A Picnic and Sitting Up!

Today (well yesterday really) was awesome. First of all Zeke only woke once overnight at about 3.30am for a feed and went straight back to sleep, and then did the same again at 7am. I was so ready for him to want to get up after that 7am feed, but he dozed off again and so did I! Then at 8.30, I woke up and he was still out to it! I even managed to get out of bed and get some stuff done for an hour before he woke up... in a lovely mood! I hope he repeats this again tomorrow.

We also had a picnic with our mum's group today for Christmas, we went to this gorgeous park and stuffed ourselves silly on yummy food, chatted and played with the babies. Was such a lovely day, the weather was beautiful, and Zeke was in such a good mood! Took some pics, nothing fantastic though, Zeke needed to be held for most of it, so it was hard for me to take anything really good.

Zeke also surprised me today by being a total show off. He was propped leaning on my leg then all of a sudden pushed off my leg to sit up straight without support at all! He stayed like that for a good 5 minutes, and probably would have kept going but I had to get up, so I laid him down again so he wouldn't fall and bonk his head (the way he usually finishes sitting) while I wasn't there to catch him.

My baby boy is getting soooooo big. Choosing to sit up all on his own... he'll be crawling before I know it I swear!

He also tried yoghurt a couple of days ago, just the plain stuff, but I added fruit, and he LOVES it. He even eats it plain, which surprises me, the all-natural no-sugar plainer than vanilla stuff can be quite tart.

He also tried some chicken tonight, I just poached it with a little garlic (he LOVES garlic... tries to steal anything with garlic in from me!) and he really enjoyed it minced up finely. I mixed it with his veggies and he spat out the bits after that, but if I hand-fed him the peices he swallowed them... what a funny boy. When this government Xmas bonus comes in, I'm going to get him a highchair and then he can really give finger foods a go.

It also turns out that he likes gingerbread, he had some at his aunty Kyla's Christmas party last weekend, and with most foods he did his little 'hamster' trick of eating some, but stashing some in his cheeks to ooze out about 20 minutes later on! Cheeky boy!

He got to try some hommus this evening as well, but I didn't really have a say in that, he just kinda swiped at it! As you can see, with gingerbread, hommous, garlic and yoghurt on the menu my little boy has quite an advanced palate!

Speaking of tastes, he's also decided my shoulder is quite yummy, I'll find when I'm holding him in a short-sleeved top he'll often start gnawing/sucking on my shoulder. Don't know what that's about, but it sure is slimy!

Anyway, we're going out again tomorrow, and relatively early for us, so I'm going to head off to bed... but first a couple of pics of the picnic!

Zeke eats his bells, dummy chain and chicken from Aunty Jane all at once!

Time out for Zeke in the pram!

More interested in the wrapping paper than the lovely gift from Mae & Isabel! (He loves the stacking rings though, he played with them all evening!)

MRI Appointment has been booked!

We have an MRI date booked for Zeke! This is what having the surgery scheduled has been waiting on, so this is great that it can be done so soon, so they can do the op around Feb-March like they planned. The MRIs were booked till June 09, so we were on a cancellation list with high priority, and we've been booked!

The MRI is booked for Jan 5th at 10am, I'm so relieved that it can already be done, but so anxious about it already because he has to have the contrast stuff and a General Aneasthetic. Because of the GA I cannot BF him after 1am, and cannot give him anything to drink after 5.30am... and it's summer here! My poor poor baby! (And my my poor poor boobs not BFing for at least 9-10 hours!)

I'm very relieved that it is booked and his surgery can go ahead as planned (it's not yet booked, but will be once the MRI is done) but I'm already nervous about the GA and him not being allowed to have anything to drink... hopefully I won't go mad before then!

6 Months old!

That's right, Zeke turned 6 months old last Wednesday! I would have updated sooner but we've all been sick with a horrible flu virus that made everyone totally miserable. Lots of runny noses, fevers, aches & pains, sore throats and general misery.

My poor baby boy was feeling so bad. He wouldn't nurse properly because his throat hurt, then he wouldn't burp because of it - you could see him grimace and swallow the burp when he tried because it hurt - then because he had air in his tummy he'd vomit what little he had eaten. Meanwhile, I'm feeling like death and trying to look after Zeke and give him all the extra TLC he needs while doing everything else as normal... it was not a good few days.

