New baby, new decisions

They may look like twins, but their personalities are totally different!

With Hunter, parenting was new (duh!).  There were so many decisions to make!  Bottle feed/breast feed, vaccinate/not (wasn't a hard decision given all the peer reviewed, scientific studies), make baby food/buy commercial baby food, etc.  We started with breast feeding, and went to formula.  We vaccinate.  We bought commercial baby food.  We did rice cereal first.  We used disposable diapers.

With Gavin, parenting is still new (what?!).  Different baby, different personality, different decisions.  I breast fed for a less amount of time with him, we vaccinate, I'm making baby food, we cloth diaper, and I'm skipping rice cereal.

My choice to use formula was more of a selfish, guilty mom to my first born, choice.  Please don't read into that as I think formula feeding is a bad thing or that other mother's can't balance nursing with other kids.  I know other moms can.  I struggled.  Gavin wanted to eat, on each side, for 20 minutes each side, every 3 hours, plus colic.  Most of the time, only mommy could get Gavin to calm down.  Meanwhile, Hunter is in front of me asking me to play, asking me to put him to bed, asking me to read to him.  Most of the time I was telling him, "I'm sorry baby.  Right now I can't.  I'm feeding Gavin/trying to get him to calm down."  Fast forward like 2 or 3 weeks, I'm standing in front of the formula at the grocery store, in tears.  Guilt that I, who am producing huge amounts of milk, am not going to give my new baby "liquid gold", but also feeling a little relief because I will be able to spend more time with Hunter and daddy can help with Gavin.

I won't go into the vaccine debate.  If you're against it, you're against it and published, peer reviewed studies aren't going to convince you.  We choose to vaccinate.

We decided to cloth diaper Gavin.  With Hunter, I knew very little about cloth diapers.  Actually, I'm not sure the thought to cloth ever crossed my mind.  It wasn't until Ashley had sweet Charlie that I had even seen someone cloth diaper their child.  She made it look soooo easy!  And Charlie had the cutest little fluff butt!  When we got pregnant with Gavin, I looked into it.  You can buy used (sanitize them) or new and spend less than you ever would on disposable diapers.  Unless you become addicted and buy way more than you need, or pay way more than retail for a used diaper because it's a "hard to find" print.  I just can't justify spending a lot on something that a) my child is going to poop in, or b) I'm buying used and your child pooped in it, but that's me.  You can also resell them and get some of that money back.  We did it for the savings.  Added bonus is no chemicals on his sensitive little butt (we also use cloth wipes... really just newborn washcloths that I spray water on... for that same reason) and less of a carbon footprint from our house.

We are skipping rice cereal. It has no taste- they will never consume anything like that ever again.  Grains can be difficult for their digestion.  Given Gavin's milk protein allergy and possible soy protein allergy, I'm not upsetting his little system any more than it already is.  Hunter had a really difficult time digesting rice cereal.  He was a very miserable child while eating cereal.  I do not want to put Gavin through that.

I have started making Gavin's food, thanks to our kind friend, Jessica, who let us borrow her Magic Bullet.  I've made avocado, sweet potato, and banana.  Up next is green beans.  They are sitting in frozen squares in a baggie.  With Hunter, I just picked up a bunch of the commercial baby food that was available at the stores.  It was quick and easy and we paid lots of money.  As I read this, I feel like I sound like a snob.  Please don't think I'm turning up my nose at people who buy baby food.  I am definitely not!  We fed our older child commercial baby food.  I want Gavin to experience that real taste of the foods we give him in puree form and slowly introduce them as actual solids.

Hunter enjoying store bought baby food

Every parent has choices to make for their child(ren).  Only they can know what is best for their family and their child(ren)'s needs.  What we chose for Hunter was the best thing for us at that time and what we choose for Gavin is what is best for us now.

Gavin's 5 months old... a few days late

Time is flying by, while at the same time, standing still.  Anyone else know what I mean?!

Gavin is 17 pounds, 14 ounces as of last Thursday.  We had to go for a weight check to adjust his reflux medicine.  Such a chunky monkey!  That's why I've nicknamed him chunkamunk.

When placed in the sitting position, he can hold himself up for at least 5 seconds, and the most being about 30 seconds.  He really wants to be sitting up and doesn't like you to lay him down on your lap when so much is going on around him.

He will continue to roll side-to-side, but will not roll over.  He has done it (both belly to back and back to belly), so I know he can do it.  Apparently his side and his back are perfectly good positions for him.  He is now sleeping (knock on wood) flat on his back in his crib.  He was having some tummy issues tonight, so I'm hoping he will continue to be fine tonight on his back.  Reflux is so tricky!

