Monday, April 27, 2009
Gus's Grandmommy
A special post about Gus visiting his Grandmommy. This was a special because it was the first time Lou Ada got to see her 8th grandchild. Gus just adored sitting on her lap. When I told her how Gus had trouble taking naps, she came through and got him a book that teaches Gus how to fall asleep. Here are some pictures of Gus and his Grandmommy. This was a truly a special time for Gus.
Three Months!
Gus is three months old now! He has grown so much in the past month (BTW sorry about the delay in posting, but I will make up for it in pictures). We have had a busy few weeks visiting with friends and family. I will post some of the pictures of our visits.
First I wanted to let you know the milestone he has hit. First, now Gus chews on his hands constantly! He never took to a pacifier but loves chewing on those digits. Gus also has some favorite toys that he grasps with one hand. Now, he will even look down and pick up a toy on rare on occasions. He is getting better at tummy time, but still has not tried to roll over. And recently, Gus even kind of giggles/chuckles. Check out this video.
Here are some people we have visited with in the last few weeks.
1) This is my friend Heather from work. She came is actually 37 weeks pregnant in this picture. Go Heather!
2) Katie came to visit with her fiance Kent. Gus looks a little chubby in this picture. . .but Gus is a little chubby these days.
3) Gus got a visit from his cousins (my cousin's twins) Abigail and Jordan. He loves little children.
4) Then there was Aunt Joanie!
5) Family Shot!
6) Here is Gus sitting on Aunt Emily's lap. He loved sitting on her. . . and pooping on her :)
7) Alison and Marley came to visit us too!
8) And there was Megan. . . .
Finally, here are some random cute pictures of Gus. We went to DC for his 3 month birthday weekend.
First I wanted to let you know the milestone he has hit. First, now Gus chews on his hands constantly! He never took to a pacifier but loves chewing on those digits. Gus also has some favorite toys that he grasps with one hand. Now, he will even look down and pick up a toy on rare on occasions. He is getting better at tummy time, but still has not tried to roll over. And recently, Gus even kind of giggles/chuckles. Check out this video.
Here are some people we have visited with in the last few weeks.
1) This is my friend Heather from work. She came is actually 37 weeks pregnant in this picture. Go Heather!
2) Katie came to visit with her fiance Kent. Gus looks a little chubby in this picture. . .but Gus is a little chubby these days.
3) Gus got a visit from his cousins (my cousin's twins) Abigail and Jordan. He loves little children.
4) Then there was Aunt Joanie!
5) Family Shot!
6) Here is Gus sitting on Aunt Emily's lap. He loved sitting on her. . . and pooping on her :)
7) Alison and Marley came to visit us too!
8) And there was Megan. . . .
Finally, here are some random cute pictures of Gus. We went to DC for his 3 month birthday weekend.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
"I hate naps!"
Gus hates naps. He almost refuses to take them during the day. I am lucky to get him down for 2 or 3 30 minute naps. But even that is usually on "accident" (ie, he falls asleep in the car seat or swing). This makes him a major crank pot by evening. It also has helped him to sleep through the night at 11 weeks of age! I am not talking that 6 hour sleep through the night. Gus is sleeping between 10-13 hours at night. Can you believe it?
Other milestone Gus has reached is keeping his head up at tummy time. For all those non-parents out there, tummy time is a new thing that babies must do. In the early nineties, the American Academy of Pediatrics decided to put babies to sleep on their backs and NEVER on their tummies. This decreased mortality due to SIDS by 40%. Now all babies sleep on their backs which means they don't know how to lay on their bellies. They also all have flat heads from laying on their backs, sitting in their car seats, swings, etc. Gus also hates tummy time and will only do it for about 5 minutes at a time. I posted a picture of him with his head up in tummy time position.
Gus also continues to develop socially. He knows his Mom, Grandma and Pop-pop. He also babbles and cooes as if he was in a conversation. This is so cute. I love it when I am telling him a story. . . the 3 little pigs or the 2 crazy patients I took care of last night. . .and he just laughs and smiles and talks back to me.
Finally, Gus has sort of found his hands. He clasps them together in front of them and then shoves them in his mouth. Sometimes I am afraid he is going to choke on them because he shoves them so far in there. I put a picture of him doing that also. Gus has still not actually looked at his hands or still does not reach out and grab objects. I am trying to be patient, but I think I am a typical worrysome mother. I just want my son to hit his milestones!
