Saturday, January 30, 2010
Ahoy
Another pirate post....BECAUSE IT'S SO CUTE!
This costume was given to us when Miles was born, since he went home on Halloween, but it was a little too big to fit him then. Thank goodness I pulled it out of the drawer, because I don't think it will fit much longer!
This costume was given to us when Miles was born, since he went home on Halloween, but it was a little too big to fit him then. Thank goodness I pulled it out of the drawer, because I don't think it will fit much longer!
Three months
HOORAY! Being three months old is SO FUN!!
Well, the biggest news is my mom has arrived! She made it into town this Thursday and has gotten settled pretty quickly. It's so hard to believe. I'm guessing it will sink in soon that she's here to stay and not just on an extended vacation. She starts her new job on Monday. Welcome to Utah Nana!
Miles is still charming as ever and still LOTS of work (this will never end, I know). We've actually heard a laugh or two out of him, but like those first few smiles, they're a bit elusive. The best one was when Craig's beard tickled his neck. So cute. I can't wait to see what makes him chuckle and to hear it more frequently.
He's getting better at opening his fist and actually grasping on to things. Won't be long until everything within his reach goes straight to his mouth.
Still trying hard to roll over. We'll be baby proofing very soon I think!
Napping is still tough, but my cousin, Serene, pointed me in the direction of a great book. The no-cry nap solution by Elizabeth Pantley. Thanks Serene! I love it....the book is very mellow and very positive. Her approach is loving and respectful. Basically, her philosophy is if it works for your family, great, keep it up. If not, here are some things to try. However, it's all very gentle, which is easier for me to swallow. Interestingly, based on some of the advice in the book, Miles is currently on hour two of a nap. Previously, I was lucky to get 45 minutes out of him. Of course, this is the first time trying her 'trick', so we'll see. I've seen big improvements already though and apparently, napping doesn't really get organized until about four months old. So, I'm guessing next months post will have a lot to say about that! :-)
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Twelve week update
Miles surprises us almost every day now. He's changing so much and so fast. Nap time continues to improve. Today we actually had some concentrated sleeping in the crib. Amazing. We're just taking it slow. His system is maturing and it seems that sleeping is getting easier for him. This bodes well for me, because I would love, love, love to be able to get a nap or two in during the week. I'm still playing catch up. Night time is also falling into a rhythm. He's been pretty consistent with 6 (and occasionally 7 or even 8 hours) for the first stretch, followed by another 2 to 3. I hope I'm not tempting fate by mentioning this-I've become very superstitious. I don't want to lose any precious sleep ground we've gained.
He still loves to look around and is noticing more and more of his surroundings. He gets so excited when we dangle toys in front of him-his whole body gets involved-lots of kicking and arm waving. The favorite item right now though is his fist. He will spend a lot of concentrated time looking at it, moving it and chewing on it. Incredibly fascinating to him!
We finally had some green air quality days this last week, which was wonderful. This meant we could actually get out of the house and do some walking with the dogs. The stroller/car seat thing is working out much better these days. I just time the walks around one of his naps and it's been working so far. We've even had a couple of lunch dates at Aunt Mary's via walking. Very fun and nice to have a change of surroundings.
I would like to point out that in the pictures below, Miles is wearing a hat that I made. If you know me, you know that this is actually a miracle. Not only did I finish a project, but I finished it in time for it to fit his head! I'm very proud, as this might not ever be repeated!
His smiles continue to melt our hearts. He seems to be on the verge of laughing, just waiting for the right moment I guess. He also has become quite the chatterbug. Lots of vocalizations.
And a word on cloth diapering. I love it! I've actually become a little obsessed. We have enough now that we've essentially stopped using disposables. I find it quite fun, especially the not filling the garbage can part. This surprises me because I seriously thought I'd be too lazy to embrace the whole process. Who knew.
He still loves to look around and is noticing more and more of his surroundings. He gets so excited when we dangle toys in front of him-his whole body gets involved-lots of kicking and arm waving. The favorite item right now though is his fist. He will spend a lot of concentrated time looking at it, moving it and chewing on it. Incredibly fascinating to him!
We finally had some green air quality days this last week, which was wonderful. This meant we could actually get out of the house and do some walking with the dogs. The stroller/car seat thing is working out much better these days. I just time the walks around one of his naps and it's been working so far. We've even had a couple of lunch dates at Aunt Mary's via walking. Very fun and nice to have a change of surroundings.
I would like to point out that in the pictures below, Miles is wearing a hat that I made. If you know me, you know that this is actually a miracle. Not only did I finish a project, but I finished it in time for it to fit his head! I'm very proud, as this might not ever be repeated!
His smiles continue to melt our hearts. He seems to be on the verge of laughing, just waiting for the right moment I guess. He also has become quite the chatterbug. Lots of vocalizations.
