***December Snowflakes 2012 Parenting***

[Chloe597]

IST, someone on here once mentioned a 2-3-4 schedule that i have loosely tried to follow, or at least use as a guide to know when to expect Gabby to show signs of sleepyness. baby wakes up in the morning, up for 2 hours, nap time. Then up for 3 hours, nap time, then up for 4 hours and then bed time. She sorta follows that general pattern i've noticed. That is as much of a set schedule as we have around here. That and we do try to put her to bed between 8 and 830 every night. Lately with the heat/humidity, every time she falls asleep i try to lay her down in her crib but we are both sweaty and stick to each other, so the transition to the crib wakes her up! If she doesn't fall asleep, we take her out, play with her in dim light for ~20 minutes, give the boob and then try the sleep thing again. I have also been having a pacifier handy so when i put her down and she whimpers, i plug her up and that worked to quiet her and put her to sleep last night. She is normally not a pacifier baby at all tho, this is the only time she ever gets one. its not much of a schedule, but I hope it helps!

 

[ImSoTired]

Thanks, Chloe. I'll take that into consideration when we start sleep training. I've always just let Cait eat and sleep whenever she wanted but that really hasn't worked for us at all. I really need to implement some sort of schedule, even if she follows it very loosely.

Also I find that Cait really isn't eating much? She's never been a big eater but has always gained well (though she is on the smaller side) and has plenty of wet and dirty diapers. I'm not sure if I should worry or not. I do plan on talking to the doctor about it at her next appt but I am worrying. Just curious if anyone else has a similar issue?

 

[scoobydrlp]

IST, Camden has slowed down on eating over the past few weeks also. She will often skip a feed in the late morning, and her daycare report cards often say that she's only taking 2 or 3oz of lots of her 4oz bottles. I'm not worried about it, I think she's just slowing down on her rate of growth. I do hate that they're having to dump the leftover breastmilk though!

We went to have her Doc Band adjusted today and they said we're about halfway done with treatment. She's been in it 4 weeks, and they estimated about another month until we're finished. Time is really flying by!

I love all the pictures of everyones LOs! Here's Camden today in one of the dresses my parents brought home from Hawaii.

https://i1340.photobucket.com/albums/o725/scoobydrlp/null_zps1635fb41.jpg

 

[Kelly M]

Scooby, SO CUTE! Love the little halter top dress and her doc band decorations. She's a doll.

Ist, 2,3,4 is a loose schedule for us that works well. It just lets me know about when to look for tired signs. We usually have a third nap in late afternoon if his early naps were short or he's just sleepy but we pretty much follow that schedule as it goes with the natural rhythm of his sleep patterns.

Here is a better pic.
[IMG]https://i40.tinypic.com/2d10z5.jpg[/IMG]

 

[ImSoTired]

Thanks scooby and kelly!

Scooby Cam is so gorgeous! Look at that dress! So so cute!

Kelly Cait does the same thing! She even does it while playing! As I was going to answer this post she was playing on the floor and just pulled the blanket I had beneath her over her face so I snapped a pic!

Also a pic of her in her high chair and a pic of her after she rolled all over the floor.

 

[sigh]

omg you all have the cutest babies!! I love seeing the personalities starting to emerge in these lil ones. KellyM & IST - That blanket thing is hilarious!! Ellie chews on her blanket after her naps but nothing as adorable as that

KellyM - if you're worried about the blankets there are thinner ones (aden & anais). He'll be fine though.

scooby - so beautiful!!

So we started her first veggies today - Carrots! She prefers the rice cereal over carrots so far. We used the sweeter baby carrots so I was surprised. Here's my lil piggy with her carrot beard

 

[Honey.Bee]

Just popping in quickly to post this link on sleep. Not sure if this explains things?
https://www.babysleepsite.com/how-we-sleep/4-month-old-sleep-regression/
Will catch up on all the news later x

 

[Honey.Bee]

Wow, so much going on! Sorry if I miss anyone out. Lovely pictures everyone but they're not little babies anymore

Sigh - Amazing news! That's such good sleeping. I hope this is the start of things to come. Good for you for sticking with it. Have you tried mixing your milk into the veggies? I did that to start with and it seemed to go down well.

Kelly - loving the carter pics. Ava has a favourite toy which she buries into. It makes me panic a bit so I inch it away once she is dozing. So cute though. It's like he's shutting everything out to concentrate on the nap. Clever thing.

