Madelyn-8 Months Old

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Maria C

Standing, waving, laughing, dancing her way into my heart every day. I often sit and wonder what my life was like before her. What did I do to fill my time? How have I lived this long without that smile?

Long gone are the days were I could just put the monthly sticker on her onesie. I now have to attachment on the chair or else it ends up as a snack

This month has gone by a lot more quickly than I would’ve liked. I’m getting ready to leave for a long work trip and I’m having a pretty hard time with it. The only thing getting me through it will be the location and the fact that my sister’s going with me. Here’s to hoping that the next month just FLIES by.

Sleep. A dream as usual. She’s been sleeping until about 7 am and is finally starting to get on a regular nap schedule. We’ve become those people that plan our every day around her nap time. Naps in the car just aren’t the same as naps in the crib. Speaking of crib, we’ve had to lower it because someone has decided it was time to stand and see what was going on there in the world.

Eat. Some new foods we’ve tried this month: Asparagus, brown rice, lentils, strawberries, sweet potato polenta, and mashed potatoes. We went out to eat a few weeks ago and I brought along Madelyn’s baby food. For my meal, I ordered shepherd’s pie and fed her some of my mashed potatoes. Every time I fed her the baby food, she cried-she preferred the mashed potatoes We also introduced her to puffs. I’m trying to get her to learn to grasp food with her fingers and put them in her mouth. Breastfeeding has come to a complete end and I’m both sad and relieved about this. My goal was to continue breastfeeding until I left, but Madelyn had other plans. One morning when I was feeding her, she kept turning away and fussing-she wanted her bottle instead. I kept trying and she kept denying me. So that was our last feeding. I’m really happy that it happened the way that it did. If I would’ve had to stop before she was ready, I would’ve felt even more guilty about leaving.

Play. She’s going to be crawling any day now and I’m scared that I’m going to miss it. Madelyn can get up on her hands and knees, but when she tries to go forward she falls right on to her tummy. She can crawl backward though. I have off this week, so we will be spending lots of time playing on the floor. The biggest development-she’s learned to wave “hi” and “bye”. She will sit and wave to Oliver and her friends at daycare.

It’s crazy to think that when I get home, planning for her first birthday will be well under way. Happy 8 months to my baby girl, who brings us joy every single day.

7 months…Where’s my baby?

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Maria C

Here I am again…tardy to the {Madelyn’s Monthly update} party. Her 7 month B-Day fell on St. Pat’s day. We celebrated in Chi-tizzle with the in-laws. My MIL made corned beef & cabbage and Irish soda bread. Everything was pretty tasty, but I got some grief for not having Madelyn in anything green. Call me cheap, but I just didn’t see anything worth buying for one day.

To say that I love watching my baby girl grow and get more curious about the world around her is an understatement. I can sit and stare and play with her all day long. Every day that passes brings on new adventures and discoveries. It’s pretty amazing to think that hubs and I created such a beautiful awesome little girl.

Sleep. Sleep has been amazingly wonderful given the fact that we are living in a new house. The only problem is, that our room is right next to Madelyn’s. I can see her crib from our bed. When she goes down around 7:30, I pretty much just hang out in the living room because she starts to stir at the sound of my voice…so no more laying in bed and chatting on the phone. She’s been waking up around 5:30/6am-I usually change her, feed her and she’s back to bed until around 8:30. Naps are still pretty all over the place and she no longer loves being rocked to sleep {sobs}. The past few nights she wants to be put into her crib to sleep and I no longer have a sleeping baby on chest nightly. I both love and hate this all at once.

Eat. Over the past month, we have made the transition from BFing and pumping to a milk-based formula. Breastfeeding came naturally for both Madelyn and me and if it weren’t for my trip coming up at the end of April, I would have continued on for the first year. It’s easily accessible (no mixing formulas or warming bottles), it’s FREE, and it’s time for bonding between the two of us. I’m no longer pumping and I’m down to two feedings a day (morning and evening) and will likely stay there until the end of April. She’s now eating 3 solids a day and she will pretty much eat anything soft. I can’t get avocados into her mouth fast enough. Some new faves this months are squash, brown rice pasta, blood oranges, sweet potatoes and carrots. I bought baby food for the first time this month-what a rip! Because of moving and working, I didn’t have time to make my own. Even with a coupon I couldn’t believe at how expensive it is compared to making homemade. I’m hoping to make a few batches this weekend. Right now, we’re sticking to mostly pureed foods until baby girl gets some teeth. I have been biting off some of my food and feeding it to her. So sometimes, she enjoys what we eat for dinner.

