Cole- 18 weeks (October 23, 2013)

Weight- 12 lb 12 ounces at his appointment last Friday
Health-Poor little guy's cold got worse on Tuesday, he lost his voice (saddest thing ever) and developed a productive cough. Luckily no fever, eating and sleeping great. And he has been a trooper, such a tough guy. Got his 4 month shots last Friday and did so good. He wasn't himself for a few days afterwards.
Sleep- Still great night sleeper. Naps have been even more difficult since he has been sick, he only wants to sleep in my arms (i secretly love it). We are back to swaddling for naps, his flailing arms wake him up.
Diet- Momma's milk. Still every 3 hours or so during the day. Taking 5 ounces each time at daycare. Spitting up has gotten a little better.
Clothes- Still 0-3, but needs 3-6 month sleepers because of his length. Size 1 diapers
Development- I still have a blue eyed brown hair little man on my hands. Fine motor skills improving every day. Neck and back getting stronger everyday. Hand eye coordination is becoming very good.

Cole's seat during dinner

Crying- The only time he really tries to cry is when he is burped, and that's because he is impatient and wants to finish eating.
Likes/Dislikes- Bath time is still his favorite time of day. Loves watching TV, though I try to keep him from doing so. Dislikes burping, wiping his nose with a boogie wipe, and being cradled in your arms. He likes to be held upright.
Milestones- We have laughter!! His first laugh was last Friday night, Ross and I were playing on the floor with him and he let out a belly laugh, melted our heart. So glad we were both there to experience it. Also rolling over from his tummy to his back every time we do tummy time.

Happy boy after his shots

getting ready for cool weather

Cole-4 months old

I am a little behind on posts, but what's a girl to do when she would rather spend time with her little man instead of on the computer. So please forgive the late post, there was lots of play time to be had with this growing boy the past few weeks!

Every time I look at you, Cole, i thank God for blessing us with such an amazing little man. You make every day seem too short and every night while you sleep seems too long. I love getting to know your personality, your likes and dislikes, your funny facial expressions and even those cute little noises you make. Everyday I wonder how I could possibly love something more, but then every second I am with you I find more and more things to love about you. This month i especially love your big gummy smiles, your new found ability to remain content when we are shopping, your love for me singing the wheels on the bus, and your little thighs that can't decide if they want to become chubby or not (i vote YES). I want to say I can't believe you are 4 months, but that would be a lie. I can't remember my life without you, nor do I want to. I am trying  not to get too worked up about you having a bad day at daycare or your resistance to nap,  all babies and mommies have bad days. But please remember, if I do shed a few overwhelming tears, its because I love you and want nothing but the best for you. I love you Cole Michael, to the moon and back!

Cole- 17 weeks (October 15, 2013)

Weight-At his appt today he was 12 lbs, 12 oz (4th percentile) and 25 inches long (42 percentile). Still a little peanut, but the Dr. wasn't concerned since he started so little.
Health- Still just a little stuffy, but doesn't bother him. Reflux has been showing up, but he is tough and it doesn't seem to hurt him.
Sleep-  Sleeping from 8:30 pm to about 7 am. Naps are still hit or miss, usually 3 45 minute snoozers and likes to take another 30 minute nap around 6 pm while mom is cooking dinner
Diet- Breastfeeding is going awesome. He hasn't been as satisfied with his bottles lately, so we have increased him to 5 oz about every 3 hours during the day
Clothes-Still sporting his 0-3 clothes. Sleepers are definitely getting a little short, but he drowns in 3-6 month. Size 1 diapers
Development- Becoming more and more active everyday. Sitting up in the bumbo longer, holding his head up during tummy time and rolling from his tummy to his back. Also has quite the grip on his toys. Tracks mom and dad and the puppies around the room and turns to our voices.
Crying- Cries when having to stop eating to burp and fusses when he gets tired
Likes/Dislikes- Still loves his baths, weight rattle and TV. He is mesmerized by watching tv. Dislikes not seeing mom or dad around him, getting his nose sucked out, and burping.
Milestones- He has been playing in the jumper at daycare and they said he does great. So we are going to get ours out this weekend. Cole also attended his first softball game, he was able to watch his cousin Sicily play. And of course he had a little photo shoot in honor of Aunt Jojo and her Packers.

Packers gear for Aunt Jojo

softball game

Go big red

Cole- 16 weeks (October 8, 2013)

