Feeding Schedule

Over the last week we've been trailing a new infant feeding schedule.

Monster has been less and less interested in his bottles during the day so were letting him lead the way in an increase of solids. (Note: I am aware that it is recommended by health care professionals all over North America and likely the whole world that an infants nutritional needs until their first Birthday should be met mainly by breast milk or infant formula and solids should come secondary.)

As of today this is his 7 month feeding schedule:

6:30-8am Breakfast Bottle (8oz)
9:30-10:30am Breakfast (Cereal or Yogurt and Fruit 2oz Formula in sippy cup)
12:30-1pm Nap time Bottle (8oz)
3pm Lunch (Fruit and Finger Food Snack, 2nd Formula in sippy cup)
5pm Supper Bottle (8oz)
6:30pm Supper (Veggies, Meat or Table Foods, 2oz Formula in sippy cup)
8-8:30pm Bedtime Bottle (8oz)

Tonight was the first night we had a family meal where all 4 (Uncle Slim was over) of us ate the exact same thing. I made a home made beef stew (so I knew just what was in it and that it wasnt high in sodium, etc) with only veggies Monster has already tried before. I pureed his portion and he gobbled it all up! I think he welcomed the array of new flavors!

It was our first real family meal! I can only look forward to the time when it will always be this way (and feeding my child will be much less work, like say cutting up his portions instead of pureeing it!).




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Professional Photo Shoot - 6 Months

Yesterday we got the disc of photos from our September - 6 month photo shoot for Monster. Here are so highlights!

Please check out our photographer Marijanel Knight's website here:

www.photographybyknights.smugmug.com

I'd like to point out that I have an incredibly happy, smiley little boy... Except when we're paying to have photos done. The first photo is of my boys! Hubbs and Monster.

An intimate moment between Monster and Mommy

Apparently Monster isn't just a nickname because of his size...

A happy shot! :)

Our happy little family! Hubbs, Monster and I

Finding the Me in Mommy

Once upon a time there was a girl whose main goal in life was to get married and have a family.

That girl was me. I didn't have ambitions to spend years in school to become a surgeon, or ambitions to travel the world alone, or ambitions to spend all my money on booze at the bar every night.. I wanted to be a wife and mommy.

That sounds very 1950's and I'm sure many women would look down on me for it, but to each there own.

Now that I have everything, and have achieved those goals I have a new dilemma. How do I find the ME in MOMMY? I'm not having an identity crisis, I am very happy devoting my thoughts and time to being the best mommy I can be.

The problem is, who do I become when mommy isn't my number one job anymore? Being a mom will always be my number one priority but I won't always be needed at some point in the future my children will grow up and run off to university or to travel the world, and then what's left for me?

Nope, definitely not a pressing issue now, but something I need to think about.


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Dear Broccoli,

Dear Broccoli,

You look like a mini tree, and you smell funny! I might have been willing to put you in my mouth to investigate you like I do everything else, but I was horrified by your oddity.




Perhaps I would have been more forgiving had I'd known I would be trying a new food? Perhaps it would have been an easier concept if mommy had pureed you into supreme baby mush?




Maybe I could have tried you if I didn't have an audience of hyenas laughing at my every reaction? Maybe I will eat you a different day strange broccoli. As for today? I can't even look at you!!




Love; Monster.

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New Infant Milestones!

Infant milestones amaze me every time! It is just amazing how much and how quickly Monster is changing!

As we reach the 6 and a half month mark Monster has reached three new surprising milestones! I am bursting with glee for my boy! In the last week Monster has started to:

1. Wave! Once Monster became more mobile I always waved Hello and Buh-Bye with his little arm in hopes that one day he would get the hang of it too. Well, it's not perfect but he's been enthusiastically waving his little arm up and down when we say "Buh-Bye" to people (I usually have to do it the first time but he mimics right after)!

2. Reach up! The first time I noticed he was doing this was just yesterday afternoon, and he hasn't stopped since! Last night in the tub was the most obvious, he grabbed onto the side of the tub, turned sideways to face me and reached his arms up to be picked up. He did it this afternoon at the play group when he was getting tired, and again this evening when he was finished in the tub.

3. Pull up! Ok, this one definitely isn't perfect yet but we keep practicing! Monster and I sit on the floor facing each other, I put my hands out in front of me and say "Hands" he then grabs my hands with his and pulls up to a standing. On anything else he only gets up on one knee and one foot but it's quite the start!

Seeing the 7 and a half month old girls at the play group made me realize just how much mobility Monster will likely gain in one short month. Having an infant reach milestones is just so exciting!




My little hunk! :)

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Healthiest Babies - Mommy Group

Turns out the mommy group wasn't so intimidating. I'm not sure if it's the right one for Monster and I though.

The group I attended today was called "Healthiest Babies" and from what I understand, each week they have a "theme" discussion for about an hour, serve a healthy lunch to everyone and then it's free time to meet and chat with each other.

Today's theme was reading. The group had a guest speaker come in and talk about the benefits of reading to your children, and how to be a good "reading" role model. She also told us about various resources for borrowing books or buying them cheap.

