We've Made It This Far

I am saddened to see how long it's been since I've updated.  I really wanted this to be a blog where I would chronicle every aspect of motherhood often (and truthfully.  That bit hasn't really been an issue!).   It's hard juggling being a new mom, working full time, maintaining a home (okay, so I did cheat a little there by hiring a maid. Don't judge.), and trying to be the best wife I can be.  (Admittedly, I'm not doing so well in the wife department.  Must work on this!) You moms out there who have multiple children, my hat is off to you. You're probably reading this and rolling your eyes because I only have one.  I'm sorry.  You're probably right…

Blake has a ped appointment on Tuesday.  He's not quite reached his 4 month mark yet but we are desperate to have his Zantac increased.  We simply can't wait until March 7, though it's only around the corner.  He's started to cry during feedings again, and is spitting up quite a bit.  I also want to bring up some skin concerns I have.  At first he started with a rash on his forehead and cheeks that would come and go.  Now he's got rashes all over his arms and legs, and it's quickly spreading.  His skin is very sandpaper-like to the touch.  It doesn't seem to be bothering him, but I know this isn't normal.  Friends have told me that it could be baby eczema, which can go away on its own, but I'd still like to have it examined.  Tonight I bathed him with Aveeno Eczema body wash, upon recommendation, and followed up with the Aveeno lotion.  Hope this helps to settle the redness and bumps.  Skin allergies run in my family so not that I'm jumping to eczema conclusions, I'm thinking it could be an allergy to something.  We use Dreft laundry detergent (well, Target brand because it's cheaper….hmm, could that be it?)

I'm a little late on starting this, but tonight we put rice cereal in his bottle before bed.  I know, I know, I should've started this earlier I hear.  Oh well.  I bought the organic Gerber kind that has a probiotic.  You know us, we love our probiotics!  I think a probiotic was part of the lifesaver for us!  Or at least the sanity saver. Ahhh, remember those days?  So thankful to God we are past the 6 hours of screaming.  It all seems like it was a dream now (not because it isn't fresh in my mind, but because exhaustion made it so foggy.)
I still bounce him often on the yoga ball.  I no longer have to do it between 5 and 7 hours a day anymore, but I'm down to about 2.  He's not a fan of the glider in his room.  He's definitely a bouncer.  It's the only way I can get him to sleep at night.  My legs and lower back have gained a lot of strength in 4 months!

He seems to have started teething.  Sir-Slob-A-Lot (that poor kid has so many nicknames from us!) goes through many bibs a day!  He chews on anything he can gets his hands on…um, including his hands! He hates the freezer teethers.  I guess they're too cold.  He's pretty much thrown in the towel on a pacifier at all.  He wants nothing to do with one.  Totally not complaining here!  He took to Sophie the Giraffe for a short stint but hasn't wanted it recently.  I don't actually see any teeth coming through but he's exhibiting the signs.  I hear this could keep up for months before one actually breaks through.  We did purchase an amber teething necklace from Green Mommy Diapers.  I have it on him at all times, except when he's sleeping or bathing.  I'm not really one of those people who is into natural healing remedies, but there are certain times when I'm willing to try just about anything.  The first signs of teething was one of those times. He was waking up every hour in the middle of the night, yelling out.  Haven't had that problem since he's been wearing one all day. Coincidence?  Don't know. Don't care.
And just to extend and prove my "I'm a new mom and really don't know what the hell I'm doing", I posted in my last entry that I was hesitant to order the necklace because he wasn't old enough to grab and chew on it.  Yeeeaaaaaah, it's for wearing.  Just wearing.  Not to chew.  I figured this out when I got it in the mail and saw how short it was.  It fits like a (loose) choker. I pulled it out of the packaging and wondered how in the world he was going to be able to have any room to chew on it when there was no give in the length.  So then I thought there were different lengths to order and I'd ordered the wrong one.  Thankfully I did some online research and realized my stupidity.  So if you're a new mom and are reading this, and you're as clueless as I am, you can learn from my "mommy newness."  You're welcome.

Thanks to a sweet co-worker, I have been introduced to Baby Led Weaning.  You can read more about it here. Here's the copy and paste version from the website, because I'm too tired to paraphrase.  It requires too much thinking right now.  (I got 2.5 hours of sleep last night.  And yes, here I am updating my blog.  What's wrong with me?)

Baby Led Weaning, quite simply, means letting your child feed themselves from the very start of weaning. The term was originally coined by Gill Rapley, a former health visitor and midwife.

According to the most recent research most babies reach for food at around six months, which is also the time that mothers are being encouraged to wean* by their Health Visitors, in accordance with the WHO guidelines.

The distinct advantage of weaning at around six months is that by then, our children are developmentally capable of feeding themselves proper food, in other words – no more mush!

You just hand them the food in a suitably-sized piece and if they like it they eat it and if they don’t they won’t. (But they do, really they do… check out the baby with the pork chop).

That’s the essence of Baby Led Weaning. No purees, no ice cube trays, no food processor, no potato masher, no baby rice, no weird fruit and veg combos… just you and your child, eating food that you enjoy with you and your family.

Studying up on this now so that when it comes time I will know exactly what to do. Gotta be ahead of the game!  Maybe it'll be the one thing I can be an expert on BEFORE it happens.  I'm talking to you GERD. And colic. And food allergies.  And breastfeeding. And teething. And to every other future issue that will arise that I will be totally ignorant on WAAAAY too late in the game.

I look back at the past 4 months and think "man, I really wanted to be awesome at this whole mommy thing." Then God tells me "you can never plan on these things. You just have to trust me and lean on me."  He continues, "You're awesome to Blake", and while I don't feel that way, (see earlier posts) I know God knows more than I do.  And then I reply back to God "of course he thinks I'm awesome.  I'm all he knows.  He doesn't know any better." And God says, Stop it. I know what he needs. He doesn't need to know any better." And I suddenly realize my selfishness in being so hard on myself and thinking I'm such a failure. Woe is me, woe is me.  Someone slap me in the face!

And I shut up. What do you say to that? Nothing. God does know best, and he's always right.

I love you, God!