Jacob had his 4 month check-up today. (Even though he's technically 5 months.)
He weighed 18 pounds and was about 27 inches long!
No wonder we had a problem with footie PJs. He's in 9 or 12 month clothes now!
10/30/2015
10/27/2015
About The 2015 Gerber Baby Photo Search
You can vote for this guy in the 2015 Gerber Baby Photo Search!
He's entry #88682!
Voting begins on 10/28 and goes until 11/24!
10/26/2015
About Halloween
Jacob was a little monkey for his first Halloween!
We went to Boo at the Zoo at the National Zoo. I wrote a post about it for Mommy Effect. http://mommyeffect.com/halloween-fun-boo-at-the-zoo/
For Halloween night, we sat in the driveway with our monkey and passed out candy. No trick or treating this year!
10/23/2015
About Sleeping Positions
Ever since Jacob learned how to roll over, he's been spending a lot of time on his tummy. The only problem is, it's like all of a sudden, he forgot how to roll from his tummy to his back. Not really a big deal - I'm sure he'll get it eventually, except that he keeps rolling over on his tummy in his crib at night.
Sometimes he wakes up all pissed off because he can't get back over and we have to go in and flip him over, only to get back in bed and look at him on the monitor and see that he's back on his belly again.
Other times, he seems perfectly content to sleep on his stomach, but when we look at him, his face is smooshed into the mattress or his arm is flung over his face, covering his nose and his mouth.
We were going into his room and flipping him onto his back, but since he just keeps rolling onto his tummy anyway, we started trying to turn his head or move his arms so that we know he can breathe. It's just the weirdest thing.
Last night he slept great - slept on his stomach most of the night and never made a sound or woke up once. But Tommy and I both got up like three times each to make sure his face wasn't covered and that he was still breathing.
Hello, baby... I can't believe you don't know this, but breathing is kind of important!!!
I know you're supposed to put babies down on their back to sleep, and we still do, but what are we supposed to do until he can roll over both ways? Any suggestions?
Sometimes he wakes up all pissed off because he can't get back over and we have to go in and flip him over, only to get back in bed and look at him on the monitor and see that he's back on his belly again.
Other times, he seems perfectly content to sleep on his stomach, but when we look at him, his face is smooshed into the mattress or his arm is flung over his face, covering his nose and his mouth.
We were going into his room and flipping him onto his back, but since he just keeps rolling onto his tummy anyway, we started trying to turn his head or move his arms so that we know he can breathe. It's just the weirdest thing.
Last night he slept great - slept on his stomach most of the night and never made a sound or woke up once. But Tommy and I both got up like three times each to make sure his face wasn't covered and that he was still breathing.
Hello, baby... I can't believe you don't know this, but breathing is kind of important!!!
I know you're supposed to put babies down on their back to sleep, and we still do, but what are we supposed to do until he can roll over both ways? Any suggestions?
10/16/2015
About Screen Time
The American Academy of Pediatrics recently announced that they are considering changes to their screen time guidelines. Previously, the AAP was against all screen time for children under two years of age. The AAP says that “In a world where ‘screen time’ is becoming simply ‘time,’ our policies must evolve or become obsolete." Their new guidelines won't be released until sometime in 2016, but people have already been talking about them, saying that the AAP has finally gotten with the program. Others (myself included at first!) feel like it almost sounds like the AAP is just copping out, as if to say, people are doing it anyway, so what difference does it make what we say?
The AAP says that their new guidelines will stress quality over quantity; also, they continue to suggest supervising your children and technology, staying involved, and integrating tech-free activities in your child's daily playtime. Here's what the AAP's website currently says about media and children. Sounds like common sense to me.
My husband and I already came to an agreement shortly after Jacob was born, and long before the news of the AAP's revision of their screen time guidelines. We're keeping technology out of his hands for as long as possible! We've seen how the flickering light from the television will catch his attention. If I go to take a picture of him, he will reach out and grab for my iPhone. (And usually just try to put it in his mouth.) But it's scary to see that technology already has that kind of effect on a kid so little!