I didn't learn anything new from attending the group today, but I did get to see how Monster reacts to and plays with other babies close to his age. There were three girls all Monsters age (6 months-ish) or a little older. I plunked him down on the floor and he immediately started tugging on a little girls shoe.

He was so happy to be around other babies so close to his age. He spent most of the time playing with the two little girls and squealing in sheer delight! I just can't believe how friendly and social his is.

I plan to try this group a couple more times before giving up, but today I was also given a calendar of every other mommy-baby group our community has to offer. My quest is not over!


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Mommy Dates and Mommy Groups

Well, tomorrow I'm going to do it! I'm going on a Mommy Date, to a Mommy Group.

Nothing brings women together like babies. Wow, how old fashioned "barefoot in the kitchen" do I sound? Honestly though, anyone who is a parent has some kind of common ground right?

Tomorrow I have plans with a mama who is a mutual acquaintance to meet for coffee. That date I am certainly not worried about. She is friendly, easy to talk to and we can always default to baby talk if we run out of things to say. What I'm worried about is what comes next.

After our coffee date we're heading to a local mommy group *sigh*. I am a friendly, honest, open, kind of funny person and I will do just fine in a room full of strangers. Or at least that's been my mantra since I made the plans a couple hours ago. Most of my mommy interaction has been with family (who has to love me anyways) or on my whattoexpect March forum. I love my virtual mommy group, it's safe, warm and familiar. Oh! And it has a very handy "ignore" button...

On a lighter, brighter note I could make some new friends in the exact same position I am in currently.

Here goes nothing! Wish me and Monster luck!




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Stupid Suspicious Mind

When you're not trying to get pregnant, avoiding it like the plague actually, it seems like every little thing makes you suspicious.

Hubbs and I would like to wait until Monster is closer to two before even thinking about trying to make him a sibling. I would like to attempt a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After C-Section) and in order to do so I must wait until at least two years from my surgery date.

We are using birth control and because we found out we are ridiculously fertile (we have magnets for sperm and eggs! Hahaha) I have an alarm set on my phone to go off every day at noon so I take it at the same time daily (even though it's not necessary to do so with the type I'm on) to make it uber effective.

So why is it that I am constantly worrying, constantly suspicious of early pregnancy symptoms and always over analyzing every little detail? Why is it such a big deal, when we would see the light at the end of the tunnel even if an accident did happen?


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Family Vacation - Photos!

Some Photos from our Family Vacation - Canuck Weekend!

Monster and I in the stands

Monster meeting the Canucks Mascot for the first time. Finn is trying to take a bite outta my cutie pie! Can't say that I blame him!

Monster and Hubbs out at the gate waiting to see some Canucks!

The wait and some rain paid off... Hubbs and Monster with LOUUU!

Parental Love

Love is a feeling that never ceases to amaze me. Just when I think I have it all figured out... BAM! Curveball!

Hubbs and I have been together for over 5 years now, and I've never once questioned or doubted my love for him. Probably because we started dating in June 2005, but in March of 2005 I already knew I wanted to marry him. I thought I knew love inside out, and had experienced all that I could just from loving my husband.

Until I became a mom.

The love I feel for Monster makes me want to apologize a million times to my own mom. I was a good kid, but sometimes I was mean and spiteful. As a child I just didn't understand the love my mom and dad had for me, how could I?

How could anyone ever begin to explain the magnitude? Parental love is also a need to protect, a strive to be the best, a will to be a better person so that the child is too.

How does any parent live after hearing the "I hate you"s of puberty? How does any parent live when your teenager hates you?

I guess I can only hope Monster is a mamas boy and loves me forever.


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Family Vacation - Day Two

Day two of our family vacation was a soggy one!

Turns out the excitement I experienced on Day One of our Family Vacation was just going to be felt on Day One. We got up early on Day Two, dressed head-to-toe in our Canucks gear and head out into the rain over to the arena.

Our first stop was the merchandise stand where we bought a foam finger and flag to take home and put into Monster's room. We spent from 9-1030am watching half the team complete drills, exercises, and play scrimmages. It was awesome, our seats where no more then 15 feet away from the ice, and the back of Lou's net.

The first Canuck Monster had the pleasure of meeting and receiving and autograph from was the team mascot Finn. He was pretty relaxed about the whole experience considering Finn tried to eat his head!

Once the first round was over, we headed outside to stand (for a total for 4.5 hours) in the rain for autographs. Ok, I'm being slightly dramatic... It wasn't raining the whole time, and Monster and I traveled back and forth from the hotel to the arena for breaks.

Highlights from Day Two:

1. Monster enjoyed his first time at a real hockey game(ish)! He waved his flag, and was full of smiles!

2. Hubbs, Slim, TG, Monster and I got to meet most of the Canucks, take photos with(or of) them and got a huge collection of autographs! We got all of ours on a blank jersey that we plan two get framed to hang in Monsters room.

Photos from Day Two coming soon!

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