap, but would totally be worth it in a pinch. On the other hand, I can't imagine leaving K with a stranger, especially not if she's feeling sick.

Our nanny does the housekeeping for us too, which is great. They go to a local school for circle time and play with other kids, and when school was closed for the summer, they were always out at the park with other nannies and kids or over at each other's houses for playdates. My DD is definitely not lacking for exposure to other kids. We're also very lucky to have an extremely reliable nanny who will come when she has a cold. We just tell her to take it easy for the day and to nap or relax when DD is sleeping rather than try to clean anything up.

If the daycare seems like it would work and would be way less expensive than a nanny, I'd probably give it a try first. You can always switch to a nanny later. I'd probably still interview the last couple just to see if one of them struck me as being absolutely perfect for the job.

 

[dcgator]

Hey mamas,

I am so sorry that I have been MIA, but I have had family in the past couple weekends, and this taking care of a newborn is really time consuming, lol. I can't believe that Ms Sophia will be 6 weeks on Thursday, where is the time going? I won't type too much since I am doing it one-handed while I am feeding the little one (and now pumping), but I will try to catch up with everyone tomorrow. However, here is a teaser pic of the first bath. Please do know that I have missed you all and I look forward to catching up!

 

[Skippy123]

dcgator, she is so cute!!!!

LV, awww she is a doll!!! Her eyes are gorgeous

I will have to catch up later. My in laws are coming into town tonight. eek, lots of cleaning to do. have a great rest of the week and thanks for your sweet words on Miles and Evan. They are growing soooo FAST

 

[somethingshiny]

Oh, Sophia! She's beautiful!!

 

[Loves Vintage]

HMG, Yay!!! Thank goodness our nice Skippy alerted you that we're asking about you!! Sooooooooooooooo nice to hear from you! We MISS you!! Ok, so yes, please update us on everything including lots and lots of pictures!!! We need more baby pictures!!! 4 teeth already! I bet they are adorable! Sounds like you moved? Do you have your own practice, or you're working in a hospital?

SS, Thank you for commenting on my WWYD. I think I will say something to the director. At the very least, they can post a sign or send out an e-mail to all of the parents, so they don't have to confront her directly.

Lanie, I know I sound like a worrier, but it's also this woman's overall demeanor. She just seems really rushed and a little out of control. That plus the huge SUV, it just, well, makes me worry!

Basil, We were quite sure we were going to have a nanny, but decided on daycare because I started feeling panicky about letting a stranger take care of our baby in our house. We decided to do a trial run. The baby and I spent 4 hours with a woman that we both liked a lot, but I was still having major anxiety about. I also called both of her references 2X because some things she said didn't add up. She outright lied to me during the trial run (which I knew at the time because of my prior conversations with the references). The lies, plus the info I discovered, was enough to change my mind completely. I strongly suggest doing a trial run with a nanny if you select one that you'd like to make an offer to. If you feel comfortable with her, then make her an offer. If you don't, then trust your gut because you are right, and you're not just a worried new mom. That's what I thought I was until I was, until it was clear she lied about a bunch of things! We are VERY happy with our daycare. Yes, the germs are the worst part. But, I will take germs over a nanny whose boyfriend held up a restaurant (and who she used to bring to work with her without the mom's knowledge!!) any day!! Of course, there are many lovely nannies out there!! I'm only sharing what happened to me to say that you've got to do what you're comfortable with, to check them out, to TALK with their references and to try to get them to share info with you even if they are hesitant at first, and to spend time with them before making a final decision!!!

As far as sick days, we've had her home 2X already and she only goes 2 days per week. We are rule-followers, though. There are 5 other babies at her daycare who have the same cold as S, and NONE of them stayed home. We kept her home because she had had a temp the day before (that's the rule in the daycare handbook and state statute), because we thought she'd be more comfortable at home and because my DH can fairly easily work from home.

DCG, Your S is such a little sweetie! We'll need those pictures you promised! Totally understand on the difficulty keeping up with posting! These little ones are a lot of work!

************

CRAWLING QUESTION: Do all babies start with this sort of backward scoot thing that S has been doing? I should remember from reading about everyone else here, but I don't remember. Short term memory issues since this kid was born!

Oh, and what's the deal with socks? How to keep them on? S takes hers off constantly!!!

S is 8 months today! I took her to a small farm to meet some animals -- ponies, sheep and a few little baby goats. Soooo cute! It was a perfect almost-fall day!

 

[Lanie]

dc!!! I've wondered how you are doing. Sophia is such a cutie!!! Can't wait for more updates from you. Glad mommyhood is treating you well so far.

Skippy -- I meant to comment that the pics of your boys are so cute!!!! Getting so big!

Charbie -- I also meant to comment to you! Sorry to hear about the heart issues. I have a personal story about a friend of mine going through what you went through, and the gist of it is that everything turned out fine. It was so hard having to hear the words "surgery" when talking about a baby that is supposed to come out perfect. It will be hard, but the 2 of you are very strong. Good luck!!! Enjoy these first few weeks of a newborn!