I know that there are lots of great techie toys and educational apps out there that will greatly benefit Jacob someday. I know kids can learn a lot if given the right tools and the time to explore. So Jacob will use them... someday. But I also want our son to be a kid and use his imagination. To read and draw and play with Legos. To color the driveway with chalk and to blow bubbles. To play catch in the backyard. To stand in the kitchen and learn how to bake with his dad. To go to one of the many parks in our neighborhood and swing on the swings. To cover the dining room table with sheets and blankets to make it into a cave or a fort.
You know... like we did when we were kids.
What do you think? Comment below!
The AAP says that their new guidelines will stress quality over quantity; also, they continue to suggest supervising your children and technology, staying involved, and integrating tech-free activities in your child's daily playtime. Here's what the AAP's website currently says about media and children. Sounds like common sense to me.
My husband and I already came to an agreement shortly after Jacob was born, and long before the news of the AAP's revision of their screen time guidelines. We're keeping technology out of his hands for as long as possible! We've seen how the flickering light from the television will catch his attention. If I go to take a picture of him, he will reach out and grab for my iPhone. (And usually just try to put it in his mouth.) But it's scary to see that technology already has that kind of effect on a kid so little!
I know that there are lots of great techie toys and educational apps out there that will greatly benefit Jacob someday. I know kids can learn a lot if given the right tools and the time to explore. So Jacob will use them... someday. But I also want our son to be a kid and use his imagination. To read and draw and play with Legos. To color the driveway with chalk and to blow bubbles. To play catch in the backyard. To stand in the kitchen and learn how to bake with his dad. To go to one of the many parks in our neighborhood and swing on the swings. To cover the dining room table with sheets and blankets to make it into a cave or a fort.
You know... like we did when we were kids.
What do you think? Comment below!
10/15/2015
MOMent: It's official! I'm a SAHM!
It's official. I'll be taking time off from work to be a SAHM.
I'm so excited that we are able to do this. I am so glad to be able to spend so much time with Jacob. He's grown and changed so much over the past few months, that I hate to think about what I might be missing!
I'm trying to keep busy (translation: if I have a spare minute or two) by writing. I'm working on a book, and I've written posts for Mommy Effect and Scary Mommy. Check them out below!
The Secret About Hand Me Downs
No Such Thing as a Fairy-Tale Romance
The Lazy Mama's Guide to a Laid-Back Fall Happy Hour
Daddy's First Day Back To Work
I'm so excited that we are able to do this. I am so glad to be able to spend so much time with Jacob. He's grown and changed so much over the past few months, that I hate to think about what I might be missing!
I'm trying to keep busy (translation: if I have a spare minute or two) by writing. I'm working on a book, and I've written posts for Mommy Effect and Scary Mommy. Check them out below!
The Secret About Hand Me Downs
No Such Thing as a Fairy-Tale Romance
The Lazy Mama's Guide to a Laid-Back Fall Happy Hour
Daddy's First Day Back To Work
Making New Mom Friends is Harder Than I Thought
If you're reading this, and you're a SAHM, how do you spend your day? Comment below!
If you're reading this, and you're a SAHM, how do you spend your day? Comment below!
10/11/2015
About Starting Cereal
Our pediatrician gives the ok to start food at 4 months so we decided to let Jacob try some single grain rice cereal. I've noticed recently that he'll stare at us when we eat and thought maybe he might like to try something different.
I've messed around and put formula on a spoon a couple times for him to see how he reacted to having the spoon pushed in his mouth - he's been ok with it every time. He also sits up ok in his high chair so I thought it would be ok.
I've messed around and put formula on a spoon a couple times for him to see how he reacted to having the spoon pushed in his mouth - he's been ok with it every time. He also sits up ok in his high chair so I thought it would be ok.
From the first spoonful, it was clear that he loved it, even though he was quiet. He had no problem with the spoon in his mouth and tried to grab for it and stick it in his mouth - I guess we weren't feeding him fast enough!