Wednesday (his offical 6-month birthday) started out awesome! I can't believe he's so big already... what happened to that soft beautiful little boy who'd snuggle on my chest and not move for hours? The morning started out great, I took him to have his picture taken with Santa, and it turned out beautifully. (I have to go get it scanned, so I can't show you just yet) He was so awesome, he didn't cry a bit! I got heaps of spares of photos so I can give them to the numerous rellies who will no doubt want one! We had coffee with a friend who I haven't seen since before I was pregnant, and generally had heaps of fun.

On Wednesday night Zeke got really hysterical, SCREAMING, running a fever (even an hour after a dose of paracetamol) all flushed and sweaty, he hadn't eaten in about 3 hours, and was throwing up a little, so I decided to take him to the ER, nothing I was doing would soothe him, and the GPs were closed. He screamed there for the first hour and a half, although he wasn't running a fever by then, and finally fell asleep. He was so deeply asleep that we had to wake him by the time the Dr saw us. (4 hours after we'd first gone in) and of course he was fine. The doctor was lovely and said it was just the virus getting a bit worse and to keep an eye on him.

We went back to the GP again the next day (Thurs) who told me to keep giving Zeke paracetamol every 4 hours thru Thurs & Fri so that he wouldn't realise his throat hurt and get all worked up again,, which seemed to work, and now we're both feeling much better!

On Friday we had a checkup with our new pedi, who is at the Children's Hospital where Zeke will be treated next year. It was more of a meet & greet than anything, but she said he was doing 'perfectly'! We also had him weighed and he is now 15lbs even, which is double his birthweight! He's absolutely stacking it on now that we're supplementing him. He's still 10%, but he's ON the line, rather than just touching the bottom of it.

He can help hold his bottle now too - if you let go for a few seconds he will even hold it himself if it is the thin ones. The fatter bottles are too big for his hands still. He eats apple, peach, pear, mango, canteloupe, apricot and banana for fruit, potato, sweet potato, carrot, zuchinni, broccoli, spinach and pea for veggies, and rice and oats for cereals. I'm planning to introduce a little bit of chicken and plain yoghurt over the next couple of weeks as we still want him to gain as much weight as possible and having some protien or dairy will really help him do that. He also LOVES LOVES Baby Mum-mums, which are a rice biscuit of sorts, he will eat two in under 5 minutes!

He's gotten rolling down to a fine art, and if there's something to the left or right of him when he's on his tummy, he can spin around so quickly to get it! "That's not where Mummy left you!" is becoming a frequent catch cry in this house! He can also sit up for a few seconds if you put him there, and he tries to sit up by himself, but doesn't get far, even when you pull his arms, because the size of his head means it is very heavy for him and difficult to lift, but he is still doing awesome. He's chatty, and loves to coo, squeal and generally make a lot of noise... I'm trying to convince him that he wants to say "Mama" but he's not doing consonant sounds regularly just yet!

Here he is a couple of days before 6mos in his ROCKING Metallica onesie Ryan bought!

I am Mummy!

That's right - Zeke recognised my 'name' today! My mum was holding him and said "Where's Mummy?" My clever boy didn't even hesitate for a second - he just spun his head straight around to look at me and give me a giant smile!

It's official guys... I am 'Mummy!'

I have not been so offended in ages...

This is just embarrassing, an overseas (US based I believe) pain-relief manufacturer Motrin recently released this disgusting add...

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=XO6SlTUBA38

There are just so many this wrong with this add.

1) It makes babywearing mommas look like ignorant try-hards, who like the teenage girl tottering around in shoes that cause blisters and a dress so tight she can hardly breathe because she's 'sexy', wear their babies because it's 'cool' and will make them look like a 'real' mother.

2) It promotes babywearing as a painful thing to do. This is ridiculous! Even I can wear Zeke, and I have an ongoing shoulder injury and a bad back, and still comfortably tote him around in a carrier wherever I go. Babywearing when undertaken with the right advice and sling for you, (there is lots of advice out there!) is a comfortable and painless experience.

3) The add also made fun of the scientific fact that babies who are worn cry less. I cannot tell you the number of mothers I know who swear by wearing their baby in any form of carrier as a way to keep their bub close, comfortable and peaceful. Nothing turns my fussy, overtired little boy into a mellow baby like popping him in the sling and doing a few laps of the house.

4) The makers of the add also mock the bonding experience that can be had by babywearing. When you wear your baby, you are deliciously close to their soft skin, their warmth is pressed right against your heart (exactly where your baby belongs!), and every step you take you can breathe in that beautiful, sweet, milky, one-of-a-kind 'baby' scent that belongs only to your child... and even while they're asleep your baby will recognise your heartbeat, scent and warmth as a sense of comfort and protection. How is that not a wonderful way to bond with your baby?

