Schedule

I am so incredibly thankful that Boyd's sleep has improved. My quality of life has improved as well - I can actually sit and enjoy most of my evenings (after chores) instead of spending 4+ hours putting my baby to sleep every night. I look back on his first 8 months and think, "INSANITY!"

• On an average day, Boyd wakes himself at around 6:45 a.m. I usually wake 10-15 minutes before he does and flip on the baby monitor to see how he's doing. I get out of bed and scoop him out of the crib for good morning kisses. (D gets up at 4:50 a.m. and leaves the house for work at 5:40 a.m.) I never used to be a morning person, but my early wake up call doesn't bother me now that I'm getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night as opposed to a few 2-3 hour segments. It's amazing what some perspective will do for your outlook! 
• Boyd nurses right away, since he has gone all night (12 hours) without eating. I cherish these early morning feeding sessions - Boyd is still sleepy and usually pretty quiet while eating. I get to stroke his sweet little head and relax for a few minutes. Then he gets a new diaper and outfit for the day. We spend a little while looking out of his bedroom window and saying good morning to everything. I also use this time to restock diapers and wipes, change his sheets, and sometimes get his laundry started. 
• We head back to the master bedroom, where Boyd gets to play with toys while I take a shower. I manage to get dressed and maybe put on makeup before he starts getting bored and/or has his first poop of the day. Another diaper change and I try to dry my hair before we head downstairs.  
• On a work day, my mom arrives around 8:15 a.m. and she feeds Boyd breakfast (oatmeal plus baby yogurt or fruit). I finish getting ready and scoot off to work to arrive by 9 a.m.
• If it's a Monday (my "Mom"day!") or weekend, I feed Boyd breakfast and eat something light myself. Afterwards he has floor playtime while I tidy the kitchen, start laundry, take out the garbage, or do other light chores. By this time it's around 9 a.m. and he's usually starting to get tired. We do a mini version of his bedtime routine: new diaper, books, kisses, down in the crib and then lights out. He goes down sleepy but awake. Sometimes it takes 5 minutes to fall asleep and other times it's more like 15.
  
• Once he is asleep I do more chores. If it's a Monday, I look over my shopping list for the grocery store and Costco. On Mondays I make a more elaborate meal for dinner since I have more time to prep and cook. This week I made spinach and black bear manicotti. It was awesome.
  
• Boyd normally takes a 35-45 minute nap and once he's up, I nurse and change him. We get bundled up and zoom off for shopping. He's a big boy now and sits in the shopping cart, taking in the sights and sounds. People love him and he receives a lot of attention.
  
• Once we get home I lug all of the groceries into the house and try to put them away before feeding Boyd lunch, usually a meat/protein, veggies and fruit for dessert. After a little while he is ready for an afternoon nap.
  
• I take this time to prep dinner and switch over laundry. Once Boyd wakes he nurses and then we practice walking around (and crawling now too!) Sometimes we'll hang out downstairs in the laundry room while I fold clothes and he puts various things in his mouth and slobbers on them.
  
• If my mom is watching him for the day, he usually gets a bath sometime during the day. I like to do it in the afternoon when I'm home. He is not a happy camper if we pull him out of the bath too early!
  
• On weekends our schedule varies a bit during the day depending on activities we leave the house for. During the week, D and I return home after work and my mom gets to go home. She usually feeds him solids for dinner before leaving and then we have playtime with Boyd. D and I take turns making dinner, depending on who got home first or has a menu planned.  
• By 6:30 or 6:45, Boyd starts to get fussy and tired. His evening routine starts with goodnight kisses for everyone before heading upstairs to his room. He is put into a nighttime diaper and his fleece sleep sack before we  get one last nursing session in. After he's full, I turn on the noise machine and his battery-powered candles (nightlights). We read books until he's tired, which takes about 10-15 minutes at the most. Sometimes he wakes after 30-40 minutes but very rarely do we have to go up and help him back to sleep.

Did I mention earlier that my reduced schedule was approved? It's been fabulous to spend an extra day with my boy. We usually spend it cleaning, grocery shopping and prepping a nice dinner - things I don't usually have time for during a regular week. 

Video: Lizard tongue - 10 months

I filmed this video just this morning, so Boyd and I are still a little sleepy and laid back.

Video: Eating Cuties - 9.75 months

Literally, he bit off more than he could chew...

Finally, snow!

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for all of the snow we're receiving. It started last night and won't let up until sometime later today.

I'm excited though - we've been waiting to go cross-country skiing for ages now. And we'll finally be able to try out the Chariot carrier and ski kit! Can't wait for Boyd to go for his first ski.

Ready for Christmas!

