Week Eighteen (4 Months)

Age today: 18 weeks or 119 days

Age Being Posted: Weeks 17-18 or Days 112-118

Date: April 21 - 27

Diaper Size: 2 or Medium

Clothing: 0-3, 3, ,3-6

Photo of the Week: The Stadium

Milestones: Nothing new this week. See milestones page for list of ones already passed.

Development: You're growing like crazy! Everyday I pick you up and you seemed to have gained 3 pounds! You're smiling more and it seems like you never cry anymore just right after your bath when dad tortures you by putting on your pajamas.

Concerns: None!

Eating Habits: Only breastmilk, every 3 hours and once at night

Sleeping Habits: Lately you seem to be waking up around 2am just chatting away! You'll fall back asleep then be up at four. Then sleep again until 6:30 or 7. During the day im teaching you to fall asleep on your own (somehow you do this at night already) and it was HARD. I do pu/pd. The first days were brutal but naps are already so much better. We do a quick nap routine then I rock you until your drowsy and then put you in your crib and pat/shush for awhile . First days I had to pu/pd for 20 min now though you stick your thumb in your mouth (next step a binky!) And fall asleep little or no crying. Over the next few weeks Im going to slowly rove the rocking and patting. Bit now naps are 45-60 min long. Soooo much better than 15-20

Health: No concerns here!

Special Moments-
Best: You went to watch Liga this week! And you were a little angel sitting with your dad watching the game!
Worst: You pooped at the stadium and we had to change you on a couple of chairs pushed up together. It got everywhere so we had to change your clothes there. Somehow it got on your socks and by the time we were done your bib too!

This Weeks Observations/Activities: This week you were a little fussy but nothing major. We went to the stadium to see Liga play. You must have been the good luck charm because they actually won this week and they haven't been lately!

Pictures From The Week:

What I Want For My little Girl

I want her to play with cars and legos and action figures right along with her baby dolls and barbies. I want to play cowboys and indians with her just as I'll play house.

I don't want her growing up thinking she has to wear dresses or always do her hair. I want to show her sometimes its okay to get dirty and look like a mess because those who love you shouldn't expect you to be perfect all the time.

I want her to know that she deserves a guy who will treat her right. One that doesn't abuse her in anyway whether it be physically emotionally or sexually. I want her to know that her body is hers and she is the only one who has the right to decide what happens to it.

I want her to find someone who will do things for her but I want her to be able to do them for herself as well. I don't want her to except someone else (whether it be her husband, father, brother or even me) to do it for her.

I want her to have people to count on but not abuse that right. I want her to know girls can change tires and fix sinks and hammer nails.

I want her to know that there will be some things that come easy for her and some things that are hard but not to quit or give up.

I want her to realize that everyone has a voice and an opinion and that's ok even if it's different from hers but its still ok to fight for what she believes.

I want her to look at people for who they are and not their color or sex or religion.

I want her to grow up with set values and beliefs. I want her to be confident in who she is and what she wants.

I want her to know I will love her always. No matter what.

Week Seventeen

Age today: 17 weeks or 112 days

Age Being Posted: Weeks 16-17 or Days 105-111

Date: April 14 - 20

Diaper Size: Last time using size 1! In the middle of the week you switched over to size 2 (Medium)

Clothing Size: 0-3, 3, 3-6

Photo of the Week: Hugging Mom

Milestones Alert:  Rolled over from back to tummy


Development: You now seem to grab onto me when I try to put you down and you don't want to go! It's super cute so most of the time I'm not even annoyed even though I can't get things done! you rolled over from your back to your stomach for the first time! And dad had turned around for just a second to run your bath and then when he turned back you were on you stomach!

Concerns: You decided sleeping through the night wasn't for you but it was for me! And I miss it!

Eating Habits: Breast milk, every 3 hours

Sleeping Habits: You are now waking up more than once a night, though I only feed you once. Not sure whats going on here..

Health: Perfectly healthy little girl!

Special Moments-
Best: At your grandparents house you practically flung yourself at me so that I would hold you. Not sure your grandpa liked it but it was so cute to me!
Worst: One night you woke up 4 times. AWFUL!

This Weeks Observations/Activities: Your aunts and uncles came over this week to have a little get together and even though everyone was yelling you didn't even make a peep. You sleep right through all the noice! We also went for a quick walk with your (real) aunt and uncle. I'm not sure you like the stroller much though.

Pictures From This Week:

                  

Food Allergies, What Causes Them?

I refuse to believe starting solids early causes food allergies.

It is a lie.

