babies Archives - Page 3 of 8

09Jun 2014

5 Months Old {Jellybean}

by Nicole ⋅ 13 Comments

Month 5 was one of HUGE changes. Jellybean’s personality is really quite adorable. She is a happy little soul who spends the majority of her day smiling and babbling. I would give just about anything to know what my little one is ‘saying’. She seems to giggle more each day, which means I spend a lot of time doing the most ridiculous things in hopes of hearing that adorable belly laugh she has.

JB loves to go outside. As we stroll down the street her eyes are wide as she takes in her surrounding. She listens intently to people as they speak. She makes this little furrow brow at people when she first meets them. Within a few minutes of them talking to her she turns on the charm and starts smiling. Although she likes the attention of new people she completely flips out if someone she isn’t use to tries to hold her. We really need to work on that, because it hurts people’s feelings when she bursts into tears!

Jellybean has become quite the busy body wanting to listen and observe new people around her. We took her to lunch a couple weeks ago and she couldn’t focus on eating because her head was caulked to the left trying to see and listen to some folks a couple tables down from us.

Everything and I really mean EVERYTHING she can get her hands on goes directly into her mouth. I wonder how long it will be until we see a tooth! This kid even tries to put my cheeks and nose into her mouth. I am just going to believe that she’s giving me kisses. =)

We have quite the mover and shaker on our hands. Baby girl tummy surfs, rolls back to front and front to back as well as caterpillars all over and OFF her play mat. We have to watch her much closer now and true baby proofing is in our immediate future. When she isn’t trying to make it from one place to another her little arms and legs are constantly moving. It’s no wonder she’s hungry all the time … I mean she is just constantly moving and burning up those calories!!

Sleeping

Jellybean is napping about 3 times per day. The two morning naps are about 30-45 minutes and occur around 9 and 11:30am. I would love to get this down to one consolidated nap lasting about an hour or so, however I’ve had no luck. All the books I’ve read explain how to get a baby down for a nap, not how to lengthen it (suggestions?!). The afternoon nap is anywhere from 1 to 2 hours. In order to keep to the bedtime routine the nanny and I implemented a ~2pm start time for afternoon nap. It has been working out really well and Jellybean seems to adapt well to the scheduled nap.

Nighttime sleeping is improving now that the dreaded 4 month sleep regression is over! Bedtime is anywhere from 6:30 to 7pm. We’ve stuck to the same bedtime routine since Jellybean was 12 weeks … if it aint broke don’t fit it. Jellybean still wakes once a night to eat. We’ve toyed with the idea of a scheduled waking to eat, however I prefer for her to tell us when she’s hungry. There are nights we are up at 1am, but others where she won’t wake until 5am to eat. This leads me to believe she is almost ready to drop the night feeding. I have a feeling at the 6 month doctor’s appointment the doctor will to tell us to stop the nighttime feedings, but we shall see.

Eating

Jellybean is a good little eater. She rarely, if ever, turns down a bottle. As soon as the doctor gave the OK to start the introduction of solids I was all over it! We began with oatmeal and slowly graduated to apples, pears and sweet potatoes. I have been hesitant to introduce too many new foods too fast. I’m more nervous than I thought I would be about food allergies. Next up I want JB to try cauliflower, prunes, peas and avocado. It’s so much fun to watch her expression as she tries new foods. Seems like she is surprised by the taste of food at the beginning of each feeding even when she’s had the food before.

Wearing

JB wears size 2 Pampers Swaddles diapers. For clothing she’s wearing a wide range of sizes. The wardrobe consists of 3 month, 3-6 months and 6 month clothing. It’s kind of crazy how many different sizes she fits into. I guess similar to adult brands each one runs a little bit differently therefore size varies by brand.

Milestones

Smiles ALL the time
Shrieks/Talks – testing out the vocal box
Found her feet {and attempts to get them into her mouth!}
Giggles
Rolls front to back and back to front
Tummy surfs (not sure if that’s a real thing)
Caterpillars

Any favorite moments from your little one’s 5th month?