Santa always visits my workplace in early December, so I bundled up the baby and talked my mom into coming with us for a photo op last Saturday. I thought for sure Boyd would freak out about meeting the big man in red, but he LOVED SANTA! We could scarcely believe it, but here is the proof...

His face in the pic below kills me. Part coy, part "how YOU doin'?"

I don't know what it is about photos, but after the first few snaps Boyd gets all smiley and happy for the camera.

I found his coat and booties on Zulily. Usually shipping from that site takes forever, but the package arrived a couple weeks ago - just in time for Santa.

Adorable, right? I just love this kid so much and was very proud of him for doing as well as he did. Next year I'm SURE he'll have the big meltdown, so I'm thankful for these amazing photos now.

Happy weekend everyone!

Video: Going for a stroll - 9.5 months

We are cruising!

Boyd loves walking around. His steps are becoming stronger and not so halting. He'll plop down after he gets tired, but then put out his arms to be pulled up for another round.

Video: Laser light - 9.5 months

Geez, all this kid wants to do is enjoy his Puffs and peruse the new Eddie Bauer catalog in peace, but his parents insist on teasing him with the laser light...

Boyd - 9.5 months

Boyd's 9-month appointment was pushed back another week (to December 10th) because of his nap schedule. The original appointment was set for 2 pm next Tuesday and that is smack dab in the middle of his 2nd nap. I'm pretty protective of his naps so we'll all just have to wait to hear about his latest growth stats!

• We're pretty sure Boyd will skip crawling in favor of walking. He does this funny backwards scoot, but has no inclination to go forwards.He loves to walk with assistance - like, someone holding his arms and supporting him that way while he takes steps. Very close to cruising (holding on to something and walking.) My mom has found him standing in the crib and gnawing on the rail, so obviously he is strong enough to pull his body up. D just adjusted the crib mattress to a lower setting to prevent the little guy from falling out.
• He thinks our cat is the best thing ever. I ask "where's kitty?" and he looks toward the cat with a huge smile on his little face. We have to practice being gentle with pets because all he wants to do is grab huge clumps of animal hair and rub his face on the cat and dog.Understandably, the pets do not appreciate this outpouring of love.
• All of his toys are a huge bore to him now. Former favorite rattle toy? So over it. Funny stuffed animal? Yawn. We've resorted to giving him safe household items to play with, like measuring cups, empty water bottles, and plastic bowls. I really like the Melissa & Doug line of toys - natural, non-toxic toys, usually made of wood. Will have to invest in some of those.
• Wants to grab all of his Puffs snacks at once and stuff them in his mouth. He's like Drift at mealtime - can't get enough!
• Naps are still frustrating at times but definitely improving. 2 weeks ago he went through this 4-5 day phase of refusing naps. I thought, is he ready for 1 nap already? Nope, his brain was just working on overtime, trying to process new skills. So he is still on 2 naps a day at this point.
• Just purchased a new Recaro convertible car seat - it will hold Boyd rear-facing until about 35 pounds and then we'll switch it to face forward. I was waffling between the Recaro and a few Britax seats, but there were just more safety features on the Recaro that you pay more for with the Britax brand. Recaro makes race cars in Europe, as well as car seats, and European standards for child seat safety are higher than here in the US. Also, the reviews on the seat were great!
• I also invested in a lighter-weight folding (umbrella) stroller for strolls around the mall or department store and whatnot since he has outgrown the Snap & Go. 
• More and more of his personality is emerging. We've found that he really craves activity and new experiences/toys/etc. He is definitely not one of those babies that is happy to sit in one place for hours at a time (not that there's anything wrong with that!) Loves moving, jumping, walking!
• Is beginning to exhibit signs of stranger danger. If someone he doesn't see regularly tries to hold him, more often than not he'll get upset.
  

One of his favorites, salmon. That may be pureed green beans too.

Big, wide bibs are the way to go with kiddos.

My mother-in-law made this sweet blanket - we love it!

Boyd with one of my baby pictures.

This sweet face makes my heart melt.

I find Puffs everywhere - on the floor, stuck between couch cushions, in the car, etc.

Thanksgiving weekend

D and I are used to having a small Thanksgiving, just the two of us, so this year it was a real treat to be able to spend it with my family. I seriously cannot remember the last time I celebrated this holiday with my mom - maybe 10 years ago? It was bittersweet though, since we were missing my dad.

But we all had a wonderful day of food, family and togetherness. My sister and Gabe cooked a delicious turkey on the grill outside - it was SO GOOD! They also took care of the mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and a pumpkin cream pie. I did the asparagus, sweet potatoes (recipe from the Pioneer Woman here) and purchased a Costco pumpkin pie. We also brought ingredients for mimosas for our brunch before the big event. Risha made biscuit, bacon & egg cups, yum!