Kids who are started on solids early (before 6 months) may develop food allergies. BUT so may those who started on time.  My mom started all four of her kids and two grandchildren who she is now raising before 4 months of age. We were all formula feed after 3 months.

So formula, no. Early solids, no.

The truth is no one has any idea what causes food allergies... or allergies in general really.

Except I think they do.

Today, out of no where really, I was hoping/praying Em didn't ever develop food allergies. I have a small allergy to some sort of pollen that blooms in the states during the autumn months but I've never really figured out what it was. My husband has an allergy to dust, still a little one. Nothing major. Neither one of us have food allergies. Thank GOD.

I actually don't know anyone who has a food allergy. Or at least not one that is fatal.

But my nephews are no longer allowed to take peanut butter sandwiches, cookies, etc. to school. WHY?

Peanut allergies are not only common but are the food allergy most often fatal. What the hell happened? I never knew anyone with a peanut allergy. Actually I still don't but I don't hang around with a lot of kids from this generation, who apparently have so many allergies. Like 1 in 17 I read.. What is going on with kids these days?

I'm not going to pretend I know more than the medical community... however I don't have any stocks/interest in it either so here's my two cents...

I think vaccines contribute to allergies.

I will not say cause because I was vaccinated, as were my brothers and sister, and we don't have allergies. None of us.

But I think it has something to do with it and I can't be convinced otherwise.

Because I have internet on my phone (bad idea for a new mom!) I decided I would look up to see if anyone else saw this connection. And I found way too many articles with the same idea. I found out information like...

In 1980 there were 20 vaccines before the age of 12. In 1990 there was 40. Now? 68. Peanut allergies doubled between the 80s and the 90s and now? They are out of control.

Why?

Apparently peanut oil, protein, or something is used in vaccines to help them create better immunity. And this is causing a backlash that most people who study the subject think is not only awful but that the medical community knew was going to happen.

Look up Tim O'shea. Look up Serum Sickness. Look up the words Vaccines and Allergies in google. Read the articles. They are ridiculous. And not to mention scary.

I'm noone. I'm not a doctor. I'm not a nurse. I'm not a pharmacist. I've never even seen a life threatening case of food allergies.

I'm someone who can ask questions and put two and two together to get four. Not ten. Not one hundred and seven. But four.

And I came up with vaccines.

They may not be the sole cause but I think, like I think about SIDS, there must be some factor, something in the child's genes that makes them susceptible and then putting all those chemicals in them before their body has even adjusted to the world, causes a reaction.

But, call me a crazy new mom. My husband usually does : ) But I worry.

It honestly could be a million things. Our crazy society that doesn't let kids play outside because of germs, where doctors tell us that we shouldn't have pets because they are dirty, where shoes must be removed before going inside.

And that's probably a factor too.

But vaccines are still worth investigating, I'd say...

Week Sixteen

Age today: 16 weeks or 112 days

Age Being Posted: Weeks 15-16 or Days 105- 111

Date: April 7 - 13

Diaper Size: 1 or small

Clothing Size: 0-3, 3, and the first time wearing 3-6 months!

Photo of the Week: Dadas and His Two Girls

Milestones: Nothing new this week. See milestones page for milestones already passed.

Development: Still growing like a little weed! I swear it seems like you can do something new everyday! You love to grab at your feet and eat your little hands. You especially love chatting with me while your hands are in you mouth. You are trying very hard to roll over from you back to your front but you can't seem to quite get it yet so you get really frustrated!

Concerns:  It's a crazy thing to be concerned about but I wonder if it's okay for you to sleep as much as you have been! I won't wake you up but I just worry... ALL THE TIME!

Eating Habits: Only breastmilk, every 3 hours, the beginning of the week once at night but you dropped that one

Sleeping Habits: Night: For the past 4 days you have been sleeping 10-11 hour nights! I don't know how it happened but all of a sudden you stopped waking up at 3am! Day: Naps are still pretty rocky. Sometimes they are OK, sometimes really bad... hardly ever good. If you keep sleeping through the night I won't mind a bit!

Health: Nothing to worry about here. Healthy as a horse (what a funny saying)

Special Moments-
    Best: Obviously sleeping through the night! Mom got 10 hours of uninterrupted sleep!
    Worst: Apparently you weren't eating as much this week and mom got a plugged duct! Oh, the pain. Funny thing is this happened BEFORE you started sleeping through the night. Weird!

This Weeks Observations/Activities: Our week was pretty uneventful. We just stayed at home playing most of the week. And since mom didn't feel good for a couple of days you were fine with this and stayed with me in bed so I could feel better. You seem not to mind, you can't seem to get enough of my silly faces! What a perfect little baby, you are!