Play. Madelyn’s a girl on the move! I can put her down on the floor, turn my back for a few seconds and she’s completely turned the other way around. She’s not crawling yet, but I feel like that will be happening very soon. I’m hoping that it happens before I leave. To coerce her to crawl, I bought a little ball that moves and lights up on its own so that she can chase that around-she loves it! Even though she’s not really crawling yet, Madelyn loves to stand up on things and tries so hard to pull herself up when she’s toppled over. Her crib is her favorite place to stand. She continues to laugh and smile every single day. I swear I gave birth to the happiest baby in the world. She plays peek a boo with us now-she’ll take the blanket over her face and pull it away from herself and laugh hysterically when I say “Peek a boo!”

Onto month EIGHT!!! I will cherish the next month like no other.

6 Month Update

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Maria C

Okay, so more like 6 months and a few days. We’ve been very busy over here! I know I say this every month, and I know I sound like a broken record but I can’t believe how fast time has gone by. In another 6 months, we’ll be celebrating Madelyn’s first birthday and I will no longer have a baby, I’ll be the mother to a toddler! CRAZY! Speaking of birthdays…I’ve already started planning hers and I’m really excited for the theme. To be honest, I wasn’t crazy about having a baby with an August birthday. For one, being pregnant in the dead of summer is no fun. Secondly, she’s going to be the youngest of her friends and I always thought it would be so much fun to host fall/pumpkin farm themed parties. But now that I have an August baby, I’ve come to realize that summer really has an endless number of possibilities! Pool parties, ice cream parties…with a planner of a mom, this girl is in for a treat!

The time between 5 and 6 months has been the biggest of them all. Up until this point, she’s done little things and is developing right on schedule. But this month we heard our first full-belly giggles, dabbled with solid foods, and have started to see a bit more of her personality shine through. She is by far the happiest baby I know and I hope that she always maintains that. She’s also a girl on the move! I have a feeling we’ll need to start baby proofing soon.

Sleep. We’ve had a few rough nights that I can blame on teething. Baby girl had us spoiled from about 6 weeks on. We truly lucked out in the sleep department so when she threw me a few surprises I was not the happiest mama on the block-but then I reminded myself that it could be a million times worse. I usually give her a little bit of tylenol, nurse her and have her sleep with me until it’s time to get up in the morning. Hubs works nights, so a lot of the time it’s just her and me in the bed. I am a strong believer in co-sleeping and, if done right, studies have shown that it can be very beneficial to the baby.

Eat. She realizes that the stuff I’m trying to give her on a spoon will actually satisfy her hunger. It finally clicked with her like, “Hey I’m supposed to be eating this stuff!” So far we’ve tried, bananas, cereal, peas, and refried beans. She’s loved it all. Hurray for no picky eaters! (So far anyway) At her 6 month appointment, her doctor told us that he wants her to be eating solids 3 times a day. So in the morning I will usually feed her cereal, daycare feeds her whatever solid I pack, and then she eats with us at dinner. I’m on a mission to make all my own baby food. I think the amount you pay for those tiny jars is ridiculous. I was at Target and a jar of organic carrots was 88 cents. I made 18 2oz jars of green beans for $2.39 total! I steamed the green beans, put them in the vitamix, and blended them for about 30 seconds. Voila! I’m still nursing when I’m with her & pumping at work. I’m giving myself until April and then I will slowly start the weaning process. I was going to stop at 6 months, but with all the upcoming changes, stopping breastfeeding was advised against when I was doing the research on weaning.

Play. I cannot believe how much she has changed in this area. She’s constantly laughing, smiling and touching your face when you hold her. She thinks Oliver and her dad are hysterical. She loves to play peek a boo and to sit and listen to Larry and I have a conversation or read to her. She enjoys reaching for things and scoots herself to get something she’s interested in.

Here’s a video of us playing Peek a Boo! Please forgive the annoying, shrill mom voice

Happy 6 months baby girl! We are so thankful that you’re in our lives to brighten our day with laughter and smiles!

Upsy Daisy, Happy Baby

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Maria C

5 months already? How did that happen? It’s crazy to think that soon we’ll be celebrating her first birthday-which I’ve already started planning out in my head.

Sleep. We’re still going strong with averaging about 10-12 hours at a time. Winning. We honestly hit the jackpot with this kid and sleep. She’s a little mover & shaker though-I’m happy we decided to put the crib bumper back on because I think she’d need to sleep with a helmet! She’s also sleeping with an afghan in her crib. I figure that it’s a safe choice as far as blankets go because it has holes in it so that if she does put it over her face, she can still breath.