Finally, I had a good birthday. Gus, Grandma, Pop pop and I took a nice hike. We also had cake and then I went out with some friends for dinner while Gus was baby sat. Thanks Mom and Dad!
Other milestone Gus has reached is keeping his head up at tummy time. For all those non-parents out there, tummy time is a new thing that babies must do. In the early nineties, the American Academy of Pediatrics decided to put babies to sleep on their backs and NEVER on their tummies. This decreased mortality due to SIDS by 40%. Now all babies sleep on their backs which means they don't know how to lay on their bellies. They also all have flat heads from laying on their backs, sitting in their car seats, swings, etc. Gus also hates tummy time and will only do it for about 5 minutes at a time. I posted a picture of him with his head up in tummy time position.
Gus also continues to develop socially. He knows his Mom, Grandma and Pop-pop. He also babbles and cooes as if he was in a conversation. This is so cute. I love it when I am telling him a story. . . the 3 little pigs or the 2 crazy patients I took care of last night. . .and he just laughs and smiles and talks back to me.
Finally, Gus has sort of found his hands. He clasps them together in front of them and then shoves them in his mouth. Sometimes I am afraid he is going to choke on them because he shoves them so far in there. I put a picture of him doing that also. Gus has still not actually looked at his hands or still does not reach out and grab objects. I am trying to be patient, but I think I am a typical worrysome mother. I just want my son to hit his milestones!
Finally, I had a good birthday. Gus, Grandma, Pop pop and I took a nice hike. We also had cake and then I went out with some friends for dinner while Gus was baby sat. Thanks Mom and Dad!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Visits from Aunt Amy and Uncle Brian
Gus's Aunt Amy and Uncle Brian (well not blood related relatives, but my best friend and her husband) came all the way from Philly to visit their beloved Gustav. I don't know who loved who more! Amy has also taken on the role of spoiling our baby boy. In fact, the couple are now in charge of his fashion. When they arrived, they found poor Gus's pants were jacked up to his chin, and he was wearing sandals over socks. OH MY! Amy promptly pulled his pants down to his waist and removed the sandals. She then proceeded to buy him real shoes. Oh Aunt Amy! Now my baby is styling!
Thank you for loving my son. And thank you for making the trip out to see him. We love you!
On the other hand, I have discovered that Gus still likes to be swaddled. While he is as big as a 6 month old, he is only two months old and technically a newborn. Babys R Us is a little discriminatory and only sells swaddles in size small! How dare they! My good friend Theresa Love (T Love) had her eye out for swaddles and found this lovely tiger one that fits. You will see that T Love and I have the same fashion sense. . .
Thank you for loving my son. And thank you for making the trip out to see him. We love you!
On the other hand, I have discovered that Gus still likes to be swaddled. While he is as big as a 6 month old, he is only two months old and technically a newborn. Babys R Us is a little discriminatory and only sells swaddles in size small! How dare they! My good friend Theresa Love (T Love) had her eye out for swaddles and found this lovely tiger one that fits. You will see that T Love and I have the same fashion sense. . .
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Two Months Old
My little Gus is growing! I cannot believe it has been two months since I pushed him out and brought him home with me. They tell you babies grow up so fast, and "they" are right! Gus is really starting to settle into life outside the womb. As he gets older, he is working out a schedule. This is great for all of us. Now that he goes to bed early, I can avoid Gus going to the dark side. As my dad says, it isn't so bad that Gus goes to the dark side, it is just he has to take us all with him! The dark side is of course that period when he gets over tired. . . an over tired baby is a very very bad thing!
Another thing is Gus is turning into quite the music lover. When I was 9 months pregnant, my mom and I went to see Handel's Messiah. In utero, Gus kicked and danced so much, I swear he wore a blister in my uterus. As a newborn, he loves music just as much. He has a little toy that plays nursery rhymes and has lights that go along with it. He coos and smiles at that toy and tries to sing along. I've never been the sappy type, but he is so damn cute. I don't know who is entertained more: Gus by the toy, or me at Gus being entertained by the toy.
Gus is such a joy in my life. I never knew I could ever love someone so much. While I loved my life before his arrival, I could not imagine life without him.
Here are a few pictures of my chunky monkey. Isn't he fun?!