All tuckered out from a the day's festivities.

Woke up from his nap just in time for dinner. Can still see the sheet lines on his face.

He was a little mad after his nap but cheered up during dinner. His mouth full of teeth is visible here.

Friday we took it easy and then my mom came over to babysit Boyd that evening while D and I went out to dinner at Jens' Restaurant. We used a gift certificate that we won at the Carpenter's Christmas party last year. It's a bit of a fancy place - the kind where the waiter places the napkin on your lap - and the prices reflect that. But the food was superb, all farm-raised meat and local produce. We both had elk chops, gnocchi and asparagus.

On Saturday, D and I took the munchkin on a short day trip to Seward. Boyd isn't a fan of long car rides so about halfway through the ride down I hopped in the backseat to hang out with him. I was getting super carsick from turning around in my seat to check on him during the first part of the trip. As it turned out, I was pretty nauseous by the time we rolled into Seward. 

 On the Seward Highway, near 20-Mile River/Portage.

We couldn't have asked for better weather! Clear blue skies and no snow. The roads were clear and not icy at all. The temperature hovered around 7-10 degrees in most places.

Happy to be out of the car seat.

My dad's best friend lives in Seward with his wife, so we spent a couple hours visiting Jeannie. Jim was in South Dakota hunting pheasants and deer (D was pretty jealous hearing that news.) It was great to see her and her daughter-in-law, and adorable grandkids.

Beautiful views, even from the gas station!

We left Seward around 4:30 p.m., I think, and figured we'd be home by 7. Just in time for baby Boyd's bedtime. Unfortunately there was a pretty bad accident on the highway at 2:15 and by the time we passed Whittier (45 miles from home), traffic was at a standstill. It got to be a little challenging keeping Boyd entertained in a small space for so long, but we did it! It helped that he had just taken a late nap. Also challenging: this was an area without any trees, ditches, covered spaces - so I had to get a little creative when nature called. It's tough to be a girl sometimes.

Anyway, the Troopers finally opened the highway shortly before 8 p.m., although we didn't start moving until 8:20 or so, due to the miles of cars backed up. Boyd did NOT want to go back in his infant car seat (our new one is on it's way via UPS) so he pretty much screamed the whole way home for 45 minutes. Fun!

We made it home safely and once Boyd was out of the seat he calmed down considerably. This kid just needs to be free and unencumbered. We went about our regular nighttime routine and he was asleep by 9:45 p.m. Very late bedtime for him but we are back on track with his schedule now.

Hope you all had a great holiday weekend as well!

Coming clean

Lately I've been thinking quite a lot about thankfulness. It's November and many people on Facebook are posting daily about things they are thankful for, big or small. My heart is full of gratitude for many things...first and foremost, my little family unit: D and Boyd. They are such a blessing to me. We have a small, cozy home and jobs and resources. And we are so lucky to have a wonderful extended family on both sides.

I am also thankful for good health (and insurance coverage!) While I was pregnant with Boyd, one of my many tests came back with evidence of severe dysplasia on my cervix, which is a precursor to cervical cancer. We chose not to share this news with anyone because the last thing I wanted was to cause people to worry. I was scheduled to have a colposcopy and minor biopsy on my birthday, but then we found out about my dad and flew down to Tennessee to be with him before he passed. My doctor wasn't happy about rescheduling since my condition wasn't improving, but once I got home I had the procedure done. The results weren't great - the abnormal cells were CIN 3. Left untreated, they would progress to the next stage: cancer. However, pregnant ladies can't have treatment because any trauma to the cervix can cause premature labor. So we crossed our fingers that a natural birth would slough off the majority of precancerous cells. I was nervous that something would happen to cause a c-section, but we were lucky.

A couple weeks after Boyd was born my doctor did another colposcopy, which came back with CIN 3 levels again, and that meant I had to undergo a more invasive treatment. We scheduled a cone biopsy for 6 weeks postpartum. It was fairly painful, especially since I was still recovering from childbirth, but the results came back with good news. The biopsy removed most of the dysplasia and there was just a small area which looked troubling, but nowhere near as bad as before. So now I go in every 3-6 months for a checkup to make sure the areas of concern are not getting any worse. I asked my doc how I could have a normal pap in March, before I was pregnant, and then have a fairly advanced case of dysplasia just a few months later in July. She said that pregnancy causes all of the body's cells to multiply quickly, in order to allow for the fetus to grow.

So that's the story. And my advice? Go get an annual exam, no excuses!

Ho Hey

The song and accompanying video (below) has become one of my new favorites. I'm not sure why, but it reminds me of my dad. I've actually just gotten to the point where I don't tear up anymore while listening to it.