Eat. We tried solids for the first time a few days ago. The woman at daycare was telling me that she was wanting to eat every two hours which is unusual for her. She didn’t seem to be satisfied with her milk that day, so I decided to try a little bit of cereal. She cried. I also put a little bit of avocado on my finger for her to taste and she loved it. It was such a little amount that I don’t know if it was the avocado itself or if she just wanted to suck on my fingers. We’re still going strong with nursing-something I’m really proud of because when I first started, I didn’t think I would last this long. I’m thinking about weening her starting at 6 months because of some upcoming trips at work :-/ A co-worker suggested that I still pump even when I’m away just to keep up my milk supply so that I can continue when I return home, BUT by that point she’ll be about 10 months. I think what I’ll end up doing is pumping and storing as much as possible and then when that’s gone, she’ll just be on formula.

Play. Madelyn LOVES her feet! She’s a pro at the “happy baby” yoga pose. She also loves to stand/sit upright and loves her Winnie the Pooh activity jumper. We can finally put her in it without having to prop her feet with a pillow. She can sit up pretty well on her own and when she does fall over she just laughs and smiles-she’s a good sport about it! She also enjoys playing airplane and likes to be lifted up really high. She’s not big on rolling over from her back to her front, but when we have her on her stomach, she’s propping her but in the air and scooting herself, almost like a little low-crawl.

I’m looking forward to new developments within the next few months and I’m pumped to start making my own baby food. We just have to get her used to eating first

Happy 2 Months Madelyn

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Maria C

It’s been an absolute joy getting to know this little person over the past two months. I know I said this last month, and probably will continue to say it, but time goes by way. too. quickly.

Watching her grow and discover new things (like her hands) has been incredibly awesome. One day, while we were playing and learning in her room my sister came over. Madelyn’s face immediately lit up at the sight of her and she started kicking her legs in excitement. It was the cutest thing ever. Her smiles are becoming more social now and are not to be confused with gas She smiles at me most when I have her the changing table-girlfriend hates dirty diapers.

Sleep. Well, Larry and I hit the baby jackpot with this kid. I told him that I don’t want another baby because this one is just too great that I’m scared we’ll get a problem child the second time around! She sleeps through the night. Consistently. I lay her down around 9:30-10pm and she sleeps until about 5:30 a.m. Sometimes she’ll wake up around 4am but for me, that’s about the time I’m waking up for work anyway. On the weekends however, it’s a little bit of a struggle for me-but I feed her and she usually goes right back to sleep until about 8 am or so. I feel bad telling new moms this because I know that she’s the exception-at least among my new mom girlfriends anyway.

Eat. Luckily she started taking a bottle right away, so there hasn’t really been any issues with her eating habits transitioning into daycare. Today was her first day there. While I was on maternity leave, I pumped and stored enough milk so that she would have some for daycare. While I was at work today, I managed to pump 3 times and produced 12 oz of milk, so she has enough breast milk for a 2nd day at daycare. They did give us a container of formula to use just in case I ran out of milk. After day 1 of work, we’re still doing good in that area. My job is pretty good about letting me go pump at random times throughout the day.

What she loves. Her crib! The first night we put her in it was the best night of sleep for everyone. She woke up at 4am to eat and then went back to sleep until 9am!! I finally had to wake HER up. We have a little sleepy head on our hands. She’s becoming more intrigued by her play mat and her soother that’s in her crib. I have a mirror in the car so that when I’m driving I can see her and she enjoys starring at herself in that as well

Me-2 months postpartum. I had a very easy pregnancy. My morning sickness was barely existent. I was able to remain active throughout my entire pregnancy-I walked two miles the day I went into labor. Everyone was healthy & happy. I had a very short & natural labor. When Madelyn was born, she latched on right away and I had zero problems breastfeeding. Everything was going along way too perfectly. I was just waiting for something bad to happen-like Charlotte in Sex and the City the movie. I few weeks after she was born I developed a rash all over my body. I had read in one of my baby books that some women have a reaction to the influx of oxytocin in their bodies. I was worried that this was from that and that I would have to give up breastfeeding, because the itching was awful. I saw my doctor twice for this issue before she referred me to a dermatologist who then diagnosed me with PUPPP (Pruritic Uticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy). No one knows why certain woman get it, but it usually arrives in the 3rd trimester and goes away with delivery. In rare instances (like myself) it can last well into the postpartum period. BUT the good news is that it only happens with first time pregnancies so this shouldn’t deter me from having anymore kids (according to the dermatologist). She put me on anti-itch meds and creams and I just have to wait it out until it works its way around my body. It started on my stomach and spread to my legs, arms, and back. I’ve been taking lots of oatmeal baths and applying ice to the itchy areas to keep from scratching.