Pictures From This Week:

Breastfeeding VS. Formula Part IV: Your Choices Are YOUR Choices

I read an article once about this woman whose child wasn't gaining weight and even after 3 months with no weight gain on breastmilk alone the women felt awful about giving her daughter formula.

She tried and it didn't work. She gave it her all and it didn't work.

So why would she feel awful about that? Because 1. She wanted to breastfeed and it was awful to her that she couldn't. 2. Other people made her feel like less of a mom

I want to stress I am 100% for breastfeeding. I think breast really is best but if my daughter wasn't doing well on it then I would give her formula. And if someone didn't want to breastfeed or couldn't I wouldn't make them feel bad about it or say they didn't try hard enough.

My sister didn't even try breastfeeding. She had no intention of it and feed both her boys formula right from the start. Both boys are very healthy.

So even though I think breastfeeding is wonderful that is MY opinion based on my own experience. Just like I don't force my religion or political views on anyone else I will not force how I feed my child on a new mom.

So remember that it is your choice. You are the one who will have to live with it no one else so don't let anyone else convince you their way is better than yours.

Because it isn't. It's just different.

Return to Part III of this Series

Week Fifteen

Age today: 15 weeks or 105 days

Age Being Posted: Weeks 14-15 or Days 98-104

Date: March 31 - April 6

Photo of the Week: Story Time!

Milestones: Squeal in delight


Development: I think every parent says this at one time or another but it's crazy how much babies grow. One second they are flailing around, their arms and legs having almost no control to reaching out and grabbing things. I can't believe that the same little baby who was only a little over 6 pounds is now this little chunk who has a opinion on everything, who is so curious about the world. And these days you are so excited/vocal about everything. You see Penny (our kitty) and laugh and just recently started squealing! It's so cute

Concerns: None

Eating Habits: Only breastmilk every 3 hours and once at night

Sleeping Habits: bedtime 6:30-7, wake up and nurse between 2-4, 6-6:30 awake for day

Health: One healthy little girl!

Special Moments-
Best: I know this is supposed to be all about you BUT you napped one day for an hour and a half. OH. Amazing!
Worst: I tried putting you to sleep again after a short nap and you were so mad that you cried for a long time because you were so angry. I could tell you were furious with me

This Weeks Observations/Activities:  You rode Negro on Sunday of last week and dadas was so happy! This weekend (Saturday) your dadas and I were invited to a get together because one of his friends graduated college. So we went and took you along with us since you can't stand to be without mamas too long! Well, you were a hit. And when you got cranky I feed you and put you in the Kunga (a moby wrap like thing) and you went to sleep and let dadas and I just hang out. We had a really great time. Everyone commented on what a good baby you were! We also started a new bedtime routine. The routine has been the same since you were about a week (bath, lotion, boob, bed) but we added books to the mix so now it's book, bath, lotion, boob, and bed. Nighttime sleep is great so something must be working.

Photos From This Week:

Breastfeeding VS. Formula Part III: What to do?

For me it was easy to decide for a lot reasons the main ones being its better and costs less money. But I don't think the decision is quite so easy for some people.

So here's how I think everyone should look at it.

1. What's better for the baby?

This is the most important because your baby doesn't have an option. You're deciding. They have no say.

And I think this is always breastmilk

2. What's better for mom?

Because your advocating for your baby its hard to look at this alone but its important too.

Happy mom = happy baby

I would take a look at each and see what would fit my lifestyle better. Although pumping is an option for working mom it may not be better for mom. Try and look at every aspect. Time constraints, money, how you feel etc.

3. When one and two are different

What happens when what's best for baby isn't best for mom? Well I think you have to look at it together. Is mom going to be that unhappy? Is it impossible for mom to pump or find a milk bank to buy from? (Being as best for baby is always breast milk) If answers are yes then try it. If it doesn't work out move on to formula. Because that is always an option... you can't really decide to breastfeed after weeks of formula.

I don't want to sound like I think formula is poison. It's not. Its an amazing invention that allows people to feed their baby when they a. Don't have enough (or any) milk b. Have a baby who wont latch c. When breastfeeding is medically impossible.

BUT I do think formula should never be the first option. For all that can breastmilk should be the first choice. If it doesn't work, it just doesn't work. Move on. But how will you know if you don't try?

Of course many people out there just don't want to... to each their own. No judging here. I even might be singing a different tune had breastfeeding not be so ridiculously easy.

After all you're the mom and its your decision. Do what you believe is right. For me it was breastfeeding but for a lot if people its formula.

Go to Part IV of this series. Or return to Part II of this series