Boo!

Happy (official) Halloween!

So, we didn't get many trick or treaters, but it WAS rainy and freezing out.

But there lies our huge tub full of candy...gotta get rid of that somehow before we eat it.

Also, Elliott couldn't hang but he did his best until about 7 pm.  Our friend Sam came over with her baby Bryn, Elliott's "girlfriend", and had dinner and played with the babies.  They actually acknowledge each other now.  I didn't get a video of it but it was so funny when they first saw each other today and they were making each other smile and laugh.

halloween week 15

happy halloween and happy 15 weeks!

it's our first year living somewhere that people would trick-or-treat and i'm a little nervous because our neighborhood is notorious for a huge flock of kids from both detroit and grosse pointe areas...people have been telling us to expect a massive amount of trick-or-treaters!

on hair loss...

Between baby using big handfuls as anchors for balance and post-partum hormones kicking in, I am finding myself with a lighter head and a big investment in drain-o.

15 week thoughts

Baby is 15 weeks tomorrow and as we're nearing the 4 month mark I am starting to have a lot of questions and wishing I had more moms around to talk to about it all.  It's a lot of work to look up information and sift through all the legitimate sources versus forum chatter to find a reputable answer to questions that I would really rather just casually chat about with another person.

And so here begins the chapter in my life when I join a mom's group!  There's a Grosse Pointe mom's group and I just contacted them to join.  It's $35/year and they have (I think) something like 80-100 members.  

Mom's group, house, baby, dog, practically a stay-at-home-mom, what has become of me??

Below are just some things on my mind recently...typing out loud here.

• I feel like he is about a month behind his GA developmentally so he does not have head control yet, not at a 4 month level at least, and I find it hard to balance my 2 conflicting thoughts :  "he was premature, it's ok", and "he's 4 months, he is ready".  This comes up often when I think about how he's doing and what he is/isn't mastering right now.  I'm not worried that he won't reach these milestones, and I am really not that concerned about it, but sometimes I start wondering if my lack of concern is concerning...if that makes sense.  Basically I find myself treating him like a premature newborn sometimes and I have to allow him to grow.  Like when I try to squeeze him into too-small clothes or realize a little too late that he needs a faster flowing bottle nipple.
• I think he should get some new toys to go along with his current development.  I think he would really love and benefit from an exersaucer or a jumper bouncer, the kind that hang from the ceiling or between a doorway.  He loves pushing my hands with his feet and looks so proud of himself when he does it, it is the cutest expression.  He hates tummy time still and so this would be a good head control method instead I think.  Only thing is, I wonder if he would fit either one of them or if he's still too small or too short.

week 14

 The DIA - Especially enjoyed the Picasso and Matisse Prints & Drawings room

 Banana and nutella crepes with some colleagues at...

 Good Girls Go to Paris in downtown Detroit

 Buffalo Wild Wings for friends and Lions game

 Didn't make it the whole game

 Visiting work

Lots of smiles!

My parents also came last weekend and we went to Slows Bar BQ in Detroit and it is DELICIOUS.  It was my 2nd time there and I think my favorite is officially the beef brisket.  I think they are reasonably priced too considering you get 2 gigantic side dishes in addition to a huge pile of meat!  They also have craft beers and homemade desserts.

The wait is always long - 2 hours on average!  But considering it has been getting alot of press (food&wine, and nytimes) and the food is so good it was worth the wait.

My stomach is growling just thinking about it, but luckily dinner tonight is a random salad of everything in our refrigerator - carmelized endives, boursin cheese, cranberries, chicken, sauteed apples in butter

videos week 14

 

 

 

 

week 13

Highlights of this week

• Driving 1 hr to the pumpkin patch, it was closed, but we had a good time anyway at a park
• First time in the bumbo chair...only successful because the back of the chair hits him at his neck and helps hold it up
• Started cloth diapers
• Cradle cap is slowly subsiding
• His eyes seem to be changing color, even compared to a week ago

It was a pretty good week, from what I can remember at least : )  Feeding is going well and we have really fallen into a groove with all of it.  I rarely pump anymore, which I may have to start forcing myself to do again because it might affect my supply, but it is nice to be able to just relax about it all.  I have built up a pretty decent freezer stock as well over time and have an estimated 50 oz. in there so it is nice not to have to stress about having bottles for his daycare (he only needs 2 bottles a week).

elephant ears

Not the cinnamon kind, but just as delicious

normal sleep!

Hallelujah!  It wasn't just a fluke.  E has been sleeping for 4-5 hours in the beginning of the night, up for a quick feed (usually), back to sleep for another 3 hours.  It has been this way for over a week now, maybe even two.  Last night I got a total of 9 hours of sleep...wow!  I was pretty awake after the first 5 hour block though.  Guess my body is used to living off 5 and thought, hey I've had enough.  Played, fed, and changed him, at I'm back in bed with a hot tea.  Things have definitely fallen into a routine and I think we are in the clear for a while.

(until he starts teething or going through some crazy sleep regression of course!)

sweater weather

starting to worry about how to dress baby for the frigid michigan winter that's on it's way.  i'm so used to just slapping on a onesie and calling it a day but that's not going to keep baby's toes from freezing off so i have to start using real clothes!  luckily, baby sweaters are just about the cutest thing.