 

[dcgator]

Hey Ladies,

I don't think I can catch up with everything/everyone that I have missed these past couple weeks, but I will try to catch up with this last page.

Charbie - I am glad to see you in here and that Ms Aubrey is safe an home with you. Please do post some pics when you get a chance. As for the heart issue, if you have any questions, my birthfather is a cardiac surgeon so I can pass on any questions you might have.

Skippy - Your little guys are just too cute! I love the foot pics and the one with them hugging each other is adorable

Kunzite - Sorry to hear about the Pertussis outbreak, but glad to hear that little O is ok.

Basil - LOL on the park outing. I am lucky that Ms Sophia doesn't mind being in it, so we don't have to worry about that. Otherwise, I did miss my preggo twin and I look forward to sharing our baby drama is it rolls, hehe. Oh, and on the daycare vs nanny thing, my mother won't quit on me getting a nanny vs daycare for Sophia but at the end of the day, I don't want to deal with the hassle of trying to find someone and then worry about payroll taxes and such, and since I work at home, it would drive me crazy to know she is there and I am not tending to her, so daycare it is!

Moxie - Glad to see you too. Please do post when you get a chance since it seems like Hayden, Sophia, and Lucy are all pretty much in the same place.

Puppmom - What a cutie pie! Keep the pics coming

LV - Sam is a cutie pie, and look at that hair. Glad to hear she is sleeping through the night and I hope it continues.

Houie - Glad to see you back and I look forward to hearing all about you in the coming days!

Lanie - Congrats on Anderson turning 9 months. I can't wait to see more pics.

To everyone I missed, sorry I didn't get to you but I will catch up on the next round.

****
AFM and Ms Sophia, everything is going pretty well. She will be 6 weeks tomorrow and is growing like a weed. She has a good pattern going on. She will eat around the 7's, 11's and 3's and sleeps through the majority of the night, save the 3 something feeding. She loves the car and to take walks, and will usually sleep with the car or the vibrator on her bassinet. She is a generally happy baby and is starting to smile. We appeared (knock on wood) to kick the colic habit by only giving Avent or Playtex drop in bottles, so I am no longer breastfeeding, since that seemed to be the problem. I do pump and feed though, so it is pretty time consuming. I am not producing too much with pumping, so I supplement with formula. As for our daytimes, dad leaves for work at around 5:30 and gets home around 5:00 pm, so we have to find ways to amuse ourselves. I am getting to be a pro and taking her on little errands though. Anywho, it is about time for a feeding now, so I am going to get on that. I will try to come back tomorrow and post some more pics. Till then, have a good evening (all you nighttime feeders) and see you all soon!

 

[noelwr]

Skye has been napping for 2 hours, so I expect her to wake any minute... until then

LV - yes, I think the rocking on hands and knees and then scooting back is common, though some babies do crawl backwards. you can buy things to put on over the socks to keep them on. just look for them at a baby store. Skye's socks always fall off during her crawling, but I've actually found one branch which don't and which conveniently also have grip pads on the bottom so I buy those in all colors. I would say something to that crazy driver, directly. it is after all against the law! share a pic of S's tooth!

Lanie - congrats on 9 months!

HOUie - great to see you again and can't wait to see pics of E. 4 teeth - wow!

basil - S has been at daycare for 4 months now (3 days a week) and was too sick for one week to go. she loves it there.

oops, we gotta go grocery shopping and feed the duckies.

 

[dcgator]

As promised, here is Ms Sophia...

 

[dcgator]

And in her pretty pink tutu...

 

[Loves Vintage]

Awww, DCG, she's such a sweetie!! Such a perfect little face and those little itty bitty baby toes! Soooo cute! And a tutu already!! Did you get hers from an Etsy seller? Sorry to hear about the pumping. It is so time consuming! You deserve a pat on the back for every day you pump!

Noel, My trouble with the socks is that S pulls them off, all the time, like it's a fun game! I love socks with grippers! I actually picked up two pairs yesterday, put them in the wash and then after I folded everything, I had only three socks!! How is that possible??? It drives me crazy! Thanks for answering about the backwards scooting. She backs herself into a corner and then doesn't move from there until I move her. What does Skye do when she sees the ducks? Is she super-excited? S loves her pets and is always super excited to see them. Ponies do not have the same effect, apparently!

 

[moxie.moo]

Hi everyone,
I only have a little time since hubs is on overnight call and I have to make bottles, pump, clean pump parts, and try to sneak in some sleep before the next feeding, but here goes a small attempt to catch up!

Kunzite & Loves Vintage: thank you both for the tip on the pumping thread--I am working my way through it page by page and it's invaluable. Feeding the baby has by far been the most stressful aspect of caring for Lucy, so I'm so grateful to read about others' experiences and get tips, especially since many websites and books mention pumping as an afterthought/last resort and offer so little help. I'm slowly getting over the breastfeeding not working out (I thought I'd be half naked in a field and wearing a daisy crown while relishing the experience of breastfeeding... ha!) and now I'm proud that I've lasted nearly 8 weeks pumping so far. We'll see how it goes from here!

