***December Snowflakes 2012 Parenting***

[ttc_lolly]

Hi ladies!! I've been AWOL for so long, but I've had so much happening lately that BnB has just taken a back seat on a very long bus! I hope everyone's ok, and I'll try my best to catch up soon just wanted to pop in and say hi, thinking of you all and my little clan are all well xx

 

[scoobydrlp]

Anybody know what they're buying as gifts for LOs for birthday/christmas? Camden has a zillion toys and books, many of which were given to us by friends whose children have outgrown them. People are asking me what they should get for her, and I don't even know what to tell them. So far I've made a Target wish list with the conversion pieces we'll need to turn her crib into a toddler bed, and then a regular bed, and I think I'll ask for gift cards to go towards an additional carseat for OH's car. But I know people want to buy her things that they can watch her open.

 

[Beanonorder]

Welcome back Lolly! Was wondering where you got to!

Scooby I haven't completely decided but I know something I really want to get Amber is a ball pit/pool thing. I think she'll have so much fun it! If we had a yard I'd want to get some kind of jungle gym or swing kind of thing. As for smaller things I'm thinking about a doll and I'd like to get her some more books, we only have about 6. Clothes are on the list too - she desperately needs winter clothes! Blocks is another thing. And I'm wondering about a few kids dvds.
Sorry don't know if I'm being at all helpful here...

I iced my eye and cheek last night so thank goodness the swelling has gone down and the bruising isn't noticeable!

I was very sad to hear today that the PE teacher's wife lost their baby yesterday - at 8 months pregnant! Apparently she was losing water but the doctors decided the baby was too young and didn't want to do the c-section. I really hope there is more to that because I see no reason why they couldn't have save that poor baby. I feel so bad for them. I want to run home and just hold Amber. When I read or hear things like that it humbles me and makes me grateful to get up in the middle of the night.
Sorry for the downer but I'm just so bummed out for them.

 

[scoobydrlp]

What a sad story, Bean. I can't imagine having a loss that far into pregnancy. How heartbreaking.

Thanks for the ideas, I hadn't even thought of a jungle gym type thing for the yard. We have a nice sized fenced back yard, so that would be perfect! I'm also considering one of those big plastic Cozy Coupe cars that nearly every kid on earth has. Storage is the problem, we don't have a garage and we have no room for something that big inside the house. But it would fit on the front porch, or maybe even in the crawl space.

 

[Chloe597]

Oh bean, i know exactly how you feel. It is so sad to hear about people you know who experience loss like that. Makes you so greatful. I still feel that way when I think of my friend's LO who passed away at 1.5 years old. His 2 year birthday was just yesterday. Makes me so greatful for the time I spend with Gabby. And glad your cheek didn't blow up!

Hi Lolly! Glad all is well!

I am in the same boat, scooby. No idea what to get G for her birthday (just 5 weeks away!!) I want to get her a shape sorter thing so she can learn to put squares in the square hole, circles in the circle, etc, blocks, clothes. I was thinking also of some potty training stuff (not exactly fun and exciting) and toddler utensils/plates/bowls. The ball pit/pool thing sounds really fun. We have an inflatable pool which is now very dirty, but i have heard of people filling it with balls for playtime. I am really at a loss for good presents tho, if you couldn't tell! I think a rocking horse would be a fun gift. My grandpa made me one, so I will probably wrap it up and give it to her for her birthday.

Anyone planning food yet for the birthday? What in the world do i feed 25-30 people??

 

[Kelly M]

Chloe, teething is the bane of my existence. My son is a super tough guy about everything but teething. He has been teething non stop for the last three months and he wakes every 1-3 hours screaming every night. I'm starting to feel very agitated with him and I hate the fact that I just want to get away all the time. He's such a mess, always cranky, falling all the time, crying, and not sleeping. So basically I feel your pain! His top teeth are half way down and now he's getting another bottom tooth. It's never ending!


Bean, glad Amber is sleeping better now. Sorry about your cheek. If I had a dime for every time Carter has injured me I'd be rich.
It's so sad to hear of someone losing their baby especially unexpectedly and that far in the pregnancy. I know a friend of a friend who lost their baby during birth. The hospital screwed up somehow by not monitoring her when they should have been. She went in thinking everything was fine and that she was going to have her baby and left without her baby. I cried when I heard that and I hugged Carter a little tighter that night. It's good to be reminded of how lucky I am when all I do is complain most the time about his sleep, his crankiness and his clumsiness. I will definitely try to keep that in mind today as I deal with the impossible little monkey.

Lolly, glad to hear from you and that you are doing well.