And a word on cloth diapering. I love it! I've actually become a little obsessed. We have enough now that we've essentially stopped using disposables. I find it quite fun, especially the not filling the garbage can part. This surprises me because I seriously thought I'd be too lazy to embrace the whole process. Who knew.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
So close
Miles is getting so close to rolling over! Check out a recent session of tummy time.
Confession: he actually rolled over already, but he was on a section of our living room floor that has a slope, so I don't think it counts. He was kicking away and the momentum, combined with the angle of the floor resulted in a quick and surprising flip over. Miles was not too pleased with the results!
Confession: he actually rolled over already, but he was on a section of our living room floor that has a slope, so I don't think it counts. He was kicking away and the momentum, combined with the angle of the floor resulted in a quick and surprising flip over. Miles was not too pleased with the results!
It isn't easy
For some reason, it's not that easy to catch a smile on camera. It's easy to get the smiles, but coordinating the taking of the picture...well, it doesn't always work out! Below are a few of our attempts.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Big news
My mom is moving to Utah!!! She leaves Florida this Sunday to drive out here and starts work on February 1st. I can't believe it. We're all very excited to have her out here!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Updates
Well, I went on a blogging rampage today. Lots to catch up on and I have the little guy sleeping in the sling, so there you go!
The best news: he slept for (are you ready???) EIGHT HOURS about two nights ago. Incredible. Of course, the problem is that I am programmed to wake up! This, coupled with his extremely stuffy nose, made for an exceptionally wakeful night for me. Oh well, comes with the territory I guess. He continues to be an excellent sleeper at night (knock on wood), so I am hopeful this trend will continue.
His nose continues to be stuffy, especially at night. I'm not sure if it's a cold or the result of our deplorable air quality here in Utah. We've been having a particularly rough week, lots of red days. I have a call in to the pediatrician to see if there is anything I can do to help him. As I mentioned before, sleeping is nerve wracking and I'm sad he can't settle in and rest comfortably. We do have his mattresses elevated and a humidifier running, but they don't seem to help much.
Naps are still a bit of a challenge, but I have turned a corner. That is to say, I've stopped caring so much about how or where he sleeps and have started focusing on just making sure he gets some sleep. This has helped our whole household tremendously. I'm getting better at picking up on his tired signs, we have a lovely 'fall asleep' ritual going and he's getting some much needed rest. However, this method is quite labor intensive and it means I still don't get much else done in the day. Things are improving so quickly though, I have a feeling he'll be able to nap soundly in his crib soon enough. Right now though, his little nervous system still seems to need a little extra help falling and staying asleep.
Overall, Miles continues to be delightful. With the added sleep, he's exceptionally cheerful when he wakes up. Lots of cooing, babbling and smiles...oh the smiles! He loves looking at his hand and is very intent and focused. He continues to be very visual. Loves looking at patterns and objects. We've started reading to him and he quite enjoys looking at the pictures as we go along. The play mat has also come in very handy-he gets his tummy time in and has time to practice the eye/hand connection. It's hard to believe we're creeping up on three months already! Oh, and he's pretty much wearing 6 month clothing quite comfortably-totally crazy!
The best news: he slept for (are you ready???) EIGHT HOURS about two nights ago. Incredible. Of course, the problem is that I am programmed to wake up! This, coupled with his extremely stuffy nose, made for an exceptionally wakeful night for me. Oh well, comes with the territory I guess. He continues to be an excellent sleeper at night (knock on wood), so I am hopeful this trend will continue.
His nose continues to be stuffy, especially at night. I'm not sure if it's a cold or the result of our deplorable air quality here in Utah. We've been having a particularly rough week, lots of red days. I have a call in to the pediatrician to see if there is anything I can do to help him. As I mentioned before, sleeping is nerve wracking and I'm sad he can't settle in and rest comfortably. We do have his mattresses elevated and a humidifier running, but they don't seem to help much.
Naps are still a bit of a challenge, but I have turned a corner. That is to say, I've stopped caring so much about how or where he sleeps and have started focusing on just making sure he gets some sleep. This has helped our whole household tremendously. I'm getting better at picking up on his tired signs, we have a lovely 'fall asleep' ritual going and he's getting some much needed rest. However, this method is quite labor intensive and it means I still don't get much else done in the day. Things are improving so quickly though, I have a feeling he'll be able to nap soundly in his crib soon enough. Right now though, his little nervous system still seems to need a little extra help falling and staying asleep.
Overall, Miles continues to be delightful. With the added sleep, he's exceptionally cheerful when he wakes up. Lots of cooing, babbling and smiles...oh the smiles! He loves looking at his hand and is very intent and focused. He continues to be very visual. Loves looking at patterns and objects. We've started reading to him and he quite enjoys looking at the pictures as we go along. The play mat has also come in very handy-he gets his tummy time in and has time to practice the eye/hand connection. It's hard to believe we're creeping up on three months already! Oh, and he's pretty much wearing 6 month clothing quite comfortably-totally crazy!