Another thing is Gus is turning into quite the music lover. When I was 9 months pregnant, my mom and I went to see Handel's Messiah. In utero, Gus kicked and danced so much, I swear he wore a blister in my uterus. As a newborn, he loves music just as much. He has a little toy that plays nursery rhymes and has lights that go along with it. He coos and smiles at that toy and tries to sing along. I've never been the sappy type, but he is so damn cute. I don't know who is entertained more: Gus by the toy, or me at Gus being entertained by the toy.
Gus is such a joy in my life. I never knew I could ever love someone so much. While I loved my life before his arrival, I could not imagine life without him.
Here are a few pictures of my chunky monkey. Isn't he fun?!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Which Theory is the Right One?
Before having a baby, I had no idea all the theories out there on raising children. Furthermore, there are such diverse methods that I became very confused on who to listen to. My biggest dilemma is the sleeping thing. I am so lucky to have a baby that sleeps through the night, so I don't want to complain. If you have been reading my blog, you will know that while Gus sleeps through the night (with the exception of feedings), he won't sleep in his own bed. I read everything from let him cry it out to keep him in your bed until he feels comfortable (like 5 years old). Some psychiatrists say that crying it out will cause attachment issues. For instance:
As he gets older, I'm also trying to figure out his schedule. The one thing that I have learned is that Gus "goes to the dark side" in the evening. Once he goes over the line, there is nothing we can do to calm him down. The poor guys, he gets so tired that he can't even concentrate on falling asleep. I started him on a bed time routine. He gets a bath which he loves. Then he puts his PJs on and we read a book. Finally, he says good-night to his grandparents and I put him down. Sadly, he does cry for about 5-10 minutes, but it is mostly his protest cry. He has gotten more and more use to this routine. Then I wake him up at 11pm for another feeding. The last couple of nights, he goes back to bed and doesn't wake up until 6:30am! What a wonderful baby! I feel totally guilty for letting him cry for that short period. Let me tell you, though. Once Gus has gone to the dark side, nothing comforts him. He cries no matter what. Letting him cry himself to sleep seems like the only answer. My instincts tell me this is okay.
More picture of my Gus continues to grow.
- The problem is that when infants are left to cry themselves to sleep, they are forced to conclude that they are not lovable enough to engage their parents' desires to comfort them. If they actually stop crying, it is because they have abandoned all hope that help will come
- A newborn baby in the early stage of growth is very vulnerable and it is the parents’ duty to satisfy every need of their offspring. Letting him ‘cry it out’ could be very psychologically and physically damaging to the child in the early stages of development
As he gets older, I'm also trying to figure out his schedule. The one thing that I have learned is that Gus "goes to the dark side" in the evening. Once he goes over the line, there is nothing we can do to calm him down. The poor guys, he gets so tired that he can't even concentrate on falling asleep. I started him on a bed time routine. He gets a bath which he loves. Then he puts his PJs on and we read a book. Finally, he says good-night to his grandparents and I put him down. Sadly, he does cry for about 5-10 minutes, but it is mostly his protest cry. He has gotten more and more use to this routine. Then I wake him up at 11pm for another feeding. The last couple of nights, he goes back to bed and doesn't wake up until 6:30am! What a wonderful baby! I feel totally guilty for letting him cry for that short period. Let me tell you, though. Once Gus has gone to the dark side, nothing comforts him. He cries no matter what. Letting him cry himself to sleep seems like the only answer. My instincts tell me this is okay.
More picture of my Gus continues to grow.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
6 Weeks Old!
My Gus is 6 weeks old. And what a busy week we had. The weather is finally getting nice here. Last week, my parents and I drove about 30 minutes to this tiny mountain town. By small town, I mean the town is about three blocks long with no stoplights or stop signs. It is a great place to go in the summer time if you like to shop for hippie art. However, in the winter time, nothing is open. I just wanted to go someplace different and this was perfect. My dad strapped Gus to him in the Baby Bjorn, and we strolled down the road. Gus slept the whole time.
On the way back, we stopped in a larger city (population 3,000) at a second-hand children shop where I finally invested in a used swing. I settled on the Fisher Price Aquarium Take Along Swing. Poor Gus. It is a love/hate relationship with that swing. See, Gus hates naps during the day. The more tired he gets, the more cranky he gets. I swear he hits himself in the head to keep himself awake. Last week he asked Grandma for some toothpicks to help splint his eyes open. Sadly (for Gus), the swing puts him to sleep. Of course, it is not instantaneous. He fights it with his protest cries. Sometimes he fights it for up to an hour! But the swing wins every time.
