My Son, the Klepto Baby

One of the greatest joys in birthing your very own offspring is watching them reach, and surpass milestones.

Monster started reaching for his toys, batting at them, and yanking on them just over 3 months ago. Since then he has been working hard to develop his fine motor skills, and dexterity. In the last two week, he has gotten ridiculously good at grabbing and stealing things!

I've nicknamed him Klepto-Baby, because each and everything I hold in my hands he reaches over and steals (ultimately to try and shove into his mouth). Actually, statement correction: I don't even have to be holding it, it just has to be in reaching distance. Monster enjoys very much "helping" mommy use her phone, or eat her food.

Which, in fact is where I think it all stemmed from. We started feeding Monster solids earlier then most. He first tired rice cereal at 3 and a half months old, and since then has a large list of fruit and veggies he enjoys on a daily basis. My theory is that since I feed him with a spoon, he thinks everything from my hands should go into his mouth.

That theory is easily dissolved with the shear fact that most babies pick things up, and stick them into their mouths.

Postpartum Weight loss - Introduction to Kashi

Once you start following weight loss blogs online, you can't help but notice a commonly enjoyed food brand. Kashi.

I had heard about it, but because of my previous lifestyle (cheaper food is better, even if it's slowly destroying your body) and the cost of the brand I've never tried it before.

Disclosure: I've learned that it actually doesn't cost much more to eat healthily as long as you get the most bang for your buck. I only purchase the amount of produce that me/my family can physically eat in one week, or else it will likely go bad in the fridge. That's why I pick up about $40 worth of groceries between paydays. I've also been buying produce that is mostly in season, and shopping around for weekly sales on staple items I normally buy.

My mom introduced me to her favorite Kashi granola bar when we got onto the topic of finding healthy, lower calorie snacks that "resemble" chocolate bars for your sweet tooth fix. It's called Dark Chocolate Coconut and she swears it's so good she looks forward to her 3pm snack every day, and this little granola bar will hold her until supper.

I didn't actually get the opportunity to try her favorite flavor because she had just purchased the Pumpkin Pecan, and the Raspberry Chocolate flavors, so we cut one of each in half and shared them to taste test. They were both great! In my opinion, the Pumpkin Pecan is more of a granola bar snack (as in, it wouldn't satisfy my need for a chocolate bar), but the Raspberry Chocolate flavor really hit the spot!

From what I've tasted of Kashi, I give the brand two thumbs up. I may have to spend some more time on their website learning about the products but, looks like I might get some cereal whilst grocery shopping tomorrow!

Safety 1st Cosco Alpha Omega Elite Car Seat

Yes, ladies and gentlemen it was time for us to buy a new car seat, ALREADY.

Due to my Monster's monster-ism he will officially be too heavy for his carrier car seat in less then 4lbs from now. At his 4 month appointment 3 weeks ago he was 18lbs, his carrier will only accommodate him until he is 22lbs.

Hubbs and I picked out the Safety 1st Cosco Alpha Omega Elite Car Seat from our local box store. After reading some online reviews and feature lists, I thought it was the most bang for our buck without having to travel far to pick it up. After picking it out three weeks ago, we waited to purchase it for a few reasons. 1. We didn't need it right that second, 2. We didn't have the money to spend on something we didn't absolutely need, and might not need for a month or two.

Thank goodness we waited! I picked up our two local papers off our porch to look at the flyers for baby sales. I really only ever look for diaper or formula sales, unless something else catches me eye. What do I see? The car seat on sale $60 off, and the sale ended tomorrow!

I love love love deals! We (when I say "we" I mean Darryl) set it up as soon as we got him. So far, I love the way it looks. It's so sleek, stylish and just plain comfy looking!

More product review to come!

Pool Adventures

A couple of weeks ago, during a massive heat wave (In the Shuswap... No way!) I pulled out our kiddie pool.

I bought this kiddie pool for Lola (my pug) last summer, but she was very uninterested, so I packed it away into the shed for this year when our little Monster arrived. After greasing up with sunscreen and slipping into a swimmy-diap we headed out to the pool. The water was only about 4-5 inches deep, so the temperature resembled bath water.

Monster didn't really know what to think about the pool itself, but he sure liked the scenery and the pug company!

Infant Growth Spurts

When will they end?!

Once Monster turned 4 months we headed out to the Public Health until to celebrate by him receiving his 4 month shots. During each visit it is protocol to weigh and measure your infant to monitor his growth. We did so, as usual and found that his 3 month growth spurt was equivalent to 3lbs 4oz, and 2 inches in length.

Yes, my Monster, is just that, a Monster!

That's fine and great, I thought the growing might slow down for a little while and didn't expect much change until about 6 months. I was definitely wrong. Today, Monster is almost 4 months, 3 weeks (will be tomorrow) and it is very clear to me he is enduring yet another infant growth spurt.