Boyd - 9 months

Nine months!

• Boyd's 9 month appointment is scheduled for December 4th. They'll do the normal rundown on him: height, weight, head circumference, milestones, etc. No immunizations this time, thank goodness! It's pretty tough to see the little guy get pricked and be so upset. 
• He's eating larger quantities of sold foods, as well as picking up Puffs and gnawing on them. New foods: baby yogurt and salmon - both of which he loves. 
• I may have my mom try giving him his milk via cup instead of bottle. He drank a little water yesterday out of my cup and did pretty well.
• He sometimes makes a clicking noise with his mouth - wonder if it's a product of the new teeth?
• This kid is WAY ahead of schedule when it comes to teeth. He has both sets of central incisors (top & bottom front teeth) and recently all of  the lateral incisors (4 teeth) have come through.That's 8 teeth in 9 months. He has been experimenting with his teeth, namely, biting me at the end of nursing sessions when he's bored.
• He's been pushing our hands away from his body when we're holding him, like, "Get your hands off of me, I'm a big boy!"
• Still saying dada over and over when he's talking and happy.
• Our big boy doesn't stay in one size for very long. Right now we're comfortably in the 12 month size for most clothes.
• Lots of playing with his own fingers, and grasping his hands together and holding them together.
• No separation anxiety yet, but very happy to see anyone when they arrive!
• No problem bearing weight on his feet and legs, standing quite a bit and taking a few steps at a time when someone is holding his hands.
• Absolutely hates laying down to have his diaper changed. This behavior just started a few weeks ago. We have to distract him with toys, singing, etc. He's fine once we get him back on his feet.
• No more pacifier!We weaned him off of that during sleep training.
• Sleep - this is a big topic. Even with this latest round of teething, his nighttime sleep hasn't been too horrible. Had one very rough night when D was gone but I got through it. Naps are slowly improving too.

Loving the Gerber Puffs. These are great for practicing his fine motor control. On average, about half of the Puffs make it into his mouth

Little bookworm.

Read to me, mom!

Cold-weather walk.

 Winter is here! Our walks consist of lots of clothing for everyone and snuggly warm layers. 

Taken a couple weeks ago, we have more snow on the ground now.

Little trail that connects two streets a little ways from our house.

Video: First words - 8.75 months

We're so happy to see the end of election season - no more radio and tv ads, political fliers, door hangers, and Facebook posts blowing up my news feed. Yay!

However, in a hotly contested race here on the home front, it seems that D has emerged as the clear frontrunner and winner. Yes, despite my best efforts, Boyd has chosen "dada" and "dad" as his first words! Pretty exciting stuff for us. He has been babbling for a long time now but in the last couple days he has been speaking pretty clearly and saying "dada" over and over. What can I say, the kid loves his daddy!

Postscript: I think it's pretty comical that Boyd says "dada" when in a happy mood, and "mom" when upset or mad. He sort of babbles "mamamamama" in a sad little way.

Happy Halloween!

It's true, holidays are just more fun with kids! Boyd wore two costumes during the Halloween season -a dragon outfit that my mom purchased from Costco and a monster costume from my sister. What is it about kiddos in costumes? SO cute!

D brought home two pumpkins for us to carve - how great is he? Halloween sort of snuck up on me this year. I didn't buy candy until this past Monday, which is good because last year I had candy ready in September and pretty much snacked on it all month. Not exactly what a pregnant lady needs to be doing!

I forgot to snap photos of our jack-o-lanterns - will try to remember to do that this week before the moose show up and eat the pumpkins. The moose around here eat quite well in November.

Checking out mama's pumpkin.

His pose here just cracks me up every time I see it! So casual, with the arm draped over arm of his highchair. Such a goof.

Every thing in the mouth - even battery-powered lights.

My mom and I took Boyd to Trick-or-Treat street downtown last Saturday. It's a neat idea - the city closes down part of 4th Avenue and local businesses hand out candy to kids. The Fire and Police Departments were also on hand with their fire trucks and police cars.

Little dragon getting dressed in the backseat of the car. I really need a roomier vehicle - the backseat is tight on space!

RAWR, monster!

Not quite sure what to make of the zoo animals at the annual ZOO BOO event we attended.

Fall bonfire

Last week D made a little bonfire to burn the last of the tree branches downed as a result of the big windstorm. It was a good opportunity to practice dressing Boyd in his warm layers. He was toasty warm in his layers.

The fire dying down - just embers.

Such a happy kid.

I can't remember what we were looking at - a plane maybe?

After Sammy passed away, D put this fish-shaped marker on her grave site in our backyard. Very sweet.