Scooby, I've made a little wish list on Amazon to save ideas I have for gifts for Carter. I think I want to get him a little ride on toy like this: Wheely Bug https://www.toysrus.com/product/ind...7586549&camp=PLAPPC-_-PID7586549&KPID=7586549

They have them in all kinds of cute animals. Kind of expensive though. I'm only planning on getting him one or two things for bday and christmas since we are super broke right now and he won't know the difference. I'd rather spend more money on a fun party for him that we can invite his baby friends to. He won't remember any of it but it will be fun for him, the babies and all us adults and we'll have the memories and photos. He doesn't need much, has tons of clothes and toys that he never plays with anyway. He'd rather get into electrical cords and topple over the chairs, etc....

Not sure what I'm doing about food for his party. I haven't really decided who all I'm going to invite yet. I know we are doing a sock monkey theme and that I am doing a trade of photography services for a local cake maker so he's going to have a bad ass sock monkey cake (dairy free). So stoked about that part.

 

[ImSoTired]

Lolly I'm happy to hear all is well!

bean, such awful news about your friends and their baby. I've heard of similar things happening to some people I know and it's really very sad and scary. It makes me appreciate that I have a healthy child.
I am glad to hear that Amber didn't bruise you face too badly. Cait is very rough and I know it's only a matter of time before I start coming away with bruises.

Scooby we got Cait crayons and paintbrushes (the fat ones for baby hands) and baby nail polish for her stocking. I was also thinking maybe some bath toys and towels because baby towels are too small now. A book or two, a puzzle, and a stuffed animal and we're set. I've told everyone to get her size 18mo and 24mo clothes. She needs them and it'll save us money. I know that everyone will get her a little toy too so I'm not going to overboard myself. As you said, she won't remember. I know my parents are getting her a ride on toy. For her birthday I was going to do a pair of walking shoes (if she's walking), a sled because we usually get a lot of snow, and maybe some cars because she loves to push her toys around while crawling. Just family, a cake/cupcakes, and maybe some balloons.

Kelly I hope that Carter feels better soon. It must be very hard on you both with all of the teething. Soon it'll pass and his teeth will be in. Hang in there.

Cait has NO teeth still. Not even a real sign of them coming soon. She still has a few sniffles that come and go but she is better for the most part. It's so cold here lately. There isn't much new here though. Cait is still trying to walk and talk but no real success. For the past month or two she's been pointing a lot. Her little finger is adorable.

I hope everyone is well!

 

[Kelly M]

Ist, so lucky no teeth! And those sound like awesome gift ideas. So cute how Cait is pointing, clever girl!

I just had an idea. I haven't talked it over with dh yet but I want to get Carter swim lessons for Christmas. He LOVES the water and I wanted to do it this summer but never got around to it or had the money. It's only about $42 for a session of 6 classes and it would be a cool thing to do in the winter since it will be cold and snowy and we won't be outside much. Our town has a really awesome recreation center with a big kid's pool with tons of kid's water playground equipment in it and a huge water slide. I'm so excited to have just thought of this because it's not very expensive and is something we can enjoy together as a family.

 

[scoobydrlp]

IST - love the crayon idea, I hadn't thought of that but they'll be able to use the big fat ones soon.

We went to Toys R Us yesterday just to look around, and geez louise there are way more toys available than I had ever imagined! I've never really looked anywhere besides walmart, target, and Babies R Us. It was kind of fun though because we could sort of try some of them out to see which ones Camden responded to the best. We found a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse ride/push toy that she loved. We didn't actually put her on it but pressed all the buttons and it played all the songs and phrases that she knows from the tv show. I made an online wish list there so that when friends and relatives ask what to buy her they can just choose what they want from the list.

I got out of work a few hours early today so I ran over to the mall because it's WAAAY easier and faster to shop without her than with. I should be banned from Carter's. I just love their clothes so much! I spent too much money, but I bought some stuff in the next size up so I'll just wrap them up and use them as christmas gifts, lol.

My mom mentioned that we should do a half birthday celebration in June rather than buy double the gifts all in December. I kind of agree, I mean she already has way too many toys as it is, and when she's 18 months old she'll be ready for more devopmentally advanced things. Maybe we'll do a cake and a gift or two for real birthday and then a party in June.

 

[ImSoTired]

Scooby I like the 1/2 birthday idea. Cait's birthday is too close to Christmas. I also love Carters and can easily spend hundreds of dollars there in one trip Which is why I've not gone in a while. My mother is always buying her clothes though and so I keep her updated on what size she needs and she always ends up with a wardrobe before I know it.