His first tooth came through this month!  It is a sharp little thing!  It feels like the other lower, central incisor his about to come through.  He was a very fussy teether, so I broke down and purchased an amber necklace.  I never believed that it actually did anything, but figured it couldn't hurt!  I don't know if it actually does, or if he just isn't in pain with his teeth, but he really hasn't been fussy.  I take it off at night (his ankles are too chunky to wrap it around them), then put it back on in the morning.

You can see his little tooth (bottom right of the picture)

He continues to love The Little Gym class.  He loves watching the other kids and listening to Miss Sarah talk.  As she does opening circle, he just smiles at her!  It is so super cute.  My boys have always loved their Miss Sarah.

Hunter continues to be Gavin's favorite person by far!  Hunter can just look at him and Gavin giggles.  Carl is second and I'm third.  Unless it is snuggle time, then I'm the favorite.

He started in the middle of the play mat

His eczema continues to be pretty bad.  I've made an appointment with a dermatologist, but it isn't until the end of August.  I've now started putting Vaseline mixed with Cerave lotion on him.  The mixture doesn't seem to burn him like plain lotion, and it has improved his skin some.  I just want to find the root of the cause.  I'd prefer to avoid medicines or creams since those can break down his skin (and it is all over his body).

I started making a little bit of baby food to have him play with and taste.  So far, he is not a fan.  I'm in no rush, so I'm not going to push it.  I really just did it to introduce the taste and to see if he was ready.  The positive is he has minimal tongue thrusting.  So once he is really ready, he will be good to go.

Hunter's 4!

Partying it up at The Orb

It's hard to believe that I have been a mommy to this sweet boy for 4 years.  He can push all my buttons and turn around and make my heart melt.  He is inquisitive and wants to know why and how everything works.  He likes to learn all he can about what he is interested in (currently that would be dinosaurs).  I had no idea that I would know so much about and so many names of dinosaurs.  He is an amazing big brother.  Today, he was holding Gavin's hand in the car and was singing a song.  He said, "Mommy, I sang that song so Gavin would go to sleep.  And it worked."  So sweet.

He is currently going through what I hope is another phase.  It seems that every new birthday brings a new hurdle for us to over come.  It is attitude this year.  He is slowly decreasing the amount of times he says, "NO!" (in this high pitch, mean voice) due to immediate time outs and as of tonight, toys being removed from his room.  This too shall pass (quickly, I hope!).

Spring program at school

Hunter is writing his name and is now learning the proper way to write it (first letter is a capital, the rest are lower case).  The lower case "e" is tricky.  He is also writing his last name.  He loves to count and make patterns.  He has a math mind like Carl.

Books are another one of his favorite things.  He loves us to read to him and to "read" the books back to us.  He loves his dinosaur toys.  His imagination just amazes me.

He continues to do The Little Gym.  In the fall he will attend the sports skills class and likely participate in other sports outside of TLG.  We would like to introduce him to t-ball, soccer, basketball, and other sports and let him decide which one he likes best.  I'm secretly hoping that it's soccer, but we will see.

He can be very social, but also likes to have his alone time.  He will play with his friends, but then needs to take a break and play by himself.  He really has a thing for blonde girls.  I love hearing about who he has played with at school and what they did.

Gross motor wise, he is running, pedaling a bike, kicking and throwing balls.  He has become very proficient at driving his tractor that Cubbie bought him for his 2nd birthday.  He will drive that around outside until the battery dies.

At his well check, he was 35 pounds (40%ile) and 40 inches (40%ile).  Still is a picky eater (working on it).  Didn't cry for any of his 3 shots!

I did an interview with him and plan to do this yearly.

Favorite color: Red
Favorite toy: Buzz Lightyear and Dinosaurs
Favorite Fruit: Grapes
Favorite T.V. show: Dinosaur King (it's actually a movie)
Favorite thing to eat for lunch: Peanut Butter and Jelly
Favorite game: Dinosaur matching
Favorite snack: Apples
Favorite animal: Lion
Favorite book: My new dinosaur books
Favorite song: The ones I think about in my head and then just sing them
Best friend: Emma
Favorite thing to do outside: Throw balls
Favorite drink: Orange juice
Favorite holiday: Christmas
Favorite thing to take to bed at night: My lovey
Favorite thing to eat for breakfast: Bananas, I have one every morning!
What do you want to be when you grow up: A paleontologist
Favorite thing to do inside: Play with games, play with you (mommy), play games with you

Gavin's 4 month check up

Chunkamunk had his 4 month check up this past Tuesday.  He loved looking and talking to himself in the mirror.  He even showed off for Dr. Scott by rolling over (after I had just told him he had only gone back to belly twice and really showed no interest in rolling to his belly).