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27May 2014

Favorite Baby Gear – Months 3, 4 and 5

by Nicole ⋅ 7 Comments

I found navigating the baby registry waters a bit difficult. There are SO many products out there and everyone has a different take on what one should buy. Since all babies are different it is nice to have options, but at the same time it’s so EASY to feel overwhelmed with choices.

My newborn necessity list was quite robust (you can find that here). For purposes of these favorite/must have lists I guess I am qualifying newborn as 0-2 months old. We still consistently use all items on the list with the exception of the wubbanub. Jellybean decided at some point she was over pacifiers, which is both good and bad…I think!

As Jellybean grows so does my list of must have baby items. Some stuff we didn’t know to put on the registry and I wish we had known how handy they would be!

So for months 3, 4 and 5 here are my favorites …

Puj – I really love this tub. It’s small/compact and easily fits into the bathroom sink, which means NO bending over to wash baby! The no bending over was key while I was still recovering from the cesarean. I must admit I still prefer it to the bigger tub because it’s easier. My only complaint would be baby girl falls down during her baths since she can’t sit up on her own yet. I wish there was something to help keep her upright.

Skip Hop Moby Waterfall Bath Rinser – This item came in SUPER handy when I finally worked up the courage to bathe JB without a second set of hands. I found it difficult to hold her in place, put a hand over her face and pour water over her head all at the same time. The way this thing is shaped it helps ensure the water cascades down the baby’s back instead of letting the soapy water get in their eyes.

Snugli – There are many baby carriers out there and honestly I felt overwhelmed trying to choose one. We registered for (and received) the ErgoBaby. I do love our ErgoBaby … the snugli is just SO much easier to snap baby in and go. The other positive is your don’t have to deal with an infant insert. As soon as the baby is 7 lbs you are good to go. And if like me, your baby is born over 7 lbs to start with you can just it day one! Our snugli was gifted from a friend (thanks Jessica!) and is getting a TON of good use especially when we walk the dog.

Playmat – First ‘toy’ Jellybean was really able to play with. So far it has really grown with her and whether she was 6 weeks or 5 months it’s a hit. The playmat is super colorful, plays music and the toys included each provide a different type of stimulus.

Honest Hand Sanitizer – Total impulse buy, but I love it! Smells good and we got the under 3oz size so it’s FAA friendly too.

Video Monitor – The transition from our room in the cradle to Jellybean’s own room in the crib was fairly easy. Actually it was really easy for her and super difficult for me. I missed rolling over at night and seeing her little chest rise and fall with each breath. Though her ‘noises’ would sometimes keep me awake I was comforted by them at the same time! The video monitor was the only thing that kept me from demanding my husband ‘let’ me move the baby back into our bedroom. Though JB has been in her own room for over 2 months there are still nights I check the monitor in the middle of the night just to see her little face :)

Sleep Sacks – When Jellybean started rolling over it quickly became apparent the swaddling days were, sadly, over. We have warm and light weight sleep sacks. If I had realized how soon we would need them I would have put a few small sized sleep sacks on the baby registry.

White Noise (SimplyNoise) App – At first we were really into the Sheep, however it turns off after 45 minutes. A friend turned us onto the SimplyNoise app. The only problem with using the app is our iPad has turned into an EXTREMELY expensive sound machine hahahaha. I’ve started researching sound machines, but have yet to pull the trigger and buy one (suggestions?!?).

Baby Bullet – We just started introducing solids and I’m having fun making the baby food! The baby bullet makes the process simple and is very to clean. I could certainly use my Cuisinart, however the bullet is easier.

So mamas what am I missing? Any recommendations for month 6??

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23May 2014

High Five Friday {Vol. 3}

by Nicole ⋅ 1 Comment

What, what … it’s Friday!! Seriously now — TGIF! The work week has gone by at a steady pace, but I am definitely ready for the long weekend. We have a fun, but jam packed weekend planned!