Kelly the swimming lessons sound like an awesome idea. It'll be nice for you and Carter both to get out of the house in the awful, depressing winter. And He will just love it! I know Cait would. I wish we had a nice rec center like that around here.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend

 

[cococobain]

Wow I'm so sorry for coming in here, leaving my little rant and then disappearing again.

I looked back over the pages and I just LOVE all the baby pictures! I have so much hair envy you girls, I mean those pigtails! gah! Also, kudos to you ladies for sticking to a monthly photoshoot spot (like the ones of the babies in the chair next to teddy) I wish I had thought of something like that. I can tell my baby book is going to be all over the place.

Kelly, I want to give you hugs. Both for the broken arm (well, thats more of a hug for the little guy) but also for 3 months of teething! Mia started in early August and it's been touch and go. One tooth, one tooth, both bottom teeth at the same time and now after a couple weeks rest we're back at the top row again. Just waking up screaming and inconsolable.

I still haven't given the birthday/christmas much thought. She has a little inflatable kiddy pool that I'm gonna buy balls for and make a ball pool, I know that much. I don't know if I can even afford a nice birthday party and it's stressing me out a bit. She's definitely getting a smash cake and I'd like to get crafty and make a photo backdrop like this one;

I don't know that anyone here follows anything on youtube, but I've been a long time fan of a family called the "Shaytards" on there and on the 25th they had their fifth little baby and the vlog is the most amazing thing I have seen. I actually teared up a little, especially her other children. She delivered with her two little daughters in the room (both under ten) and they were so amazingly supportive and then her eldest son was so tender and sweet to his new baby brother...ack, it choked me up :'D I can't believe I've witnessed this family give birth to two children now.

Anyways, here's some photographs taken this weekend;

https://i1325.photobucket.com/albums/u632/cococobain/b49874d3-0c4e-4a59-bae8-682f800536a4_zps26ace4aa.jpg
Rainy morning led to boredom and me dressing Mia in all the sickeningly sweet crap we've bought for her. She reminds me of a crazy hobo. All she needs is a little shopping cart filled with cats.

https://i1325.photobucket.com/albums/u632/cococobain/1104197b-82ff-42f0-93ea-f923f4464778_zpsfacd6b6a.jpg
Went to a little Halloween shindig at my SIL's house. Mia's costume never made it through the mail, so she just wore her little skeleton tshirt.

https://i1325.photobucket.com/albums/u632/cococobain/c87c3fb3-4118-42b8-812d-fcf1204eece6_zps9898bcab.jpghttps://i1325.photobucket.com/albums/u632/cococobain/59fa0b1c-6ba8-4010-9518-790901313895_zps932fd440.jpg
And today it was nice and sunny so we went for a stroll along the promenade

PS - Anyone here have pinterest? I'm looking for more inspiration for this December!

 

[Beanonorder]

Crayons is such a cute idea! But unfortunately there is no ways I'm giving them to Amber. She'll probably eat them! And as we don't own our apartment I can't risk her drawing on the walls. Which of course she'll do because she's her mothers child!

Amber was ten months yesterday! And she played with another baby for the first time too. It was so cute - they played with her dummy together! I was waiting for her to hit the little boy over the head for taking it in the first place but they basically just passed it between them for a while! Hopefully I'll meet up with the mom again this week. She also told me about this playgroup she goes to that also has some stay at home dads so I'm really hoping my dh will occasionally take Amber to that so she gets some more baby interaction.

I'm so excited - I have finally ordered Amber a gro bag sleeping bag and I managed to get it at a quarter of the price! Hopefully its going to be delivered today.

Coco Mia is looking so cute!

 

[scoobydrlp]

Happy 10 months to Amber and Camden! I'm seriously going to cry when they turn a year old. I love the little person Camden is becoming, she has so much personality, but I miss my little baby!

Coco- gorgeous pictures of Mia! I especially love the first one.

Bean- glad to hear that Amber liked her first encounter with another baby. It's really fun to watch them interact. I hope your DH will go to the baby group with her, maybe he'll even meet some dads that he will be able to relate to.

 

[ImSoTired]

Coco no worries. Everyone needs a rant here and there. Beautiful pics of Mia. She is a gorgeous girl.

bean that's what I thought about the crayons at first, too. lol I'm going to be sure she never has them out of my sight and I bought the big fat ones that will be hard to bite (esp is Cait is still toothless by the time she gets them) And she'll start to understand what they are for if I show her. Awesome about Amber's first encounter with another baby. Cait has never been able to interact with someone her size before. I have to get around to calling my friend who has a daughter near her age. I hope they would agree to meet up.