IST - We have a loose schedule which is something along the lines of feeds every 3 hours from 0630 (solids at 6.30, 1230, 1730) and naps giving around 2 hours awake time, although usually nearer 3 just before lunch. It was quite predictable but then she has gone back to catnapping as I have moved her into her crib for naps now, so I guess she is learning all over again. On a good day she has 3 naps about 8.30 (1 hour), 1245 (90 mins) and 4pm (1 hour) but there is lots of flexibility because sometimes she throws in a 20 minute or a 2 hour nap and then I have to change things around or maybe add a 4th nap back in! I think it's early days though so it doesn't worry me that we haven't got everything sorted. She's still learning. My advice would be to log what is happening now and see if you can find a pattern developing. It's loads easier to work with her natural rhythm than force a schedule which is convenient for you. Oh and I'm completely with you on the DH thing. I could have written that paragraph myself. As for the eating slowing - Ava was doing this too and then I realised it was because I was feeding her so often she was snacking. Now the meals are more spaced she has a good solid feed rather than a couple of mouthfuls!

Coco - Start the solids when it's right for you both. I think you'll know when that is. Ava made it quite clear she wanted to eat by grabbing our plates and pulling them towards her, grabbing at food etc and as soon as I gave her some melon it was straight in her mouth.

Lolly - wow! Nearly 6 months already! Ava has not rolled since. I think it must have been a fluke or she did it and realised it wasn't all its cracked up to be

Scooby - love it! You are so creative. Glad the treatment is going well x

Jules - yes! Screaming here too on waking. I think it's just that LO is more aware?

Here are some recent photos of my big girl x

https://i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s418/2012HoneyBee/EE933800-B4D8-4B1A-990C-F625F02A7F75-6880-000005E8A515D2D2.jpg

https://i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s418/2012HoneyBee/FBA1CC42-874D-4127-97E3-BE2628EB3B64-6880-000005E8ED7A05A3.jpg

https://i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s418/2012HoneyBee/65EB3071-C906-471A-83CE-42D0711180DC-6880-000005E8C85AD70F.jpg

https://i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s418/2012HoneyBee/66C9AD72-DDAC-447C-8CF0-7B0F03C77A0B-6880-000005E900DE7951.jpg

 

[ImSoTired]

Aww sigh, Ellie is such a cutie. Look at that carrot face! Got to love when babies make a mess when eating!

Honey bee Ava is so cute! And she is also sitting quite well!
Is that blue paint? I have baby finger paints but haven't been brave enough to try them yet. I have a feeling she'd eat it anyway.

So about two weeks ago I mentioned I spotted for a few days...well it must have been my rusty ovaries firing back up! I'm a bit surprised as I am on the mini pill but Imust have taken it late or maybe my body didn't really care? Anyway I woke up to cramping and a bit of bleeding. I'm actually kind of relieved that my body is doing things! It makes sense though as I quit bf at the very beginning of may on the 1st or 2nd.

Cait slept last night! She went down at 10:30, which is great for her and woke at 6:50 to eat. She had 4oz and went to sleep Iknow Ishould have waken her but I thought I'd try and sleep. I haven't so I'm about to wake her for the day and hope that she goes down earlier tonight and sleeps even better. Fx'd for sleeping babies! Unfortuantely I didnt sleep nearly as well as she.maybe I was anticipating her waking?

Hope you are all well!

 

[Honey.Bee]

IST - yes, she's getting there with the sitting. She can manage 5-10 mins or so but still face plants or falls to the side regularly! It is blue paint - they put it out at baby group and she was straight in there! I thought she would eat it too (everything goes in her mouth these days) but oddly she didn't try....just have a bath and an old towel to hand if you do the same. They also took a print of her 'painting' - quite cute and one for the fridge x

 

[ttc_lolly]

Ahhh so many beautiful babies

Scooby, I love Camden's dress and she looks too cute in her doc band. That's amazing progress too

IST, Cait is so pretty! It is funny how so many of these babies like covering their faces strange little things!

Honey, Ava is such a happy little thing, I don't think you've ever posted a photo where she hasn't worn a beaming smile!

Here's a few recent photos

https://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m503/laurynp86/E26ED206-BA5C-4DA4-9C68-46B250243EF5-2093-0000010781C7F763_zps76d0539c.jpg
https://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m503/laurynp86/D7D07E27-B6FF-49D7-8790-31EA1710898A-2093-00000107BBB25CB0_zps4c2adf5e.jpg
https://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m503/laurynp86/AF5076E2-39AF-4443-B725-3F4E2F6AF8C8-3364-000001AD2B7E61EC_zpsd071b881.jpg

And Millie with her big sister's BFF, photos taken around 5.5 months apart
https://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m503/laurynp86/FF518F67-8185-4212-8421-4BE28FF4258B-3364-000001AD1B70A31C_zps4247fb09.jpg

 

[ImSoTired]

lolly, Millie is adorable! Look how big she looks with her cup! amazing how fast they grow! I cannot believe she is nearly 6 months!