1. Our nanny wasn’t able to come into work on Monday so I did a partial work from home day so I could take care of my little Jellybean! I was surprised how ‘easy’ it was to work while JB slept or played in her jumper. I enjoyed the mix of mommy and project manager ‘tasks’ throughout the day. It opened my eyes to the possibility that maybe one day (fingers crossed) I can have the best of both worlds – part SAHM and part working mom.

2. I was able to cross a lot of my to dos off the list this week!! Car registration renewal, booking hotels, ordering wedding gifts for friends and more all checked off the list. Feels good to be productive. Next week it’s time to tackle doctor and dentist appointments — I hate going to the doctor/dentist so procrastinating is the name of the game.

3. The husband and I decided to take Jellybean for a walk Tuesday night. The walk turned into dinner at Matchbox. The weather was perfect and we were able to grab a table outside. JB spent most of the time happily eating her firefly toy. Towards the end of dinner she decided it was time to get out of that car seat. She sat on my lap and observed everyone around her. The husband took a turn holding her so I could finish eating and she shrieked with glee. Not sure if everyone around us appreciated it, but JB is really starting to use that vocal box! :) I got some super cute photos of my lovelies …

4. Discovered salted caramel at Chopt. Yum!

5. It’s date night! The nanny is staying late tonight so the hubby and I can go on a ‘date’. I do believe this is will be the 4th time we’ve gone out alone since our little miss jellybean made her debut. I’m sure all we will do is talk about our adorable daughter, but a little alone time is definitely in order. =)

What’s your high 5 moment(s) from this week?

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19May 2014

A Blowout at 30,000 Feet

by Nicole ⋅ 22 Comments

Let me set the scene, so to speak. It’s my first Mother’s Day and overall it was a very busy, yet perfect, day. There have been a few isolated bouts of crying, but those were mostly a result of Jellybean being overtired.

We took Jellybean to meet my grandmother, Mamma, for the first time. JB took a liking to Mamma immediately (no shock there – all kids and animals love her). A few photos were snapped to capture the precious moments of great-grandmother and great-granddaughter in all their cuteness glory. Before we left Mamma took the opportunity to encourage the husband and me to have another baby … and maybe try for a boy this time she added. Oh boy (pun intended) … why is it you have one kid and everyone immediately asks about the next?!

After the meet and greet we headed to my sister’s for a yummy Mother’s Day brunch. Sadly, the day was flying by (pun not intended) and it was time to head to the airport.

Jellybean took a nap on the way to Logan Airport. Security was a breeze. There was no line and JB was all smiles for the security guards. As we stood at the gate JB shrieked with glee and posed for a couple of adorable photos.

As people boarded the plane, many stopped to say ‘Happy 1st Mother’s Day’ and commented on JB’s big beautiful blue eyes and/or her adorable smile.

As the flight took off we fed Jellybean a bottle. Right about the time we reach 30,000 feet she let one rip! O.H. M.Y. GOODNESS did she smell horrible. I giggled to myself and smiled as the husband said “Was that her?” to which I simply replied “yup!”

Only minutes later did my first mother’s day turn into a $h!T show. Yup I said it!

And then … we became ‘THOSE’ people on the plane.

Jellybean had a serious blow out. In fact it was so bad, the disaster extended to my clothing as well. The smells drifted in the air-tight cabin, with nowhere else to go. There was no changing table option in the bathroom. We were almost at the flight’s drink service, and soon there would be large silver carts in the aisle. After a few horrified glances at my husband, we realized there was no other option. We stripped her naked and attempted to change her right then and there in the main cabin, feces and all.

She screamed while we worked as fast as we possibly could to rectify the situation. She was in a strange place, wiggling over seat, caught in the seat belt and between arm rests. Thank goodness for the poopy bags I had put into the diaper bag. We wound up using six of them, along with one air sickness bag (sorry U.S. Airways). Without the bags to contain the mess as well as the smell we would have been in serious trouble!!

The people surrounding us didn’t say a word. They adverted their eyes. While some were probably thankful they weren’t us I’m pretty sure others were less than pleased with us. In all honesty, we were doing the absolute best we could.

