Watch Me Grow - Four Months

Eeekkkkk - and we're halfway to five months before I had a chance to write and post this.

Lauren's fourth month certainly was an interesting one! I decided that we needed to cut the cord on using the swing for her naps. As much as I LOVED having her nap for a really long time, multiple times a day, I needed her to start sleeping in her crib in her room for naps. She was starting to become more and more awake and aware of things and the magic of the swing was starting to wear off. We were able to successfully wean me her off of it within about a week. Naps in her crib have been all over the map - sometimes they are 30 minutes, sometimes they are 2 hours. I'm trying to relax about the 30 minute naps and accept them as the new normal, and then whenever they go longer I do a little happy dance. 

Speaking of sleeping being all over the map, her night sleeping as been the same. We have gone from waking up every 2-3 hours all night long, to sleeping 8+ hour clips at a time. Often within the same week. It's a bit maddening, more than the naps for sure, but I'm trying to remain positive (this too shall pass - or so they tell me!) She is now at the age when we can sleep train her, although this time around it is a bit harder since we have a toddler that sleeps right next door and LOVES and excuse to wake up and not go back to sleep. Instead of letting her cry it out, just yet, I am trying to wean her off of the night feedings one by one. Usually a quick belly pat and a pacifier will buy me another hour of sleep before she is begging to eat. Sometimes that also backfires on me but I'm giving it a try. 

In addition to all of this, we discovered that Lauren has a bit of tummy trouble that we have been trying to correct over the past month. For some reason the 4950824309584 servings of dairy that I was consuming every.single.day did a number on her sensitive tummy. Over Labor Day weekend we discovered some blood in her stool. After a consult with her Pediatrician and looking at some events surrounding the blood in her stool (green poo! spitting up a lot more than normal!) we decided that she has a dairy/soy intolerance. Now, we cant actually check for this, the only thing we can do is eliminate the dairy and soy from my diet and see if her stools and spit up improve. She may not even be intolerant to soy but it is easier to cut both of them out at the same time since so many babies are intolerant to both. It has been challenging for me, as I mentioned I was consuming copious amounts of dairy all day every day, but I am starting to find a groove with substitutes and new recipes. I was beginning to get really discouraged as it seems like her symptoms were getting worse instead of better but, low and behold, the day before her four month check up her stools returned to a normal color. Hopefully we have turned a corner and she gets better and better from here on out. If they go back or get worse our next step is to see a GI specialist.

Apart from all of the up and down sleep, green poo for days and many trips to the doctor, Lauren has remained one of the happiest and laid back babies ever. She has the biggest, most contagious smile ever. She is starting to squeak out little laughs here and there and they melt my heart. She LOVES, loves her big sister (even though Kaitlin nearly steps on/falls over/dances on top of her 94538905284 times  a day). She is talking up a storm and loves to have little conversations with you. She only really cries when she is hungry or overtired. She loves baths and doesn't even mind getting her clothes or diaper changed. She pulls herself up to standing when she holds onto your hands, loves to sit up with someones help, thinks the bumbo is hilarious and even started to twist around and pretend like she wants to learn how to roll over right on her four month birthday (she totally has no interest in actually rolling over. Homegirl is so happy just to lay there and stare at the ceiling fan).

Little Lauren, you are such a blessing. I can't wait to see what next month brings!

What We're Lovin' - Nine Months

This months latest loves - its a random bunch but we can't live without any of them!

Zany Zoo by Just b you

I wanted to get something for Kaitlin to play with that didn't light up all crazy and play a million different songs. Those toys are great, but she has so many of them I wanted something different. I also wanted a toy that she could use to help her stand up and that was wood with non-toxic paint so that I didn't feel guilty when she inevitably started gnawing on it. While perusing the aisles of Target one day I spotted this and knew it was exactly what I was looking for, and it has been a hit ever since I brought it home. She loves moving the beads around, spinning the letters around and playing "peek-a-boo" with the animals behind the doors. It is hefty enough that she can use it to pull herself up without tipping over and she loves that she can stand up and play at the same time. And perhaps the best thing about this toy is that she isn't even using it to its full potential yet - there are so many other ways to play with it that she will grow into as she gets older and develops more. I see this toy hanging around for quite a while!