I really am disgusted and offended by this, I cannot believe how ignorant the makers of this add are.

When I became pregnant , one of the things I looked forward to most was wearing my child... I researched all the options, and made a choice of carrier based on factors that affect me, and I have found that wearing Zeke is a happy, enjoyable and above all comfortable experience. I love having him close to me when I am out walking or shopping, and he appears to really enjoy being close to me and having a great view of the day's proceedings! Not to mention it keeps my hands free to get what I need to do finished.

For those who choose it babywearing is a win/win situation for the wearer and the child!

All you baby-wearing mothers out there who also find this add rude, offensive or ignorant, please drop by the Motrin website when it is up and running again, and let them know what you think. I will certainly be giving them my two cents!

Oh yeah... and a pic of Zeke being worn... not my best photo ever... but a baby blog needs at least one pic per post!

Baby talk...

Well, I still haven't gotten around to doing an "official" 5mo photo shoot yet - I planned to today, but Zeke had a longer nap than I expected! Weather obliging, I'll do it tomorrow!

Today, at 5months and 1 week exactly Zeke figured out how to roll from his back to his tummy! He was very pleased with himself, and so was I! It was all in the name of destruction, he had his heart set on grabbing the wipes and ripping them out of the tub one after another, but I didn't mind really! He's been rolling back to side for some time now, but only today got the full way over... what a big boy!

He also skipped his usual 1am waking last night... very pleased. I'm up too late again tonight though, and naturally he won't be so obliging LOL! My boobs hurt by 4am when he finally woke though... small price to pay in the long run! Hopefully this will become a habit, and he'll sleep 10.30 - 4am regularly. This would make me very happy!

I've also been busy making him baby food, at the moment he has sweet potato and broccoli, and apple, pear and mango. I'm hoping to also get his carrot and zuchinni done as well. It is so simple and cheap. Cook the food till tender and puree. It freezes in an ice cube tray and then into a ziplock bag in the freezer! He loves it too... this makes me really happy, as I've found some of the jarred foods have a lot of water in them, or other things that aren't on the label. Right now Zeke eats...

Sweet Potato
Carrot
Broccoli
Spinach
Peas
Apple
Mango
Pear
Banana
Apricot
Baby Rusks

But he doesn't like...

Plain Farex (rice cereal)
Farex with sweet potato (must be with a different veggie or fruit)
Pumpkin (makes him constipated)
ANY food with breastmilk added, BM has to be straight from the source or nothing for him, he won't even take it in a bottle. He has to have formula if he's having a bottle.

I will be introducing him to this week:

Zuchinni
Baby Porridge (Oats whizzed in a blender to get smoother)

A couple of eating pics from the other day. Spinach, broccoli & pea, with Farex added I believe... even though eating is actually a lot of fun and he really enjoys it, he takes it very seriously!



Not much else new atm, we're on a waiting list for his MRI, they're booked till June 09, but as soon as a cancellation happens they'll book us in. It's a bit sad really, partly because he has to wait, and really he needs to be seen and get this fixed ASAP, but also because it shows how overtaxed our public hospitals are.

We're also experimenting with sippy cups. He has a lovely one with a nice soft silicone teat that he has to chew/suck to make the water pour, which means he can't just tip it everywhere. He mostly lets the water run down his chin, but he's getting the hang of it. He needs some help holding it though... if I make it full enough so he doesn't have to tip far, it's too heavy for him to hold on his own, but if it's light enough, he doesn't tip the cup up enough so he doesn't get any water!

Anyway, a couple more pics of my cutie patootie, and now I'm off to bed! He's playing on the couch with his daddy... as you can now see, tummy time is AWESOME!

Some Photos...

Well, my baby boy is 5 months old! But I haven't had time to do a photo shoot for that yet. So here's some of his 4mo pics!

As you can see, I tried to be artistic... but Zeke had other ideas as usual!

No appointments for a while, but a lovely lovely picnic with my Doula Julie last week. Was awesome to see her again and show off how beautiful and big Zeke is becoming.

I promise I am working on a blog for TUI... something to do with DWI (Driving While Infuriated) methinks... since getting a car I've noticed just how irritating other road users are!

Oh wait, here's my new signature for the board I'm on. The second 'e' is a 5-month shot!

Very proud of that one...

Anyway, I should get to bed and hope my (yes, that's right MY) teething pains let me sleep. This last wisdom tooth sure is taking its sweetass time to get here... urg!

Miranda xoxo