One relatively clean child and two very embarrassed parents arrived at DCA shortly after 7pm. We pilled into a cab and (secretly) prayed the cab-ie didn’t smell the blow out disaster on us. Jellybean went directly into the tub after dropping the bags on the floor. She happily played with her frogs as we thoroughly scrubbed bathed her.

We were ever so thankful when she went to bed without any fussing. And then … we remembered we had a bag full of feces to tend to. Oh what a stinky end to my Mother’s Day it was!! =)

Anyone else have a funny story they care to share?!

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13May 2014

Favorite Bottle Feeding Products

by Nicole ⋅ 3 Comments

At some point, unless someone is a stay at home mom, bottle feeding becomes a necessary way to feeding a baby. We started introducing bottles at two months, however when I went back to work it became the only way we fed Jellybean. Bottle feeding was such an adjustment for our schedules. Bottles require a lot more planning, dishes and effort than nursing! I absolutely took for granted the convenience of having milk ‘on tap’ for my daughter while on maternity leave. It took a few weeks, but the we got a routine down with the bottles. We also made some additional purchases, which made our lives easier. With the exception of one of these items, it doesn’t matter if you are using exclusively pumped milk or formula – I believe – these items are must haves. Great things to put on a baby registry even if they won’t be needed for a couple of months (or weeks, day, hours or whatever your time frame is).

1 &2 – Stem & Drying Rack
The grass drying rack came up on SO many of the must have baby registries I looked at. Before Jellybean arrived I purchased the drying rack, however the stem was an impulse buy when we were at Buy Buy Baby. The stem adds extra space to dry the nipples and such, PLUS it doesn’t take up additional counter space.

3 – Formula Mixing Pitcher
When we transitioned away from using only breast milk I quickly started dreading making formula. It took an annoying amount of time to shake each bottle and ensure all the formula dissolved. My husband was doing one of our many Amazon purchases and impulse bought the mixing pitcher. He figured it was worth a try and a the price point was low enough even if it didn’t work it wouldn’t have been a huge deal. While I still don’t love making formula it certainly makes the process faster and easier!!

4 – Munchkin Bottle and Nipple Brush
A bottle brush is kind of a given. I did a lot of research for our baby registry and the munchkin bush was very highly recommended … I’m a big fan!

5 – Bottles and Nipples (any brand your baby likes)
Duh! This is kind of key to bottle feeding. If I was to purchase bottles again I would buy only three 4 ounce bottles and the rest I would get the 8 ounce bottles. You can always put less in an 8 oz bottle, but clearly more doesn’t fit in the 4 oz ones. Read about our decision to use Dr. Brown bottles with preemie nipples here.

6 – Bibs
I really didn’t find the need for bibs while I was exclusively breastfeeding (EBF). Once we started using bottles more often it quickly became apparent if I didn’t want to change my daughter’ clothes after each feeding we were going to have to start putting a bib on her. I’m not entirely sure what the difference is, but baby girl was a much neater eater when nursing.

7 – Dishwasher Basket
Bottle parts (especially when you use bottles like Dr. Brown’s, which have like a gazillion parts) take time to wash. It is SO much easier to throw all the parts into the basket and run the dishwasher at the end of the day. We discussed washing the bottles in the dishwasher with our doctor and she said it was totally kosher — in fact it’s how she washer’s her baby boy’s bottles. The basket keeps all the parts together and we have yet to loose or melt a bottle part. In fact, I’ve been toying with the idea of getting a second basket.

While I don’t need a bottle warmer, I do believe this would be a must have item for most moms. My little one really doesn’t care if the bottle is warm or cold and since she is one of those babies who wants to eat IMMEDIATELY (like within seconds of deciding she’s hungry) we’ve decided to forgo warming the bottle.

Though I think we have the bottle feeding products down I still haven’t conquered the storage of said bottles and accessories! What are your favorite item(s) for bottle feeding? Anything good I’m missing?

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Tag Archives: Babies

5 Months Old {Jellybean}

Favorite Baby Gear – Months 3, 4 and 5

High Five Friday {Vol. 3}

A Blowout at 30,000 Feet

Favorite Bottle Feeding Products

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