Happy 10 months Amber and Camden. I can't believe these babies are so big!

I had a dream the night before last that I was pregnant. I woke up and immediately went to take a test. It was negative but I got a good scare out of it. I'm not quite ready, but soon I will be.
I'm still working on losing the weight. I'm now about 5lbs under pre pregnancy weight and about 20 until my ideal weight. I can't believe I'm finding the time to workout but I love it.
Cait maybe weaning herself down to 1 long nap a day. She woke up late (9am) both yesterday and today and went for her nap at noon. Today it took her a bit longer to fall asleep but yesterday she slept until 3pm. She still goes to bed at approx 830-9pm. I'm hoping this will be a good thing and we'll be able to schedule everything around this nap. 2 naps was getting a little annoying because I couldn't do much during the day without worrying about messing up her schedule. I think she's about the right age for it too.
I think that Cait is officially over her cold and feeling 100% better. No congestion or coughing, no runny nose. I am back to feeding her her solid foods. She was only eating purees while she was sick because she didn't have much of an appetite and she would choke an vomit her table food. I think it had to do with the congestion. I'm now going to work on getting her up a little earlier everyday and giving her a solid food breakfast and lunch. Maybe before she is 1 we will have an awesome schedule and then we can just worry about transitioning her to her sippy cup and whole milk.
Cait still isn't walking but she is trying a little more each day. Her newest trick is holding her phone up to her ear and saying 'hi'. I can't believe how big she is getting. Only 6 weeks until her 1st birthday.

I hope everyone is well and had a nice weekend.

 

[Chloe597]

Hi ladies!
Has anyone thought about the transition from breast/formula to whole milk? Gabby is 11 months old today and I feel like I should start. But I don't know if the transition should happen in the bottle, or in a sippy cup? And do I continue to have the bottles be warmed, or start to serve them cold? Right now G only gets sippy cups with water. I have no idea the best way to go about all this?? Is anyone planning on getting rid of the bottle at 1 year, or keeping it around after the 1 year mark? So many questions...

Coco, Mia is gorgeous!

Bean, that is so cute that Amber was interacting with another baby. I haven't had a chance to witness any of this when Gabby is at daycare. Makes me sad...

IST, scary dream! And i'm happy Cait is back to 100%! I hate to see them sick. Let us know if she sticks with her nap consolidation. Gabby went through a phase a few weeks ago of only napping once, but now she is back to 2 naps a day.

We had her dressed up this weekend for halloween. Here is my little Yoda

 

[sigh]

Hi Ladies! Sorry I've been MIA! You all have such cute babies! ADORBS!!

KellyM - OMG i'm so sorry you're going through injury after injury! Hope this phase passes for you soon! You are an awesome mom and don't you ever think otherwise!! We have been teething constantly too and it sucks!! Ellie was cranky pants this week and I thought it was due to an ear infection but just discovered that tooth #7 has cut through. She just cut 5 & 6 a week and a half ago (they took FOREVER to break through). Glad the photography is going well. We just shot our last wedding and are stepping away from it for a while but I want to get in to family portraits

Coco - sometimes we all just need to let it all out there. We're always here for ya if you need to vent!!

Chloe - I've been lookig into it since Ellie has been nursing horribly and is not wetting enough diapers. My ped said no cows milk until they are 1 so we would start mixing after her 1st bday. In the meantime, we're giving her yogurt to get her used to dairy and it's constipating like crazy poor thing.

So whats new here hmm. Ellie is trying to stand without holding things and falls all the time. She hit her head on her walker and had a big bruise on her head for a while, which has prompted relatives to make comments like "You really need to watch them."
She just cut tooth #7 today and the ped said she has a premolar coming in as well but don't know the ETA on that, so it looks like her constant teething since July will continue (hurraaah).
She is a super fast crawler now.
She has an ear infection again (ugh) that we are watching and not treating unless it gets worse.
She is fully napping in the crib now and usually takes atleast 1 longer (1hr+) nap a day (YAYYY NO SWINGGG!!). She still cries a little before the nap but i think it's more to wind down because she reaches for the crib when she's sleepy.
Nursing her has become so difficult because of her being distracted, plus the teething and ear infection. I think her latch has become inefficient ever since she got her teeth. She nurses 4 times a day but I offer it 7 times. I'm also pumping morning and night and giving her the milk in a sippy cup (I AM EXHAUSTEDDD!!). When she does nurse, it takes her 20+ minutes to drain one side and I know it's not because my supply has gone up (it's going down actually) because she is only wetting 3.5 diapers a day.