Gus is finally sleeping in his cradle! Yeah me! For the past 4-5 nights, he has been falling asleep and staying asleep for part of or all of the night, except for feedings. Because he actually falls asleep in his cradle, I consider this a major victory. I'm not ready to let him "cry it out" yet, so it is reassuring to me that he can do this all by himself. Even if it is in incremental steps.
Another major event was that we went to the pediatrician yesterday for his "2 month" visit that we did at 6 weeks. Remember when I said I believe in vaccines? I still do, however, I can see why anti-vaccine people get so upset. At this visit, he got his Hepatitis B, Polio, Pneumococcal, DTP, Rotavirus, and Hib. I swear, those nurses were hitting him left and right. I know it is important, but I wonder why they do so much at one time? I will leave that to Aunt Amy to answer who is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. Gus took it like a man and only whimpered when they stuck him. Of course, they did the obligatory weigh-in. Here are his stats.
Weight= 12 pounds 5 oz = 90%
Height = 24.5 inches = > 97% (not on the curve)
Head Circumference = 15.5 inches = 50%
My big boy!
Finally, last night I tried putting him to bed early. The usual routine is for Gus to hang out with us until 10pm. Sometimes he is sleeping, sometimes he is in his swing, and sometimes he is just chilling out staring at the ceiling. Then at 10pm, my mom and I go to my room. She puts him in his PJs while I get ready for bed. I feed him and he falls asleep. Well, last night, my mom and I did this at 7pm but we told Gus it was 10pm (he doesn't not know how to read a clock yet). My mom changed him and I got in bed. I fed him and put him in his cradle. It took all of 30 seconds for Gus to express his distaste for our sneaky maneuver. I brought him downstairs to watch the season finale of the Bachelor (a whole different story) and he was as wide awake as he gets. I shot a video of him and am including it in this blog. You will hear me talking to him about sleeping and I just thought I'd give you background!
Pop-pop carrying Gus
My smiling boy
On the way back, we stopped in a larger city (population 3,000) at a second-hand children shop where I finally invested in a used swing. I settled on the Fisher Price Aquarium Take Along Swing. Poor Gus. It is a love/hate relationship with that swing. See, Gus hates naps during the day. The more tired he gets, the more cranky he gets. I swear he hits himself in the head to keep himself awake. Last week he asked Grandma for some toothpicks to help splint his eyes open. Sadly (for Gus), the swing puts him to sleep. Of course, it is not instantaneous. He fights it with his protest cries. Sometimes he fights it for up to an hour! But the swing wins every time.
Gus is finally sleeping in his cradle! Yeah me! For the past 4-5 nights, he has been falling asleep and staying asleep for part of or all of the night, except for feedings. Because he actually falls asleep in his cradle, I consider this a major victory. I'm not ready to let him "cry it out" yet, so it is reassuring to me that he can do this all by himself. Even if it is in incremental steps.
Another major event was that we went to the pediatrician yesterday for his "2 month" visit that we did at 6 weeks. Remember when I said I believe in vaccines? I still do, however, I can see why anti-vaccine people get so upset. At this visit, he got his Hepatitis B, Polio, Pneumococcal, DTP, Rotavirus, and Hib. I swear, those nurses were hitting him left and right. I know it is important, but I wonder why they do so much at one time? I will leave that to Aunt Amy to answer who is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. Gus took it like a man and only whimpered when they stuck him. Of course, they did the obligatory weigh-in. Here are his stats.
Weight= 12 pounds 5 oz = 90%
Height = 24.5 inches = > 97% (not on the curve)
Head Circumference = 15.5 inches = 50%
My big boy!
Finally, last night I tried putting him to bed early. The usual routine is for Gus to hang out with us until 10pm. Sometimes he is sleeping, sometimes he is in his swing, and sometimes he is just chilling out staring at the ceiling. Then at 10pm, my mom and I go to my room. She puts him in his PJs while I get ready for bed. I feed him and he falls asleep. Well, last night, my mom and I did this at 7pm but we told Gus it was 10pm (he doesn't not know how to read a clock yet). My mom changed him and I got in bed. I fed him and put him in his cradle. It took all of 30 seconds for Gus to express his distaste for our sneaky maneuver. I brought him downstairs to watch the season finale of the Bachelor (a whole different story) and he was as wide awake as he gets. I shot a video of him and am including it in this blog. You will hear me talking to him about sleeping and I just thought I'd give you background!
Pop-pop carrying Gus
My smiling boy
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