Ladybug Ladybug Fly Away Home

I started cleaning out some of Lil P's clothes to make room for the new wave of clothes at this stage. One of my favoriite newborn outfits was this ladybug one. I was pleased to discover that a recent gift from one of my mom's friends was the same ladybug pattern, but it was in the 9 month-old size. So, I thought it'd be fun to do a little comparing!

It's hard to believe she was that little not too long ago.

She's A Happy Camper☺

Little P did such a great job when we camped. She and I spent a lot of time in the back of the bus. RT had put some pretty thick foam to cushion the back, so it was like having a playpen where she could just hang out and have fun. Plus, with Mommy so near, what more could a baby want?

I think being in the fresh outdoor air was a nice change of pace for her. She slept pretty well throughout the night. It was pretty tight quarters sleeping all together in the bus, but she probably loved it having us both on either side of her! (Hopefully, she won't get used to that!!).

We kept it pretty close to home--a few miles away at Montana de Oro, in case we had to go home for whatever reason. We had such a good time and felt so proud of ourselves for having ventured out with her that we're already planning another one in a few weeks to Big Sur--a little further away from home.

The love of the outdoors for Little P starts...now!

First Bites, Part II

The next food Lil P tried was yogurt. I know that you're not supposed to give babies yogurt until they're at least six months old because of the live cultures and such. I also read elsewhere that yogurt is a good food to try first (after rice cereal) because it's fairly neutral.

When she first tasted yogurt, it was quite sour. She did the pucker face and the shake, but continued to open her mouth for more. She really liked it!

We gave her yogurt for a few more days (only about 2 teaspoons each time), but decided to hold off for another month or so after hearing some rumbling in her tummy. While it's probably okay to continue with the yogurt, we'll just try some vegetables and fruit next. So, stay tuned for the next "first bite"!

Oh Six Months of Sunshine

I think I say this every month how the time goes by so fast. Our little baby has fast approached the 6-month milestone. Some of the things I've noticed this past month include:

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  Starting solid food.
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  Sitting up by herself.
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  Starting to crawl, up on all fours and rocking back and forth to go forward.
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  Laughing at us as we act goofy.
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  Fake coughing to get our attention (so cute!).
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  Has a fascination with clocks.
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  Bottom two teeth have sprouted all the way through.

General observations abour her include others commenting on her happy disposition--such a happy baby! She's an easy baby. She's a busy girl, so alert. She doesn't want to miss anything (code for "nosy").

It seems her growth is leveling out. In the beginning, she was measuring in the 80-90th percentiles, but now I think she's probably more average. She probably weighs around 17 pounds.

She's a spunky little girl, and we are loving every moment of our Little Sweet Pea!

What's A Mom To Do

Milk Station

Well, by now I've shared the trials and tribulations of being back in the hospital for this small bowel obstruction. This leads to the next dilemma of nursing the baby. I was already having trouble keeping my milk supply up to satisfy our growing baby. Even though she's starting to eat rice cereal, she still needs just as much milk. Now, being in the hospital with no food or water for 40 hours, plus being dehydrated didn't help me much. I was able to pump while in the hospital, but because I was doped up, it was pump and dump. We had to resort to formula. As much as I didn't want to, there was nothing we could do. I didn't have enough reserves in the freezer to tide us over. At least we were able to get the organic formula, but still the guilt weighed heavy on my mind.

We used the formula for about 2 weeks. I am producing enough to satifsy the days when we're home together, but still can't get ahead especially to freeze enough to take to day care. Arghhh!!! It's so frustrating.

I remember first starting out. Breastfeeding was and is such a challenging part of being a new mom. Thankfully, from the beginning, Little P was able to switch back and forth between breast and bottle like a champ. I had to start pumping right away when she was first born because of possible infection (ouch!). I remember thinking, if only I can make it to three months. Then, if only I can make it to six months since that's the recommended timeframe. It's definitely gotten easier. Now, my goal is to make it to one year. Since, she has two little teeth on the bottom, it can get hairy, but so far no major injuries (fingers crossed!).

The worst part about nursing is the pumping at work. At my work, we have only one bathroom and it's co-ed. That's the only "private" place for me to pump. I HATE it! At this point, only five and half months to go...

First Bites

The Throne

Not a happy camper, at first...

aahh..much better!

I know the American Pediatrics Assoc. recommends that babies are breastfed exclusively for 6 months...well our little one was ready! I debated back and forth as to whether or not we should start. All the signs pointed to her being ready: head held upright and really strong, watching us eat, grabbing for our food, and breastfeeding soley doesn't seem to satisfy her completely at times (meanwhile my supply isn't meeting her demand...stress...stress). The flip side is that we open up a whole can of worms, poopy diaper smells will change, more messy, more prep work for day care. On the other hand, I'm looking forward to making all (or most) of her food, the anticipation of what she will like or dislike, there will be less pressure for me to produce milk, and best of all I can possibly stop pumping at work or at least pump less. Hooray!

RT agreed with me that she was ready. That was all the go-ahead I needed. So, we busted out the rice cereal and got it pretty runny. It almost seemed too runny, but we thought it was her first try with "solids" so we can take it very slow.

She devoured the rice cereal. We probably gave her a total of 2-3 teaspoons worth. She had no trouble swallowing and was eager for more. It was so cute to watch her. It was definitely messy (since it was so runny), but for the most part, she got it down the hatch. I have a feeling this little girl will be a good eater!

We're so excited to start this new chapter of development with Little P! Now the next debate is, what will we introduce next? Stay tuned to find out...

Life With a Five Month-Old

Hanging out in the garden.

Each month it seems that the time goes by faster and faster. Everyday is a new opportunity to learn more about our little one. Her personality is definitely emerging. Some of the things we've observed this month are: She is really strong. She likes to kick her legs a lot (I think she takes after her daddy in that respect!). She is starting to sit up on her own. When she wants something, she lets us know, usually by grunting and inching her way upward especially while on the changing table. She's definitely looking around a lot, observing her surroundings and soaking it all in. She seems to have a fascination with clocks (her great-grandfather on RT's side was a clock connoisseur!). She is talking, babbling a lot. She gets a lot of attention anywhere we go. We usually have her in a carrier (she doesn't like the stroller too much and it's too bulky to tote along most of the time). A lot of people comment on her kicking legs. She has earned the nickname "Kicky Longstocking".

Overall, she is a happy baby. She definitely brings a bottomless depth of happiness into our life!