Basil: I have been out... a lot. That is one benefit of pumping, which I otherwise loathe--someone else can feed her. I've had the babysitter come in multiple times so that I can leave and just take a break. I am not a "baby person" per se--I absolutely love kids, but babies make me anxious, including my own, so I need breaks to regroup. I also had my hand forced a bit--my younger sister got married when Lucy was 4 weeks, so we had the rehearsal dinner and wedding, and had the sitter come and hang with Lucy in the bridal suite while I popped in and out. It's been great and helped me get used to leaving her which I'll be doing when I go back to school part-time in November and full-time in January. As far as childcare goes, we are using a babysitter until January when Lucy goes to daycare FT. I had similar concerns (illness vs. one person alone all day with her) and I'm still not sure which will be best, but we're starting with daycare (which is hospital-based and 630-630). I still need sitters though, since I see therapy clients at night and some of those nights will correspond with my DH's late or call days--someone will need to get her from DC and bring her home until I can get here.

DCG: I was supplementing to start as well but now my supply has picked up (for now at least!) I'm struggling with whether to keep going or call it quits, but for now I'm sticking with it. Lucy has what the doctor calls "a little bit of colic and a little bit of reflux," which typically means she vomits in my bed every few nights (Note to self: I need a third set of sheets stat!) and looks like she is in pain pretty frequently after eating. We're using the Evenflo Truvents at the advice of our LC and Born Frees, and I feel like that's helped. She is not medicated or anything at the moment, so we're hoping it goes away on its own. I too am alone for loooooooooong days, and as I told my DH, I spend my days finding novel ways to keep Lucy from crying. Sometimes it is the swing, sometimes a walk, sometimes cooing at her... Her smiling and cooing has definitely made the days seem shorter, but on cranky days I am so ready to tag out as soon as DH walks through the door. Let me know if you have any magic bullets to keep yourself and Sophia entertained!

Charbie: Congrats on the arrival of Aubrey! Sounds like things are going well and that you are BOTH hanging so tough. We had a few scares with Lucy's circulation/oxygenation/heart rate in the beginning and it was overwhelming at times. My DH is a pedi anesthesiologist and does this surgery all the time and it has great outcomes. Can't wait to see pics of your little lady!

Alright, I need to pump and then hit the hay. Hopefully I'll keep catching up here and there with everyone--it's just too much to respond to everyone right now--my DH's 24 hour shifts turn into 36 hour shifts for me since he needs to rest up the night before, and I am exhausted! Last Saturday two neighbors asked if I was alright when I was out on a walk with the dog and the baby, so I must have had crazy eyes or something. I am so grateful to have good friends who stop in and visit when they know he's working long hours. Alright, goodnight everyone (fingers crossed that everyone has a good night!)

p.s. attached a few pics of my little lady, who I was fully convinced was going to be a boy--she didn't have a name for 48 hours so was "Baby My Last Name" until we left the hospital, and my last name is my maiden. I LOVE that her bracelets and early pics all have my last name, so I think our indecisiveness paid off!

 

[noelwr]

oh gosh, dcgator and moxie - what cutie pies!

LV - oh, I don't know about pulling socks off. S isn't too interested in her feet and for the first time yesterday put her foot in her mouth (literally, not figuratively). I also didn't know you meant Sam scooted herself all the way into a corner. that sounds more like crawling. I meant more of rocking on hands and knees and then pushing themselves back and ending up on their tummy. some babies do crawl backwards! I guess you could get pants with feet attached. yes, S gets so excited when she sees animals. she starts shouting.

- - -

as for Skye, she crawled properly on her hands and knees for the first time yesterday while I was coincidentally filming her, but then went back to what I call her swim-crawl. I think she recognizes day care because when I take her out of the car she starts her shouting at all the mommies coming out, even though I tell her that she doesn't know any of them. and then we go inside and the big kids come over to greet her with hugs and kisses and she is so excited... and then crawls to a toy and puts it in her mouth and is super happy. yesterday there were only 2 ducks in our park to feed so we went to the kiddie farm and she pet 2 goats and a donkey's nose. I had to make sure she didn't grab the hair and try to pull it out. she is fearless. I also read her a book that has a word and picture on every page and I let her turn the pages. I think she understands "Turn the page."

the bad news is that waking up in the middle of the night for half-a-bottle has become the norm now. I think she could easily drink a whole one if I made it, but I don't want to start another habit... though it's already pretty much formed. I try to give her more food during the day, but she will only eat so much. she's also become pickier and only finishes food she really likes. I thought it was maybe that I introduced yoghurt as dessert and then she wouldn't finish her last bottle, but she finishes that now and still wakes up crying. I'm hoping it's just a growth spurt. I bought some special formula which is supposed to be extra filling (even though she was getting an oatmeal bottle before bed, so I don't know if it will be any more filling). the cute thing is that after her middle-of-the-night bottle, she wakes up 30 min later and starts talking to herself in the dark, and sometimes even gives yelps of glee, and then falls asleep again.

I find it very difficult to take photos of her now because she will not sit still.