Weight- we will find out next week at his 4 month check up. My guess is 13lb, 6 oz
Health- Still has a little congestion, but its finally draining so its much better. We elevated the head of his bed and made 'bumpers' under the sheets so he doesn't end up at the bottom of the bed. Humidifier and suctioning his nose has helped too- Love the Nose Frieda
Sleep-  Sleeps like a champ at night (8:30 pm to 7 am and I wake him to feed at 4 before I leave for the gym-but we are gonna try to cut this feeding out). Naps are hit or miss- work in progress
Diet- Still eating 4 oz every 2 1/2 -3 hrs at daycare and nurses great at home
Clothes- Still in 0-3 onsies, shorts and pants. 3-6 month footed pj's. Size 1 diaper and small sleep slacks
Development- Changing daily. He now likes to hold his own bottle for short periods of time. Reaches for toys and LOVES hanging on to his dumbbell rattle that Auntie Kiki (Katie) bought him. Rolling from his tummy to his back sometimes too. Still sporting those blue eyes and hair is a light brown.
Crying- Mainly fusses when he is hungry and tired. Or when he has a belly ache because momma ate something accidentally with dairy in it.
Likes/Dislikes- Still loves his baths, watching tv(sports with dad), singing songs, playing on his activity mat and sucking on his hand or arm. Dislikes getting his nose sucked out, interrupting his feeding time for burps, and not being able to see the tv
Milestones-Can't believe my baby is almost 4 months old. He officially is not a newborn anymore. He amazes him mom and dad every day and we love talking about what kind of person he is going to grow up to be.

Happy 16 weeks Cole Michael!!!
 

7 things I didn't read about in a pregnancy/baby book

No matter how much you prepare(or think you are) for a baby/pregnancy there will always be surprises. Nothing ever goes like the books describe it or even how a friend experienced it. But, for the most part, you have an idea of what to expect, at least enough to somewhat prepare yourself. The when and how is what is left for surprise. I knew I wouldn't get much sleep or have time to sit and eat a full meal without interruption. I planned on not showering every day or seeing my pre-pregnancy body overnight. I tried to prepare for hormonal ups and downs and random crying spells. And I somewhat was ready for sore nipples and living in nursing tops.

But, there are things I have experienced that I was not prepared for. Things i didn't even think came with new mothethood. So , consider yourself OFFICIALLY WARNED. It's not pretty, it's not fun, but it comes with the package.

1. Night sweats. Since about a week post delivery, I have woken up every night drenched in sweat. I'm not talking about a little back sweat, I am talking change of cloths at 3 am sweats. I thought it was me just being hot in the middle of summer, later to find out its part if the hormonal transition of breast feeding. So, if you were around the first month before I had figured this out, I am sorry. I am sure no amount of deodorant could help mask the smell of breast milk and sweat. New momma's, invest in a good fan, you will need it.

2.Hair loss I didn't think anything of all the hair I was loosing at about 2 months post delivery. I just thought since I wasn't washing my hair as often and pulling my hair back with hair bands everyday I was just loosing a little extra hair. Well, that little turned into a lot. Now I have a baseball size wad every time I shower or comb thru my hair. Apparently its normal for whatever reason. Not cool.

3. Back Pain Between bending over at the changing table to constantly 'bouncing' with a little fussy baby, your back will take a toll. Plus, if you are breast feeding, don't forget about the extra "luggage" you are carrying around on your chest. And this isn't just for moms, dads will experience it too, minus the luggage part. My husband and I took shifts when Cole had bouts of reflux and wouldn't stop crying because our back would be screaming too. So my suggestion is, first time away from the house without your little, hit up the spa for a quick massage, you will need it.

4. Some Infants don't sleep I thought all babies, especially newborns, ate then pooped then slept. Wrong. Mine liked to completely skip the whole sleep part. Or he would play a little trickery on momma and sleep long enough for me to lay down, cover up, close my eyes, then WAHHHHHHH. Took me a while to accept it, and I am not sure I fully accept or understand it still, but not all babies are nappers. Sorry momma's, just gotta deal until they are ready to start sleeping during the day.

5. Infant poop stains cloths Those cute white onsies are inexpensive for a reason. You will end up throwing half of them away. You will not have time to wash them out right away let alone get stain lifter on. So don't be surprised when you pull them out of the dryer with little yellow spots.

6. Those cute baby outfits are NOT PRACTICAL Towards the end of pregnancy I went a little nuts buying 'cute' baby outfits and accessories. How could you not, little trouser shorts and a polo, stop it, too cute. I knew as a newborn he wouldn't be wearing any of this, but I fully intended on him going to daycare looking all GQ. Well, that aint happening. For one, some of those outfits with hoods or lots of buttons/snaps/zippers aren't comfortable when the babe is playing on the mat or doing tummy time at daycare. And when he naps, they put him in his swaddle sack, clothed, and of course don't have time to change him into his "napping outfit" like I did at home. Now he has all these cute outfits that he wears for like an hour if we go to the store or visit friends on my days off or the weekends. At least they look cute hanging on those tiny little hangers in his closet-right??

7.White noise The only thing that would calm Cole down when he would get himself all worked up from reflux or an upset tummy, was the hood vent above the stove. I thought that was an old wives tale, that loud noises calm a baby. Nope, this is a real thing, a life saver in fact. I can't tell you how many hours Ross and I stood in front of the stove  with Cole, vent on high. Or how I was measuring the kitchen to see if his pack and play would fit in front of the stove. It works, thank god.

But, for this face, its all worth it!!! Happy Tuesday all.