 

[toothfairy29]

Hello lovely ladies!!

You have such GORGEOUS babies!!!! It's funny to see the little habits they get into like the blanket on the face!!

Big welcome back babybell! I was wondering about you a couple of weeks ago. Glad all is well.

Joseph is 19lb 9oz (8.88kg!) on 91st percentile. He's very tall and solid not chubby though. Have tried him a couple of times with food now. Last time a little baby porridge but he's not really keen. So I keep waiting a week then trying again. When he's 6 months ill try purée.

Here's a couple of photos. One on a rare sunny day a couple of weeks ago and one trying his rice!

 

[toothfairy29]

In the sun!

 

[Honey.Bee]

Oh Lolly - I love seeing your girls together. It's so easy to tell they are sisters. Do they have the same temperament? Millie is doing so well with her sippy cup too. Do you have it on the sippy attachment or the teat? I tried the cup with Ava and she was really good at picking it up and getting it to her mouth but then she was getting frustrated at not being able to get the water out quickly enough so I put the teat back on. Now thinking I should switch it over again? Yes, she is always smiling (even at the nurse who gave her vaccinations!) so when she cries I know there is something seriously wrong. She does have a grumpy sleeping face though!

https://i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s418/2012HoneyBee/382BA2D9-48F1-44A0-AEDA-801553892DAD-7126-0000060DD9C1DB60.jpg

Hello tooth :wave: Wow! Joseph is doing well - your jersey cream is still doing the trick then! x

 

[toothfairy29]

Hi honey!!

Yes he's definitely thriving on the jersey cream!!!! Absolutely love Ava's hat! She's so pretty!! Xx

 

[ttc_lolly]

Ahhh thanks ladies Honey, the girls are totally different in temperaments and personalities. Amber was and still is very easy going and laid back, happy all of the time and loves being around people. Millie's the exact opposite haha that's a little harsh, she is very nigh needs and still completely clingy to me (and a little to OH). She's ok being around others just as long as nobody tries to hold her or take her too far away from me she won't drink from teats, be it bottle or beakers that cup is a free flow spout so very little effort is required to drink from it and she does well with that over others I've found.

Tooth, Joseph's so handsome and good going with the super milk! I'm going to get Millie weighed on Monday as she'll be exactly 6months, I can't wait to see how much she's grown in the last month. Have you tried him with any finger foods?

 

[toothfairy29]

Thanks lolly! I haven't dare try him with finger food yet. I'm soooo scared of him choking! The thought of starting him with finger foods just scares me even though he's always trying to grab our food! Any tips about this?

 

[Baby Bell]

Aww such gorgeous babies......snowflakes have all turned out to be the cutest if babes.......not that I ever would've doubted seeing as we all such gorgeous mamas

Il join in here some pics of Lewis drinking his one ounce of formula a day.....he doesn't really drink it, just plays and gets covered init.....which is fine by me so long as he having fun!

 

[Beanonorder]

Hi everyone! Been a while since I last posted so thought I'd drop in.

I've been keeping up with the reading and I've just been feeling so bad for those with sleep issues! I'm having a hard time at work at the moment and I have to be up early for it too so I just don't think I could handle sleep deprivation on top of it! Big hugs to all of you!

Here in China they don't have baby showers and things but when a baby is 100 days old they have this big, elaborate dinner and you give money instead of presents. (same as for weddings!) So on Friday night we went to this party for one of my colleagues baby. We had a really good evening except for one incident!! Amber was sitting on my lap and I could feel she was having a poo. So I handed her to my dh so I could get the nappy bag to go change her. As I started lifting her he said oh be careful its all down her leg (she was wearing tights). He took her from me and then started laughing - I looked down and her poo was ALL over my lap In the end my dh had to go into the ladies bathroom with me to change her and help me clean up! Thankfully we were planning to leave soon anyway so it was a good excuse!

Amber rolled from front to back a while ago but after she managed it a few times she just stopped. This past week she fully mastered going from back to front and now she has become a rolling machine! Between that and rotating herself around the playmat, she can't be left alone for a second! Dh and I were talking on the couch and I looked up and she had rolled off the playmat, off the carpet and onto the floor and was just happily chilling there!

We tried some rice cereal yesterday and this morning. But so far she hasn't been too keen on it. I'm going to try once more tomorrow and if she still has the same reaction I'm going to hold off for a couple more weeks. She is gaining weight really well and I've just put her into her first 3-6 month outfit. Its still a little big but the length is great for her!
Can't believe she is going to be five months tomorrow!

I've loved seeing everyone's photo's so here's my contribution.