He is 16 pounds, 8 ounces (70%ile) and 26.5 inches (90%ile) with a head circumference of 44.9 cm.

We discussed his eczema and we are now trying a new product.  California Baby- eczema version.  It's pretty pricey, so I'm hoping it works!  I asked how likely it was that Gavin would have food allergies since he has pretty bad eczema.  Dr. Scott stated they tend to see eczema, reflux, and food allergies as a package deal.  With that said, we will wait until 6 months to discuss starting foods.  I'm okay with this for a lot of reasons- let his gut mature more, the AAP recommends waiting until 6 months, he should be able to lateralize his tongue (feeding development), etc.  He is showing a lot more interest in the food we are eating which is a great sign.  He will be our "baby led weaning" child.

"Give me some of that yogurt!"

He got his vaccines, cried for a minute, then went to sleep.  Carl said he was a little clingy for an hour or two after, but then was back to normal.

While on the subject of Gavin.... he had his first The Little Gym class on Saturday.  He seemed to really enjoy it!  He loved the stretches and the shakers and drooling rolling on the mat.  He stayed awake the entire time!  He was asleep before I could even put the straps on him in the car seat.  I say that is a successful day!

We also went to the beach Sunday.  He continues to not be a fan.

Before the beach

At the beach.  Reminds me of the gymnast from the Olympics, haha

Gavin at 4 Months

I'm pretty sure I say this with each new month, but how in the world did we get to 4 months?!  Most days it seems like it is flying by.

Gavin has seemed to have turned a corner with his temperament.  He's been in such a great mood lately, chatty, smiling, not needing to be held a lot (I still hold him every chance I get because I know all too well this stage is going to be gone in a blink of an eye!).  Last night was a little hard for him (and mommy and daddy).  He didn't poop much so it came back to haunt him last night.  Poor buddy was so uncomfortable.  Finally at 6:00 this morning he got it all out and was super happy.

We started reflux medicine again.  I know in his last month update it said we had it under control without medicine.  Probably about a week or two later he was struggling and in so much pain.  After the first dose or two back on, he's been a new kid.  He sometimes spits up and you can sometimes hear it come up and go back down (silent reflux), but it no longer hurts him when it happens.

Still eating mostly 4 ounce bottles.  Occasionally he will eat 5 or 6.  Still every 3 hours (sometimes 2 1/2).  He will give one 4-5 hour stretch at night.  Last week he actually slept through the night one night!  I was totally amazed!

He rolled from his belly to his back on Saturday for the first time.  I put him down on his belly and he immediately rolled to his back.  He said, "No way!"  He still hasn't rolled back to front.  He rolls on his side and seems to be very content there, chatting with whatever is over there at that given time.  He is also holding his head up really well on his belly and when we hold him in our lap/on our hip/in the sling.  He appears to enjoy the sling a little more than the Ergo, but I think it's because he can see things so much better in the sling.  Once he is a little bigger and can see over the straps of the Ergo on the hip carry I think he will like it again.

He is tolerating sitting in the Bumbo for longer periods of time.  I need to get a high chair for him so he can be a little more supported with straps.  Once he is sitting nicely and not having to concentrate so much on trunk control, we will introduce solids.  It will be more around 5-6 months.  Given his digestive issues, I want to make sure his GI system is a little more mature and can handle foods.  We will start with avocado.  Yummy!  I can't wait to see his face! haha

His eczema is still bad, but seems to not be getting worse.  I've been trying to give him more frequent baths and use the baby brush to exfoliate his head and skin.  Then I lather him up with the lotion recommended by his pediatrician.

I don't know his official stats yet.  When we went for his reflux medicine a few weeks ago, he weighed 15 pounds.  Such a chunk!  I take both boys next week for their well visits so I will know officially then.

He had his first visit to the aquarium and the beach this weekend.  He loved looking at the fish!  He did not like putting his feet in the water.  He lifted those feet so fast.  Then, when I tried to put them back in, he cried.  Mean, mean mommy!

Lessons

I've learned a few lessons these last almost 4 months since having Gavin about birth and parenting.  I feel as though I should share this knowledge with the world.