Linking up again with Kristin and her adorable little angel Kenley for BabyTalk

 

Cole- 15 weeks (October 1, 2013)

Weight- Still unsure, I think he is packing on the pounds though, legs are filling out nicely
Health- Still  congested, but doesn't bother him. We try to suction his nose out, but get nothing. No fever or coughing. Using the humidifier at night and elevating the head of bed (but we find him horizontal and at the bottom in the middle of the night). I have listened to his lungs(nurse in me) and they don't sound terrible, so we are gonna let this run it's own course.
Sleep- Sleeping like a champ at night like always. Naps are different everyday. Seems to be doing ok at daycare, but doesn't nap well at home. Still swaddling for naps only. And gets pacifier for naps.
Diet- No different. 4 ounces every 3 hours during the day and nurses great at night and in the morning
Clothes- 0-3 clothes, size 1 diapers.
Development- hair is lightening up, but still brown with dark blue eyes. Drools A TON. Really grabbing for toys. Cooing and talking a ton, including in the middle of the night.
Crying-Not a lot of crying, fusses when he is tired as well as rubs his eyes and yawns. Cried loud one time last week due to being overly hot at Nanu's bday party.
Likes- sucking on his entire hand,  bathtime, watching tv, watching the puppies run around the house, and being held and walked/bounced around the living room. Also loves weekend mornings in his footed jammies!! Dislikes having his nose sucked out, naps, and burping between breasts or ounces(seriously screams-so dramatic)

hand in the mouth- always. hasn't found the thumb yet (fingers crossed)

Milestones- Attended his first surprise party- for Nanu's 60th. Though he slept right through it.We also had to buy a deep freezer for all the milk that has taken over both freezers. Its seriously insane. Regular old dairy farm over here.

just a boy and his football

started out nice and organized in the boxes, numbered in order of use, but then we ran out of space. And this is only half of it, the other half is in the garage freezer in similar boxes. Can't wait to organize the deep freeze!!

Happy 15 weeks my little angel!!
 

Dairy Sensitivity

Let me begin by telling you, this topic has consumed my brain for the past few months. Is he intolerant to dairy or am I being a hypochondriac? Do I stop every single product with milk in it(which is almost everything) or just the big things like yogurt, cheese, and ice cream? Does he seem to act differently or is he just having a good/bad day?? I am telling you, I have OBSESSED over this. I will admit it, I drove myself and my husband crazy with my wishy washy thinking. After a very "preggo brain" moment, it hit me, my poor little guy is not tolerating the dairy that gets transmitted to him through my breast milk. Here's the story..

At the beginning of August, when Cole was about a month and a half old, I started noticing his poops were very slimy and mucousy. Well I jumped on Google and the first thing that popped up was Dairy Sensitivity . I thought, no way, I don't eat that much dairy, my greek yogurt everyday, but that's all. I only drink almond milk, don't eat much cheese, and rarely have ice cream.How could there be that much in my breast milk that it would be affecting him? Then I read on, other symptoms include increased fussiness, especially before having a bowel movement, frequent spitting up, and frequent irritability. HE HAS ALL THAT.  Well, at the same time, those are also normal baby traits. After all the research and over analyzing every little thing he did, I decided to go off dairy for 2 weeks(that's how long it takes it to be out of my system) and see if I see any difference. I didn't really notice much  change. OK, now my brain and hormones were going crazy, is he just a really fussy baby??? Back to dairy I went.

Fast forward to the first week of September and I noticed his poops getting even more mucousy than usual. I haven't been around many babies or evaluated their poop, but this was not normal breast fed poop. So I called the doctor and they said it sounded like classic Dairy Sensitivity. Pretty much his little gut wasn't mature enough to breakdown the proteins found in cows milk and their by products. This does not mean he is lactose intolerant. So, I went off the dairy again. Did I not go off it long enough last time? Did I need to cut our every product with dairy, is he that sensitive?

Well after about a 10 days, I hadn't noticed any change. ENTER MY AHHH HAAA MOMENT. I was standing at my fridge getting ice, totally spacing off, and I happened to look up at the protein canisters sitting on top of the fridge. Whey Protein, a milk by-product. ARE YOU KIDDING ME, why did I not think of that. FML. A little tid bit of info about me. I love to workout. I love strength training. I have at least one serving of whey protein a day. I am obsessed with Quest bars which are loaded with that delicious whey.

My poor son cannot breakdown all the whey protein I take in on a daily basis. Oh my gosh, it all started back in August when I started back at the gym and increased my protein intake.

So, after stopping all whey protein, I noticed a night and day difference in my sons fussiness and irritability after just 5 days. His poops aren't as mucousy and he just  seems so happy. OK, now I can finally relax, we found the culprit.

Eating dairy free is a challenge, everything from granola bars to some cereals have milk products in them. I am always checking labels. I have found a list of products that are milk free and have switched to egg white protein for my afterworkout shakes. I now eat coconut milk yogurt and have discovered Luna fiber bars are non dairy and freakin good. Low sugar, high fiber and a touch of protein. And I have discovered a few Starbucks located inside grocery stores that carry almond milk to make my much needed latte's!!

It's been a very trying few months, but I am so happy we figured out what was making my little guy so unhappy. The doctor said some babies grow out of it starting at 6 months, so I may try re introducing some products into my diet in a few months. Like I said, eating dairy free can be quite challenging, but its worth it. I would do anything I had to do to see this smile.