Girl's night in
We're trying to organize at least a monthly gathering of the girls (plus one baby boy). We managed to get ourselves up to Russin's house for an evening of pizza and hanging out. It's definitely gotten more challenging with Miles and Leah, but not impossible. We've agreed to try different times of the day to find the best option. I love that everyone has been so accepting of the new babies and willing to work around their little schedules.
Sam and Miles enjoying some quiet time.
Overstock
I finally got Miles in to Overstock to visit everyone on the copywriting team. He slept the whole time. We really have turned a corner with the car seat. It was great to see everyone. I gave my notice earlier in the week, so it's official now, I'm a stay at home mom. I feel very, very grateful that we're going to try to make this work.
Date night
Mary, Penny and Archie convinced Craig and I that this movie was a must-see-while still in theaters and in 3D. Tempting us with offers to babysit, Craig and I deliberated for a few days before deciding to go for it and have our first date night without the baby. The movie was incredible, totally worth it. I got a bit restless toward the end, anxious to get back to Miles, but overall it was just fine. We dropped him off very, very tired and screaming, but Mary got him right to sleep, seconds after we left. Below is a photo essay of Miles' time away from Mom and Dad! Thank you Penny, Mary and Archie!!!!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
The stats are in
Miles had his two month check-up on Friday. He got his first round of immunizations (we only did two out of the recommended five-we're doing a longer schedule so he doesn't have to get as many at once). He did great, only cried for a moment and as soon as I picked him up, he was fine. He's very interested in his surroundings now, so gets distracted quite easily these days.
His measurements are as follows:
Head circumference: 41 cm (75th percentile)
Height: 25 1/4 inches (95th percentile)
Weight: 13 pounds (75th percentile)
Oh and the nurse commented that he's the height of most four month olds. yikes. I better learn to sew, because this kid is going to be burning through pants.
His measurements are as follows:
Head circumference: 41 cm (75th percentile)
Height: 25 1/4 inches (95th percentile)
Weight: 13 pounds (75th percentile)
Oh and the nurse commented that he's the height of most four month olds. yikes. I better learn to sew, because this kid is going to be burning through pants.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Klingon baby
I really need to work on those camera angles!
But, check out the neck control-it's about to get a lot easier to carry him around.
But, check out the neck control-it's about to get a lot easier to carry him around.
Warning
This may be the most boring 30 seconds of your life if your name is not Tori or Craig. However, if you want to try it out, it's Miles discovering that he can hit the sun on his play mat. Adorable.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
UM
He slept for 7 hours last night. SEVEN hours...in. a. row. Please, please, please let this be the start of something wonderful. I can't remember if I mentioned I'm re-reading Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. I think it's helping.
Also, I had him in a cloth diaper and IT DIDN'T LEAK. My friend Russin came to the rescue again (there's a pattern forming here-thanks Russin! :-) ) and lent me a bunch of different diapers/inserts to try. I was having trouble with leakage and sick of changing outfits 2-3 times a day. Turns out, Miles is a heavy wetter and just adding extra liners has done the trick. I am so excited. My next move is to buy a few more diapers/liners and I think we'll be exclusively cloth diapering. Yay!!! Plus, she had a diaper I'm in love with- GroBaby-so easy to use and very versatile. You can use it more than once if they're just wetting. The BumGenious is also great, especially now that I've figured out the extra liner thing. I'm so glad I said something to her and didn't just give up.
Also, I had him in a cloth diaper and IT DIDN'T LEAK. My friend Russin came to the rescue again (there's a pattern forming here-thanks Russin! :-) ) and lent me a bunch of different diapers/inserts to try. I was having trouble with leakage and sick of changing outfits 2-3 times a day. Turns out, Miles is a heavy wetter and just adding extra liners has done the trick. I am so excited. My next move is to buy a few more diapers/liners and I think we'll be exclusively cloth diapering. Yay!!! Plus, she had a diaper I'm in love with- GroBaby-so easy to use and very versatile. You can use it more than once if they're just wetting. The BumGenious is also great, especially now that I've figured out the extra liner thing. I'm so glad I said something to her and didn't just give up.
Happy New Year!
We had the opportunity to go to a New Year's Eve party thrown by our friends Sam and Mitch. Miles did great-fell asleep, ate, got passed around a bit and had a chipper attitude the whole time. I was struck by how fortunate we are to be surrounded by such wonderful friends and family here in SLC. It is such a treat to raise a child amongst this incredible community of people. He is one lucky kid! Below are a few of our friends.
Russin and Leah
From L to R: Sam (the hostess), Angie and Mary
Uncle Kurt and Miles-party animals!
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