Swaddle's Back - Cameron

Well after a few days of hard night sleeps (up 3 times for adjustments and binkie refills) we have decided to go back to the swaddle. I will ask the Dr. next week if we should stop but most of what I have read and exchanged with friends indicates that YOU will dictate when we are done.

While I am confident you would not want to be swaddled during the day - you do not seem to mind it at night. You resist getting bundled up, but once inside you snuggle in for an 11 hour nap.

You are at your first week of eating. It took you the first couple days to really get used to it. The first couple times you just pushed it back out of your mouth but the last few nights you have really enjoyed it. Mac is taking an active role both in wanting to feed you (which she does very well and quite cautiously for a 2 year old) and also wanting me to feed her which is very normal. Last night you just about finished your entire helping of cereal and your 6 oz bottle. In the mornings we have started giving you 8 ounces which you ALMOST finish but the rest of the day you are still content to drink your 6 ounces.

We are looking forward to baby oatmeal next week!

xoxo
Mommy

Say Goodbye to Big Green (Mac)

So, it's Friday.
Sunday we decided it was time to let the binkie go. We let Mac have her binkie Sunday night with a slit in the top so it "wasn't working". On Monday we sent in the defective binkie to school with her. When I called to check on her they said "Oh she doesn't use the binkie here - - we thought we told you" UM NO I AM CONFIDENT WE WOULD HAVE REMEMBERED THAT DISCUSSION.

Anyway for weeks you hadn't been your bink at school but continued to whine for it at home. So beginning Monday night no bink! Monday you cried for a bit - maybe 10 minutes - but more of a whine than a cry. When you got up Tuesday I gave you a Bert mini (small stuffed animal) as a treat. Tuesday night you asked for the bink and I said that big girls didn't need binkies and that when you woke up there would be a treat for you. You didn't even fuss, you went to sleep. In the morning we gave you the Ernie mini and you were very happy. Then Wednesay and Thursday were no problem! You definately haven't been putting yourself back to sleep in the mornings so our wake-ups are even earlier now but it is worth it.

The hardest part is in the car - but you are doing great - we are so proud of our big girl!!!

Mom & Dad

Bye Bye Swaddle (cam)

Well after a couple good night sleeps and a couple rough ones I think the swaddle time is over. I went kicking and screaming as I wanted to keep you bundled for as long as possible - but your dad thought it was best.

You didn't ever even need the large size swaddle we bought - - we used it for ease and due to laundry constraints - - but you barely filled out the medium :-)

We love you Camilicious!

Mom

Binkie Withdrawl - It's not working (mac)

Tonight is the first night that you aren't getting comfort from your binkie. Or at least that is what I think...

For a while now you have only had your pacifier or binkie as we call it at night and in the car. For the most part I liked the idea of it especially with the birth of your sister it seemed that I could not have you give up the bink as your sister enjoyed hers and it would just create a conflict that wasn't necessary.

However, lately you have begun to crave the binkie beyond bed and car and become very winey about it. It is a struggle because your green soothie binkie - provided by St. Raphel's hospital - and sold at Target (thank god) is your only "security blanket". We alternated blankets and animals so you weren't/aren't attached to those in the same way. Your binkie is your thing.

I wasn't sure I had the heart to just cut you off cold turkey. Having you be upset and knowing I could sooth you with just a binkie would be hard for me not to cave...so I bought two new strong sturdy binkies and cut a little slit in the top - - which over time will go bigger as necessary (sigh).

When I gave you the binkie at bed tonight you said - "it's not working" You asked for a second one (I was ready for that - I had a second one ready for my smartie-pants). "What's that" "It's not working" were what you said as you alternated between them. Then you requested we look around the house for more binkies...which we did...but we only had the 2. I told you that as you get to be bigger you don't really need binkies and that is why they probably seemed different - it seemed like you knew I was fibbing to you.

I hope the transition isn't too bad.