Indestructibles Books

Something you should know about me - I am a sucker for point-of-sales crap. If you put it by the cash register I am bound to buy it. However, this time I was pleasantly surprised by my POS purchase - it is actually amazing! I came across these Indestructibles Books at my local Right Start and decided to try them out. These books are non-toxic, rip-proof, drool-proof, chew-proof...pretty much baby-proof in every sense of the word! They are AMAZING! I can't give Kaitlin her other books because she slobbers all over them, rips the pages and chews right through the cardboard corners. These, however, are in her hands all the time. We currently have two of them, though I plan on expanding our collection soon. We have Frere Jacques (admittedly this is the first one I bought and *may* have bought it more for myself since it is filled with pictures of pastries, cookies and the Eiffel Tower) and Baby Faces. Baby Faces is by far Kaitlin's favorite. She is obsessed with it - she sits on the floor with it in her hands, usually turns it upside down (why, I have no idea) and "talks" to the pictures of the babies on it! She will squeal and blabber and laugh at the cover picture - it is quite possibly the cutest thing ever. And the other best part about these books? They only cost a fiver. Anything that keeps my kid entertained and doesn't empty my wallet is a winner! I highly suggest reading about the company and their mission on their website, I think they are pretty darn clever!

(Unfortunately I can't find any pictures of her with this book...I know I have some I just have to sift through the 5000 photos that I do have...no joke...)

Huggies Little Movers Slip-on Diapers

Ok, truth be told I don't really LOVE these diapers. I have been a Pampers girl from day one, and although I am doing a bit of diaper shopping around it is not because I am unhappy with the diapers (just unhappy about all the chemicals in them...more on that later). I find these Huggies diapers to be rough and scratchy - they often leave little red marks on Kaitlin's skin especially after she's been crawling a lot (which I find weird because these are for LITTLE MOVERS). I don't like the big Tiger cartoon and green color all over the diaper. I find the design to be loud and very visible from underneath clothes. And yes, while that is a very shallow thing to say about a diaper, it still bothers me. But - there is always a but - but they are extremely clever and convenient. Have you ever tried changing a baby that has recently learned how to roll over/crawl or wants to be on the GO GO GO all the time?? It is nearly impossible. If the weather was a bit warmer I would probably let her run around naked and not even worry about it (and keep a HUGE bottle of disinfectant around) but it is chilly - yes, even here in Texas - so the diaper and clothes must stay on. Kaitlin barely fits into size 3 diapers and Pull-Ups don't start until toddler size 2T so those were out of the question. When I stumbled upon these diapers, diapers you can easily pull on when your child is standing...or crawling...or trying to climb over you/the couch/the dog/all of the above...a little light bulb in my head went off (love when that happens). So, while these are not our go-to diaper, I keep a stash of these on hand for those times when absolutely NOTHING will make Kaitlin lay still long enough for me to put a diaper on her.

Scabib

I know, I know. What the heck is a Scabib? I asked myself the same thing recently when I was searching for bib alternatives and this popped up on my screen. Turns out it is pretty much the coolest thing ever, especially for drooly babies. I'm going to give it to you straight - Kaitlin is a fountain of unending drool. Seriously. It. Does. Not. Stop. And when teething kicks into high gear (ummm...when isn't it lately?) the drool is out of control. I am not exaggerating when I say that I have to change her bib every 45 minutes. I don't even mind the drool, I suppose I have gotten used to it. The thing that bugs me the most is having her wear bibs all the time. This is going to sound really dumb and shallow - but I hate how bibs ruin her cute little outfits. And if I don't want her to wear a bib to preserve the cuteness? I better have 39205893424389054 changes of clothes nearby because the original outfit will be drenched in no time. I was searching Etsy for cute bib alternatives (think bandanas and the like) when I stumbled across Scabib. Essentially its a scarf and a bib in one. The front is super cute woven material that falls like a cowl neck and the back is covered in a terry cloth like fabric for extra absorption. A small piece of hard working velcro keeps the whole thing together. You can wear it like a cowl/scarf or as a bandana. The first time Kaitlin wore her adorable black and white stripe Scabib she kept it on for HOURS and it didn't soak through to her clothes *cue angels singing* it was a miracle. One of the things that I like the most about the Scabib is that it's made out of a lot of fabric and is super absorbant but doesn't hang down and get in Kaitlin's way. The couple of bibs that we have that come close to being as absorbent as the Scabib are so big and bulky they constantly get in the way of her crawling and climbing, which means more tripping/falling/crying. The other thing I love about the Scabib is how freakin' cute and trendy it looks. There are a number of awesome patterns and colors available (check out their new Easter prints) that are appropriate for little guys and gals. We only own one Scabib at the moment but I plan on adding lots more to our collection!