40 weeks, 5 days Hunter

41 weeks Gavin

With Hunter, we didn't take a birthing class.  We weren't very educated on labor and delivery.  We wanted so badly to meet Hunter and thought induction was a great idea when 40 weeks came and went.  Labor wasn't progressing, his heart rate dropped once, and off to the OR we went for an emergency c-section.  Not what I wanted with any of our next child!

With Gavin, we took a birthing class.  I felt we were super educated.  I made a birth plan!  I was not getting that epidural and we weren't getting induced.  Fast forward to our 41 week appointment.  I was devastated they weren't inducing me until the following week at almost 42 weeks.  I then became thankful they did not because I went into labor on my own.  I was 5 cm by the time I got to the hospital.  The contractions were so intense at my c-section scar site.  I caved, I asked for drugs (one strike against the birth plan).  When they came in to give me said drugs, the nurse said I was complete.  Couldn't get the said drugs, so got a small epidural instead (strike number 2 against birth plan).  Stopped progressing (because I wasn't really fully dilated) and ended up with a c-section.  In the birth plan, I didn't want Gavin to be away from us.  That ended up medically impossible due to complications with him (strike 3, kind of).  No formula, only being breastfed (again, he was having difficulties eating, so that ended up being strike 4).

Lesson 1: Take a birthing class and educate yourself.  Write a birth plan, but tear it up (I kid... kind of).  Know what you want and have someone there to advocate for you, but know that things don't always go as planned.  Be prepared for the possibility of a c-section.

Lesson 2: It is okay to mourn the loss of a vaginal birth.   Yes, baby is here and healthy.  That does matter.  But so do your feelings.  Don't let anyone ever make you feel like you shouldn't be sad that you ended up with a c-section.  I will tell you I still have times that I mourn the loss.

By 6 weeks old, Hunter was sleeping through the night.  We had a night time routine, lots of structure.  He was easy going and was, for the most part, a happy baby.  He made us think that we were AMAZING parents!  It was our parenting skills that made him the way he was.

Gavin, now almost 4 months old, still wakes up in the middle of the night to eat, as do most 4 month old babies.  He goes from happy to hangry in 0 seconds flat or from happy to I-need-to-sleep-right-now-but-I'm-going-to-fight-it in 0 seconds.  We have a nightly routine with him, our parenting is pretty much the same as it was with Hunter.

Lesson 3: Personality plays a big part in how your child acts.  You might be an amazing parent, but babies are babies and they are going to do what they are going to do.

Hunter was our observer (still is).  He would take everything in and didn't make a lot of noise.  Gavin is a talker!  He is observant, but he loves to babble and communicate with you.  He recognizes our voices.  Today, for example, I walked in and I was talking to Carl and Hunter, but I never came in eye sight for Gavin.  Carl finally said, "Will you come say hi to your youngest?  He is looking for you."  He can also be on the verge of being asleep, but if he hears Hunter, his eyes open and he searches for him.

Lesson 4:  Doesn't matter that they look like twins 4 years apart, each child is different.

I have always taken pride in being on time, early even, to events.  It stresses me out to be late.  With one child, once you get into the groove, it is easy to continue to be on time.  Now with two, forget being early!  Maybe it's just this baby/big diaper bag/make sure you don't forget anything or it may be the end of the world stage (I'm hoping) and soon it will get better.

Lesson 5: Your loved ones will understand if you're late when you have kids.  Try not to let it stress you out that you weren't at the play date right at 10 am.  They will forgive you.  (Do as I say, not as I do... I still stress out over not being on time).

Any words of wisdom you want to share?

*Please be aware that I feel nothing wrong with c-sections, scheduled c-sections, inductions, or formula.  I don't judge anyone for any of these.  It was just my dream ever since my c-section with Hunter to have a vaginal birth with labor started by my own body.*

Carl's a graduate!

Yesterday was Carl's graduation ceremony.  He was officially done with school back in January.  He really didn't want to go, but I made him convinced him to attend.  I think the pictures will be ones the boys can look back on and be very proud of him for accomplishing.

The ceremony was pretty long.  Thankfully, Carl's area of study was one of the first to walk across the stage.  Once he walked, we went into the lobby area so Hunter didn't have to sit still and be super quiet for any longer.  Both the boys did a fantastic job.

I can't begin to express how proud I am of Carl.  He graduated magna cum laude!  It is no easy task going to college with little responsibilities (like when I went), much less doing it while raising a family, working full-time, and taking care of a house.  He went to school in the morning and worked until 9/9:30 every night.  We couldn't have done it without supporting each other and all the encouragement and support we received from our family and friends.