4 Month Schedule

So, H. is now 4 months old, and we have a schedule that seems to work for us, and seems like it's going to stick for a while. A lot has changed since I posted our daily schedule a month ago.

7am: H. wakes up, and drinks a 7oz bottle.

8am: H. and momma play the tickle monster game, peek-a-boo, and his favourite, "you're falling into momma's face!" (he stands on my knees and I lean him into my face while saying, you guessed it, "you're falling into my face!"... always gets a smile)

9:30am: H. goes down for nap #1 of the day.

11am: H. wakes up from nap, gets dressed for the day, and has another 7oz bottle.

11:30am: H. plays some more (usually now he plays more independently, in his high chair, his exersaucer, his bouncy chair)

1pm: H. goes down for nap #2. This one ranges in time from an hour, to sometimes 3, depending on his mood, and how well he slept the night before.

3pm: H. eats yet another 7oz bottle, and we play some more... depending on his mood it'll be in his high chair, or in my lap with some toys. Around this time, I will read to him if he is in the right mood.

7pm: H. eats the last 7oz bottle of the day, and goes to sleep for 12 hours.

What can I say? I'm a lucky mom. He can entertain himself, he is cuddly, he is smart and fun to play with, he's a good eater, and he sleeps for 12 hours at night.

I love my son!

I have a house...

In jut 5 weeks, I, along with H. and my older sister, will be moving into a house of our very own... well, not really our own, we're renting... but still, A HOUSE!

We are super excited with all the planning, and shopping for furniture and such... we must have spent about 45 minutes in Home Depot picking out paint colours for H.'s room (Stace found one called Giggles, which is super cute).

I've already had 2 trips to Ikea to look at furniture (mainly beds, I am in desperate need of a bed), and last night Stace and I spent a few hours checking out all the home decorating/furniture stores in town.

But the best part is the little sign I found and pointed out (as a joke to Stace, who bought it). It's blue and long and rectangular, and on it in big white block letters is the word "tight". We haven't decided where in the house it'll go, but it'll be a laugh.

Conversations with H.

When I was younger, before I was a mom, and people would talk about their baby's first word, I was under the impression that babies go through the first year of life without making a peep, beyond some giggles and cries.

Boy, was I wrong.

As I've mentioned numerous times, H. is incredibly vocal. So much so that I can carry on conversations with him... not with words, but very enthusiastic on his part. (as I wrote that, he started screeching, happily, at the turtle that hangs from the toy bar on his bouncy chair)

In the mornings, when I feed him, I lay him in my lap and talk to him. And he talks back. Today was a fun one too.

Every few days or so, H. experiments with a new sound. The newest one is a sad sort of pouty noise, complete with furrowed brows.

So, this morning, I was talking with H., and I asked him if he was my big boy. His reply? His pouty noise along with a shake of his head. It was so adorable that I had to laugh. And then my little man laughed.

I guess I hit a nerve with my poor little guy.

Our First Ouchie...

So, at 3 months old, H. and I had our first big ouchie... and admittedly, I think I might've cried more then he did.

So, in the mornings when H. and I get up, I sit on the couch with him half on my lap and half leaning against the pillow that's there and feed him while checking my email and facebook and talking to him.

Well, yesterday, we got into position (around 6:30am) and I realized I didn't have a receiving blanket to burp him, so I leaned him against the pillow and the back of the couch and turned my back for just a second, and he fell. Right down. On the floor. And screamed!

Well, I was crying just after he started, but my first aid training told me to wait until he moved everything (just in case of spinal cord injury) before picking him up. He was already wiggling by the time I got to him, so I picked him up and rocked him and cried with him until he calmed down slightly (it would be some time before he was fully calm).

I knew I needed to check to see if he had any bumps or bruises, so I lay him on the couch and checked all over, and thankfully, besides a red mark on his forehead where he was laying on the floor, he had no ouchies (I was afraid of broken bones and concussions). He was still crying, but he let me feel him all over, so I knew he wasn't overly sore anywhere.

He had just woken up after sleeping all night, so I tried feeding him, and he ate a little bit (it would take almost all day for him to have a full feeding). And I cuddled him, and said I was sorry, and cried for his pain that I couldn't take away.

He was not himself all day, so I began to grow worried again when he was still upset and not eating around 6pm (almost 12 hours later). I checked him all over again, and there were still no bumps or red areas, and he let me feel all over his head, so I figured he was just a little traumatized, and possibly a little sore, and very tired.

But he ate a bit around 10pm (not a full feeding, but more than he had eaten all day), and fell asleep until almost 8am this morning. And he was back to his happy, smiley self. And I was happy.

But they don't tell you about this, about how painful it is to watch your little baby in pain and know that you can't do anything.

I'm going to take more time to heal then H., I'm thinking.

Teething Woes

I can officially see (and feel) one of H.'s teeth. It's the bottom left one. But I am worried. I hear it could be months before it actually cuts... which I sincerely hope it's not, because H. has been an absolute grump lately.

He's been spitting up more, drooling a whole lot more, and very cranky. Poor little guy. I've been giving him a soother that has been in the freezer, which seems to calm him down.

The worst part is how clingy he's become. If I so much as try to put him in his crib to sleep during the day, he will raise a little stink. So, I have had to wear him in the sling for half an hour or so, until he is fully asleep, and I can't sit down, I have to be bouncing or rocking him (but at least I'll have rocking abs and legs to show for it). So, it's been a rough few days.

I really hope this doesn't last too long... for me, and especially for him.

The Soother Game

My son can't fall asleep without his soother... and he can't sleep without moving. It's not uncommon for him to wake up on the complete other side of the crib than where he was put down.

It's also kind of interesting to guess and see where his soother will end up in relation to him.

He sometimes knocks it out of his mouth, and then out of the crib (those ones are always fun to find in the middle of the night... without turning the light on, of course). Sometimes they end up at his feet, or even at the foot of his crib. And sometimes they end up underneath him.

The best one was not even one I saw, but one my mother discovered. He had knocked it out of his mouth. But amazingly enough, he managed to find it again... but it was backwards. He had the part the goes in his mouth in his little fist, and he was sucking away on the handle, fast asleep.

It's good to know he's not picky, at least!

Daily Schedule; 2month

It's two months in, (give or take a few days) and H. is pretty much on a schedule now. Some days are a little different (like sundays), but for the most part, this is how the day goes.

7am: H. wakes up, gets his diaper changed, and eats.

8am: around this time, H. and I have momma time, during which we play "who's got your chin?" and "who let the tickle monsters in?". And I usually read to him.

9:30am: this is usually when he gets tired of playing, and falls asleep in my arms for his morning nap.

12pm: H. wakes up from his nap, gets another diaper change, eats again, and we play some more. This time he usually plays in his swing or on his play mat, with a little momma play time towards the end.

1pm: H. goes down for his afternoon nap.

4pm: H. wakes up, gets his diaper changed, eats, and plays some more with Momma.

7pm: H. goes back to sleep.

1am: H. wakes up to get his diaper changed and eat.

4:30am: H. gets up to eat again.

7am: H. wakes up, gets his diaper changed, and eats.

This is our daily schedule, and it's been working well for us for about 3 weeks now.