So far you have been in your crib for about 10 minutes. You cried and asked for some milk, which I provided and not another peep...so maybe this will be easier than I thought...time will tell...

xoxo
Mommy

Good Glorious Food...(cam)

On Friday, your 6 month birthday we fed you rice cereal for the first time. We had quite an audience or Nana, Grandma Bella, Jacob, Mackenzie, Daddy & Mommy but you did well. You weren't quite sure what to do and you didn't really open up wide enough to give you too much but I think you liked it and smiled a lot.

We are really looking forward to watching you grow and change over the coming months including more robust dinners together as a family!

Love you - Mommy

The Pretenders - Mackenzie

A couple days ago, you asked if you could blow bubbles. Ever since our visit to FL in February you have loved bubbles. It didn't take you long to mater the concept (and you don't eat the bubble mix thank god becuase that is just gross) but you did spill a lot!

when you asked to blow bubbles we were eating dinner, so I said "no". You asked a second time. My response was that bubbles were for outside and we were eating dinner but we could pretend if you wanted.

Pretending is the coolest! This was the first time I saw you pretend with nothing. I mean sure you had the wand and the empty cup full of secret bubble potion but you were blowing "them" and catching them and pointing me to where they were so I could pop them - - it showed me how grown up you are really becoming.

...and I didn't have a bubble mess to clean :-0

My Words Recycled - Mackenzie

You haven't been feeling yourself over the last couple days. A little more needy and winey than usual - so we have been giving into your requests a bit more over the past few days.

It is funny when you talk to me and recycle the things I say to you back at me. Nine times out of ten they are in the right context which is impressive.

Today you wanted to play in the sink on your step stool - no surprise. You kept asking me to turn on the water and so I would keep it running at just a drip which seemed to satisfy you as well as that one strand of green in my body that is worried about water waste. Then after a while I shut it off.

You weren't happy "water...water mommy...wwwwaaatttteeerrr...please...mommy just a little bit" Guess you understand that concept

You were playing with your dora bubble maker - you were feeding her (the face of the bubble wand is dora) cheerios and then she slipped out of your hands. "You be good" then dora slipped again and her face was looking away from Mac "Look at me. you said" Guess you got that one too

xoxo
Mom

An expensive hobby - Mackenzie

"She is pretty. She has shoes on. Her hair is pretty. I give her kiss. You give her kiss mommy, daddy, cameron" [said to doll as you walked to each of us and had us kiss her]

"I need to change her" [said to me with pointed finger referring to her baby doll] "she has a poop"

[diaper bag opens]
[diaper and wipes removed]
[blue bag for diaper removal taken out of bag]

"Adults" [referring to the fact that the blue bags are for adults - guess I have said that enough - say choking hazard with me. I respond with a nod as if to say yes those are just for adults]

"I just need one"

4 minutes later (and one emptied dishwasher later) four dolls are diapered...well sorta diapered.

Good work Mackenzie!

Swaddle No More - Cameron

You are just about ready to be done with your swaddle (something your cousin Jake did away with months ago!)...but I am not ready to give in. Instead, I let you fall asleep and then swaddle you so you don't really realize what is going on - - yes I know "bad mommy" but it is for your [and our] benefit. If you aren't swaddled you will wake up a lot more often at night which won't allow you [or us] to sleep through the night which you [we] have come to respect and apprecaite. :-)

I know the swaddle is on its way out - but I will keep you bundled for a little while longer

Mom

2 year check up - Mac

You had a good check up yesterday with Dr. Dorfman. The finger pinch was the worst and you cried for both that and the shot but you were a trooper. You are at the 50% mark for height and weight and the Dr. thoguht you were pretty advanced in terms of language and colors and shapes and letters (like we didn't know that...)
:-)

Let me see that tootsie roll - Cameron

We have lift off...life down really. You are now rolling but from your tummy to your back - - still no sighting from your back to your tummy!

You are also doing baby crunches like a champ.

One more week and you will be eating solid foods.

Dimple Sighting - Cameron

This weekend we saw it for the first time - a dimple on your right side!

It doesn't show up for just the average smile or laugh it needs to be something bigger, something better, something DIMPLE WORTHY.

You were super cute without the dimple but I love it and I love when we make you laugh or smile big enough to see the dimple.

xoxo