Baby Bird's First Stand... and other feats

Just turned around to find Baby Bird standing up, hanging on to the side of his playpen.  I think it's the first time he's pulled himself up completely like that (i.e., not with the aid of mommy or daddy's fingers).  He's so proud of himself, and I'm proud of him.

He cut his first tooth this past week (the right of the two lower center teeth), and it looks like the right top center is not far behind.

Third ear infection (second double) of the season though, and the nebulizer-administered budesonide will remain for the rest of the winter. :(

Turns 9 months tomorrow... wow.  I think he's topped 26 pounds.  He was 24 lbs 13 oz just before Christmas (12/23) and still always seems heavier every day.

He still standing in his playpen, watching me as I type this... upfh, actually he sat down and got up again.  Yeah, I doubt he will crawl, shows no interest in tummy time, but he loves to stand!

Baby Bird unplugged... 7 months

Six Months update

So serious

Finally a juicy post!  On Monday, Baby Bird turned 6 months old.  Things of note:

1.  He weighed in at his wellness visit at 21 lbs.  Even though my back and knees may not appreciate it when I lumber up to our third-floor apartment, I see this as somewhat of an accomplishment.  Baby Bird is predominately fed with breast milk, so the fact that I've gotten him this big is a source of pride.  When we brought him home from the hospital, I was having trouble getting him to latch and so at our one week appointment at the pediatrician he was failing to gain weight.  Fast forward through a few weeks of struggle to solidify latch and then finally produce enough to stop supplementing with formula and he was gaining 2 ounces a day.  The one thing that saves me from thinking that I am not producing a buddha is that his head's so big.  Baby Bird is nice and chunky, but proportionate... around 70th percentile for both height and weight.

2. Speaking of which he's 27 1/2 inches tall, plus or minus a half inch (I am not convinced of the accuracy of the pediatrician's measurement, she did it so fast).  He might be closer to 27 inches than 27.5.  But either way, he's still already almost as long as the changing pad on the dresser, and I'm struggling to keep the majority of his torso (his legs were left to fend for themselves long ago) afloat on My Brest Friend.  

3.  Head circumference: 43.5 cm.  All I can think of is "Big head, big head, big head!"  (Remember that episode of "Friends"?)

4. So how's sleeping going?  Well, I still bedshare with him (or more accurately, reclinershare).  He sleeps pretty solidly from about 9:30 pm to 8 am, give or take a half hour or so either way.  He'll nap in my lap or the swing in the evenings and then we climb in the recliner at about 11.  He'll wake up once or twice to nurse, or just soothe, and then I get out of the chair between 6:30-7:00 am.  He usually remains asleep and rocks in the swing for another hour or so while I get ready for work.  So on the one hand I feel like he sleeps fairly well, and then I have to remind myself that he is not sleeping on his own and I haven't laid in my own bed in weeks.  Sometimes this bothers me, but most of the time it doesn't.  Maybe it should but I'll admit, it's kind of nice to snuggle with him at night.  I just wouldn't mind being able to snuggle with his dad more often.  We've tried to get him to sleep in his crib, but he always works himself into a fit, and P and I are not keen on seeing him cry and cry.  

Many tell me that I need to "break him" of this "sleeping on Mommy thing", and I know on some level I should, but every attempt miserably fails, and we give up because well, at least I *can* sleep when I'm with him on the recliner, and it's comfortable enough.  Can you tell I'm not convinced, either way?  I wish we could just bed share, but until his reflux completely clears (though it might be gone already, we've been weaning him off his meds) he hasn't seemed to do well sleeping on flat surfaces.  Plus, and I don't know if this is a mark of postpartum anxiety or what, but I don't sleep well if I am not near him.  I wrack myself with worry over every little thing (hearing his sleeping noises, not hearing his sleeping noises...).  I know, practice will probably make perfect, but now that I'm working it is just hard to give up a night's sleep (or likely several) to go through the currently miserable process of training M to sleep on his own.  I know there will be long range dividends, but in the short term I just don't think I can pull it off.  P works late four days a week, so whatever sleep training would fall largely on me and I'm too tired in the evenings to do it myself.  Vicious cycle.   

5. Starting solids: we were going to start him last weekend with rice cereal, but then I couldn't find P's baby spoons and well, it just didn't happen.  So we'll see if we can't get it going next weekend.  I really want P to be there and to catch our first attempt on video.  

6.  Baby Bird can almost sit up on his own (he can do so assisted), is proficient with rolling from his back to his tummy, and has at least twice rolled from his tummy to his back.  He has started to notice when I leave the room, or rather, move out of his range of vision.  This mostly when he wants to be picked up.  

7.  I once heard Baby Bird laugh outright.  Most of the time he just giggles (so cute), but this one time I heard him guffaw.  

8.  Baby Bird is a man of few words, but infinite facial expressions.  Following are a few of his latest, taken on his 1/2 birthday (and a couple taken a day or so before):

"Sure, whatevs, Mom"

 

"Yehright"

"Oooooh!"

"No, really, you shouldn't have..."

Chubby cheeks

The Baby Bird Flips Back

Been meaning to upload this video for a couple of weeks now, sorry!  DH and I and Baby Bird went to a wedding on October 1 and stopped by my sister's place on the way back.  We gave Baby Bird a diaper change and as we were getting him dressed again we got him to show his aunt how he could flip from his back to his tummy.  He surprised us by then flipping from his tummy to his back.  Auntie happened to be recording on her iPhone so we have his first tummy-to-back flip on video - YAY!  And here it is...

Time for bed!

Just a quick PIP (pic in post).  Good night everyone!

Only 1 1/2 ounces???

I've been sick.  Have to give myself at least that.  And, Baby Bird was hungry after getting dressed so I nursed him again at about 8:30, later than normal.  But still, it was disturbing to see that I only pumped 1.5 ounces total at 10:30 am.  Yesterday's output was also low (and I was home all day resting).

I hope it's just that I'm not feeling well, and that maybe I need to be more vigilant about my water intake (probably didn't drink enough).  But in the back of my mind I'm worrying that this is the beginning of a trend.  I hope not!

Another cranky night

Baby Bird was up crying again last night... or rather, this morning.  Couldn't get him to settle down, didn't even want to nurse, which is usually my secret weapon to cure all ills.  And, I could tell he was exhausted, poor thing.  Had woken up crying at about 4:45 or so, fell asleep around 6:15, but woke up again at about 6:40.  And then, for the next three hours (or just about), he was awake and cranky, kind of an irritated wimpering, and if we tried to put him down he would start crying even harder.  No fever.  When he finally fell asleep, he did start to snore a little bit, but that was the first sign of any congestion.

Took him to the pediatrician (I did feel a little like a hypochondriac making the call, but then, hey, I'm a new mom, how do I know?).  Thought it could be reflux acting up (as I had thought last week), or maybe teething (also as I thought last week).

Diagnosis?  Ear infection.

While it's not great that he's suffering, it's a relief for me to know what it is -- and to know that I was right to take him to the doctor.  After we finish nursing, it's off to the pharmacy for some antibiotics.