I haven't thought about her birthday gift or anything. Probably should start since her bday is like 6 weeks away cry

 

[Kelly M]

Coco, I hope things get better! Vent all you want. We are here to support each other. Mia looks SO cute! I love her blue eyes, so pretty. Oh and it was bbygrl who had a kid with a broken arm, not me. But hugs accepted!

Ist, what a scare! I'm so not ready to have another one. We might be one and done. Glad Cait is feeling better!

Bean, so cute that Amber was playing nicely with another baby. Carter sees other babies a lot and we watch another little girl who is a couple months younger and they love each other. They do that too where they just steal toys from one another over and over again and neither of them get mad they just keep taking it back. lol

Chloe, I'm not sure how weaning will go. Carter still nurses a thousand times a day and won't eat much solid food lately. I'm just going to see what happens. If he won't give it up by 2 years old I'm cutting him off but he's definitely going to need to be night weaned soon before I go nuts. As a matter of fact he just started whining for boob so I'm now typing as I nurse. He's an addict.

Sigh, sorry nursing is hard for you. Carters top teeth hurt now and give me sores. And teething takes FOREVER. It never ends. Literally. He has a bottom tooth coming in and a molar, all out of order from most babies.

Here's a photo of his tongue, don't look if you are squeamish. This was a few hours after it happened. The dr. is not going to cut that piece off and said she'll see him at his 1 year check up which kind of made me upset. He bit half of it off already so it isn't as big as it is in this photo. I'm thinking of getting a second opinion. I doubt it will grow back onto his tongue.

Spoiler

https://i42.tinypic.com/k9wgud.jpg

 

[cococobain]

Happy ten months amber and camden! time is getting away from us for sure!

IST - yay for no more cold! and that phone trick sounds positively adorable, have you managed to capture it on film yet?

chloe what a cute yoda! did you guys dress up to match?

sigh - sorry you've hit a few obstacles with breastfeeding, im exhausted just reading. I have read that 3-4 wet nappies at this age is fine though, as long as they aren't dark yellow and smell awful (sign of dehydration) its normal, especially now with the introduction of solids in their diet.

kelly m - Ahh right, I mixed up the tongue biting with the arm breaking! thats what I get for trying to remember several pages worth of content. Poor baby! I have a feeling your little guy is going to be a lil accident prone like my sister was. She was so energetic she was constantly hurting herself and giving my mum mini heart attacks.

That's a little odd that they're going to leave it that way, but I suppose she doesn't want to take any unnecessary risks by cutting it off and the incision possibly infecting? Though I suppose if it was going to get infected it would have already since he's chewing it off... yeah I'd probably get a second opinion. Couldn't hurt right? Does he seem bothered by it at all?

 

[Beanonorder]

I have to share that I had such a great day yesterday and for such little things!
I ordered Amber a grobag sleeping bag on Sunday and managed to get it for a third of the regular price and it arrived yesterday!
Then the new mom that I met got in touch and because I don't have to work on Friday we've set up a play date. We're going to take the babies to a playland (something else Amber has never done!) and then have lunch.
And my friend is going to come stay over next Tuesday to babysit so dh and I can actually go out for dinner alone! I can't remember the last time we had a date night!

I've been wondering about the cows milk situation. My friend with the twins the same age spoke to her paediatrician about it and he told her that cows milk isn't recommended anymore because it doesn't have enough nutritional value. He says you must use follow on milk (level 3 formula) until 18 months and after that they should be eating proper meals and drinking water/juice. That does not make me happy because formula is so expensive and I've been counting down til we can stop buying it! So I've been interested to hear what others have to say on the matter. I've actually been meaning to post about it. But that aside I have done some research into how you go about it and basically its a case of slow introduction which can be started before 12 months or wait until then. So the first week or so you make bottles of 75% bm or formula and 25% whole milk then the next week you change to 50/50 and then you change to 25/75 and finally its 100% whole milk. Obviously this is if there has been no reaction. As for the bottle/sippy cup thing that is a personal choice and there isn't a right or wrong way to go about that. Amber has sippy cups but she doesn't drink that much out of them (which is why we had the whole constipation issue!) She prefers to drink from a big girl cup! Yesterday she finished my water! I've been thinking of changing one of her day time bottles to a sippy cup and see how that goes.

 

[bbygurl719]

Hi all. So update my 8 year old we broke her arm is doing great. She got her cast a week ago n gets it taking off in three weeks. My almost two years old Aaryella will be having surgery on her toe on November 12th on her toes and will be in cast on Both feet. All a week before her secondbirthday. And angel stands by herself now and is trying to take a step but jot brave enough yet.