All day my little boy either ate or slept. Even after sleeping 11 hours over night, he insisted on napping every two hours for at least an hour. This is completely out of the norm for him these days. It's been a struggle to get him to nap longer then two 45 minute periods per day because he's sleeping so well at night.

I decided to humor myself and pull out my tape measure to measure his length. He has gained another full inch in 3 weeks. I consulted Kellymom.com about growth spurts and found out that it isn't uncommon for infants to have another one in the 4th month. Sheesh! I am happy I have a healthy growing boy, but we are flying through clothes! I'm finding it hard to keep up!

The next growth spurts are at due for 6 months and 9 months, so we'll see how long his fall/winter wardrobe lasts.

Infant Bedtime Routine

One thing I've learned from experience and by example from the ladies over at WTE is a consistent infant bedtime routine is key for a parents sanity!

When we first brought Monster home from the hospital we practiced bedsharing. It was one of those things I said I would absolutely never do, but when the time came, and I ended up with an emergency C-Section to recover from I felt I didn't have a choice. Of course I had a choice, there is always a choice. It was just easier, plain and simple. After approximately 2 weeks we transitioned Monster into his bassinet, which was in our room and practiced co-sleeping.

This worked out well for us, I didn't have far to go to get a crying newborn, and Hubbs got to stay asleep during our nighttime feedings to rest up for work the next day. However, once Monster reached the two month mark we figured it was a good time to transition him to his crib in order for the whole family to get more solid sleep at night.

With this transition came the infant bedtime routine. Everything we established has only ever changed slightly, and it was just the gradual change in bedtime becoming earlier and earlier. We start the routine with a nice warm bath, then a massage with Derma Sense Calming Massage Lotion a wonderful gift from Auntie TinaHealthNut for our baby shower. Once Monster is dressed, he gets his bedtime feeding, and placed in his crib while he's still awake. We play his calming "Sounds of utero" CD for him and then he knows it's time for sleep.

Some nights we have to go in to reassure him more then others, but all our persistence and consistency has paid off more then I could ever imagine. Monster now comes to expect things to be done at a certain time which might cut into our social life a little, but the reward of him sleeping 9-12 hours each night is much greater then any social activity!

Disclosure: I do not judge anyone who practices bedsharing or co-sleeping or any other forms of parenting as long as it's practiced safely.

Whine it out

I am very much against the Cry it Out method in order to get an infant to self sooth enough to fall asleep.

It does not work for me, or my family and with our bedtime routine firmly established, I feel that it's unnecessary. Having said that, Monster has begun fighting sleep recently. I blame the evil "4 month sleep regression" for transforming my contented happy little boy into a whiny mess at bedtime.

I am lucky, because the 4 month sleep regression effects other families very differently. Some infants regression results in multiple middle-of-the-night wake up sessions! Yes, I am damn lucky and I know it.

We did pick up a form of the Cry it Out method when this whole 4 month sleep regression started. I like to call it "Whine it Out". Monster (and I'm sure other infants) tends to make this whiny humming noise when he's tired, but trying to fight sleep. At first I would run to him in his room at any peep to "soothe" him so that he'd know I was always here for him.

Now that we've developed a trusting relationship, I only run to him if he really gets himself worked up. Most nights I don't even have to go back into his bedroom at all. I will lie him down, with the pacifier in his mouth, and he will hum-whine to himself for about 5 or so minutes before going to sleep on his own.

The reason we've developed that system is because, to him it doesn't matter if I'm rocking him to sleep, or he's lying in his crib alone, he will still do the hum-whine until he falls asleep.

Packing for a Sleep Over

Yesterday I let my Monster go for his third sleepover since he was born.

I am so lucky to have a content baby, and such an established bedtime routine that it's pretty easy for my mom (and a select few others) to care for him at bedtime or overnight. The worst part of the whole thing, isn't even the missing him while he's gone part, but rather the trying to pack everything he could possibly need while he's gone part.

Any parent who has traveled with an infant knows the dread that comes along with packing.

The only way for me to keep my sanity yesterday was to replay his bedtime routine over and over again in my head, checking off each item we use as I packed it up. The next challenge was with preparing enough food, solids and otherwise to send along with him for meal times. Since we've started serving solids to Monster 3 times a day, he has to have his food and bottle times planned out accordingly.

I'm not one for doing things willy-nilly and I know my mom knows Monster inside and out, almost as well I as do, but I still felt the need to write everything out on paper for her to refer to as needed. Worst case scenario, she'd just have to call me anyways.

I managed to remember everything the needed, right down to his nighttime massage lotion for after his bath, but when we pulled up into my moms driveway I realized I had forgotten the bassinet. Of course, the thing he was supposed to SLEEP IN! Fear not readers, my packing short comes were only met with my mom's over accommodation. Before Monster was even born she had invested in a playpen (Where he slept last night), car seat, high chair, and stroller.

What would I do without my mom?