When we tried again the second day, he did even better. He had a big smile on his face when he saw me coming towards him with the bowl and spoon. He smiled and babbled the whole time he ate... so he got a little messier, but he didn't seem to mind too much!
10/10/2015
About Farm Day
We took Jacob to Falls Church Farm Day today. We just wanted to get him outside and walk around and figured it might be a good place to take pictures. We got a bunch! He got to ride a pony and pet a duck, too!
My favorite picture is the black and white one. The farmhouse in the park had a swing hanging from an old farm scale so we stuck Jacob in it. We were trying to get Jacob to smile, but I love the expression on his face in that photo!
I just have to remember to take his bib off when we pose him for pictures next time!
My favorite picture is the black and white one. The farmhouse in the park had a swing hanging from an old farm scale so we stuck Jacob in it. We were trying to get Jacob to smile, but I love the expression on his face in that photo!
I just have to remember to take his bib off when we pose him for pictures next time!
10/09/2015
About Refusing the Bottle
Awhile back when Jacob first started teething, he started pushing the bottle away. He'd start eating, then partway through, he'd smack at the bottle, shove it away, and start crying.
It was worrying me because he could easily pack away 30+ ounces of formula a day and all of a sudden, he was only getting 20-something. Some days it was like he was missing a whole bottle!
I called the nurse line at our ped's office and the nurse told me not to worry. She said if he was teething, chances are the bottle was probably hurting his mouth, and that he'd eat when he was hungry. She said if he was making 4-6 wet diapers a day, he was just fine. He makes like 10, so I figured we were good!
Still, it's frustrating to have him go from being a voracious eater to only doing half a bottle, sometimes even less. Our ped eventually told us that his weight gain would start to taper off, which would lead to him eating less, too. She said to aim for between 28-32 ounces a day.
After awhile, Jacob started to get better. He still has his moments where he might push the bottle away, but he usually gets plenty to eat during the day. Whew.
Any of you have any issues with feeding and teething?
10/05/2015
About Feet
I don't know what the deal is, but Jacob must have some huge feet. Either that or his socks have shrunk like crazy. I swear we just bought 3-12 month socks a few weeks ago but all of his socks have gotten tight - to the point where they leave marks around his ankles! I ended up getting some 12 month socks on Amazon and they fit just fine.
I guess he gets his big feet from me. 😐
About Sitting
The other night, I sat Jacob on the bed facing away from me. He leaned forward away from me, and stuck his hands out in front of him. I let go and moved my hands away from him and he sat there all by himself! I couldn't believe it. He's sat in his bouncer and high chair and we prohim up in the corner of the couch to take pictures but I couldn't believe he was sitting all on his own!
10/02/2015
MOMent: I'm a Mommy Effect Website Contributor!
I'm happy to announce that I am going to be a regular contributor on the website MOMMY EFFECT.
Here's my first post: Daddy's First Day Bsck at Work
I read a couple different big parenting websites but there were a few posts on Mommy Effect that I felt like I could have written myself. It's nice to feel like you have a connection like that with someone, even if you don't know them. I hope that my blog posts on Mommy Effect can do that for other people!
Here's my first post: Daddy's First Day Bsck at Work
10/01/2015
About Baby Hands
I love giving Jacob a bottle and seeing his little hands on either side of it, trying to "help" hold it. And I love how he'll squeeze one of my fingers in a death grip while he takes his bottle and stares at me with those giant blue eyes. He makes me laugh when he sticks his hands in MY mouth. (Or tries to stick a finger in my nose.)
But my favorite thing is when Jacob is starting to fall asleep and needs a little extra help to get there. He will take my hand in his two little ones and pull it down close on top of his chest, like he needs to give it a big hug before he can fall asleep. I love feeling those little hands on mine.
But my favorite thing is when Jacob is starting to fall asleep and needs a little extra help to get there. He will take my hand in his two little ones and pull it down close on top of his chest, like he needs to give it a big hug before he can fall asleep. I love feeling those little hands on mine.
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