The same time that I was battling this rash, I also developed mastitis. When it rains, it truly pours. I woke up one morning before Madelyn with an awful pain in my right breast. At first I thought it was because she was sleeping so long at night that I was engorged, but I had never felt pain like this before. I woke her up to eat, and then came the chills, vomiting and fever. The doctor put me on antibiotics and told me to NURSE, NURSE, NURSE! And to pump out whatever she wasn’t finishing. I truly believe that all the nursing & a very long nap helped with me feeling better already later that day. I’m so thankful for my mom-who took off of work to come help me with Madelyn while this was going on. In the hindsight of it all, I think to myself that if this is the worst thing that has happened to me, I should consider myself lucky. I have a healthy, happy baby who came into this world full speed ahead and at the end of the day, that’s really all that matters.

I’m looking forward to seeing what month 3 has in store for us.

The 1st Month-We Survived

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Maria C

Time can slow down at any point now. I honestly cannot believe that Madelyn is one month old already. I know it sounds cliche, but it seems like just yesterday we were on our way to the hospital. Even though this bundle has been in our lives for a very short period of time, it’s hard to remember what life was like before her.

This month has been one of the toughest of my life-mentally, physically & emotionally. The first day we brought her home from the hospital she cried and cried. I thought maybe the hospital screwed up and gave us the wrong baby! Trying to figure out what she wanted based on her cries was hard in the beginning, but once I listened to my gut instinct (and to Madelyn of course) it got easier. Even though this is my first baby & I’ve had lots of helped from experienced moms, no one knows your baby better than you.

Sleep. One of the hardest parts about month 1 has been getting used to the sleep deprivation. Newborn babies sleep a lot, but what I overlooked is that their sleep is broken up into short spurts. One night, Madelyn woke up almost every single hour. As we’re getting into routine over here, her sleep is getting better and ranges from about 3-4 hours at a time during the night. Win.

Eat. I was one of the lucky ones that was born with a baby that latched on 10 minutes after birth. The process of getting her to breastfeed has been a breeze. The act of breastfeeding is a different story. I thought it would be simple and it really is now that I’m past the first few weeks. My milk didn’t come in right away, so she just fed on colostrum for a few days. I didn’t have a strong let down either, so I couldn’t even pinpoint the exact time of when my milk did actually come in. One problem I had (and still struggle with) is having Madelyn stay awake long enough to get what she needs. She gets to the breast and within 10 minutes she’s falling asleep. In the beginning, I would just stop and let her sleep only to have her wake up 45 minutes later crying and hungry. I felt like I was feeding her all day. It became exhausting but I pushed through it. Now, I’ve got tricks up my sleep to help keep her awake and nursing on both sides. I also pump after I nurse in the morning and at her last feeding at night. Sometimes I leave it for LC to give her if I run out and do errands. I try to store & freeze at least 1/2 of what I pump so that I have some on back up for when I go back to work or when someone watches her. My doctor did tell me what formula would be best to use, but as long as breastfeeding is going well, I’d like to keep that as a last resort.

Emotionally. The transition into motherhood can be a difficult one. You’re sleep deprived. Your hormones are completely out of whack. Your body is just not at all what it was before. I’ve read other new mom bloggers that just make it seem like a cake walk and that they’ve got it all together. I’ve cried a handful of times. Both out of happiness and frustration. I’ve yelled at my husband when he was only trying to help. I’ve sat and cried in the shower. I questioned myself as to whether or not I am doing a good job. But I’ve also cried because I can’t believe the that I’ve been blessed with this little girl who brings me so much joy-who smiles at the sound of my voice as she’s waking up, who laughs in her sleep and who seems so eager to learn about the world around her.

What She loves. The other day while we were eating dinner, Madelyn sat calmly in her chair. I looked over at her and said to hubs, “I can’t believe she’s actually here.” Despite the trials and tribulations of the first month, I thank God every day that we’ve been given a healthy, happy baby to take care of and nurture. It amazes me that someone so small has such a big personality and knows what she wants.

She loves to move around and be worn in the Moby wrap.
The large balance ball has been a lifesaver for both gassiness and soothing.
She prefers to fall asleep on your chest as opposed to on her back in your arms.
She LOVES her vibrating chair and up until today, cried every time I tried to put her in her swing. Today, she fell right asleep.
The laugh she does in her sleep makes me laugh.
The smile she gets when she hears me calling her name as she’s waking up melts my heart.
Bath time relaxes her. We gave her a bath yesterday and she almost fell asleep in the tub. I think we have a little water baby on our hands.
Her funny expressions make my day.

She loves to cuddle with you and will take her little hands and rub them against your chest, almost like she’s trying to give you a massage.
She enjoys being read to and instead of looking at the book, she stares up at me with those big blue eyes and I read to her.

Happy 1 month of life baby girl! You have brought us more joy than I ever thought possible. I’m looking forward to watching you grown into a happy, loving little person

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