The Time You Had Your First Fever

Yesterday was a difficult day for us. As you know, I have been struggling with breaking my nasty habit of co-sleeping with you. I get all of this negative feedback about this parenting approach from work and the pediatric association while the La Leche League and members highly promote it for your development. It's about time though because you are getting a little more mobile and even "safe" co-sleeping is in jeopardy now. BUT, I will be hard pressed to break it after my most recent round of attempting to get you in your own crib. You have had several successful nights in your crib throughout your short life so far; however, you keep finding your way to our bed for many reasons. 1) You sleep longer 2) You eat whenever you want so you are full longer and sleep more comfortably and 3) We like to snuggle! But, the night before last night was going to be my new effort to make a commitment to your new crib life. We have the heater on, but it is still a little chilly outside and this house is not that energy efficient. You wore a fleece sleeper onesie with the sack bottom and long sleeves. It did not appear to be a "too hot" option. I laid you down and probably checked on you five or six times throughout the night. I could not sleep through a single noise you made. You flipped on to your stomach the first time I heard you fuss. I flipped you back. You are pretty good at consistently flipping from your back to your tummy in both directions but you do not often flip back from the tummy to the back. Paired with your ongoing congestion issues, I just didn't want you to be uncomfortable - what with the whole pediatric association push for safe sleeping, back to sleep. However, about five minutes later, I hear you fuss again and there you are on your tummy again. I left you this time. Each whine noise I heard, I would leap out of bed and run to your bedside. Most times, it would be nothing and I would just watch you, but at about 6AM you usually wake for a sleep-feeding so at that time I brought you into bed with me. Now this was just over about 6 hours. Typically you sleep for 10-12 with co-sleeping and sleep-eating so it was not a huge success, but it's a start for the new routine. I just need to sleep through some of the sleep-fussing. The hard part was EVERY TIME you have slept in your own crib when I wake you up in the morning you seem warm but your little hands are ice cold. We have tried mittens but you suck on them and then they are even more cold. So when I pick you up in the morning I hold them and snuggle you to heat them back up. This morning was no exception - little icy hands! A little later, I felt like you were more lethargic than normal and a little more fussy. You are such a chill and happy baby this did not seem right. I kept feeling your head and thinking you were warm but I was not sure. Every time my cheek touched your head it seemed like it was on fire and your hands were still very cold. I made your dad come feel your head. Of course at first, he just assumed I was being the overcautious, hypochondriac mother/person that I am, but then he agreed you felt pretty hot. I had remembered your pediatrician also mentioning that it was not just about a warm head but that the hands are often pretty cold too. So we busted out the thermometer for the first really necessary time and took your temperature. 100.4! I was so nervous - What do we do now! I thought we maintained our cool but it appeared that as soon as we knew it was a fever, you knew it was okay to start crying about it. It went downhill from there fast and you became even more tearful and uncomfortable. While we waited for the triage nurse to call us back from the doctor's office, we went ahead and gave you baby Tylenol. It was like magic. You definitely seemed a little more comfortable. Later that night you did not have a temperature anymore, but we figure it's the Tylenol doing it's job because you were still pretty warm. We gave you lots of extra love and care, but unfortunately, I had to go to work so daddy gave most of the extra love in those first hours of your fever. When I came home, we snuggled lots more. I didn't have to give you anymore Tylenol and you managed to sleep pretty well. I noticed you still felt pretty hot all the way until this morning so we shall see how you do today. The doctor's office said - it happens - and not to worry until it's prolonged or goes higher - so let's hope for the best! But, guess where you slept last night? With me! Back to the drawing board on breaking our co-sleeping pattern. ;)

The Time You and Gambit Played

Today was super cute. I'm sure I'll say that often. With my new work schedule, you, me, and daddy have been getting lots of extra time together in the mornings before I head out for work. Today that included several fun moments - some of which we got on film and others we will only be able to remember in our minds. First, you started REALLY giggling. You have the funniest laugh/giggle/gurgle. You usually have your hands in your mouth that's a given but what is funny is how they impede your laughing. You have this muffled laugh that stutters. We still have to work REALLY, REALLY hard to get you to laugh but when
you do it is worth it. Today, I was pretending to go zombie on your tummy and you just cracked up every time. Daddy didn't get it on camera, but I got him doing a similar move a little later.

You had a crazy, messy green bean experience. Daddy does not like when you get really dirty, but I just strip you down to your diaper and have at it. I love seeing you all covered in food and happy!



After laugh central, you were on the ground and me and daddy were talking. Out of no where, Gambit does his drive by licking and you laughing WAY louder than you did at me! It was super cute. Then daddy helped you play with Gambit. Gams was getting really excited so daddy had to hold back his paws while he licked you instead of clawing at you.

The Time You Put Your Foot in Your Mouth

Today was the first time that I actually witnessed you putting your foot in your mouth. You've gotten fairly close before, but today you tasted toes! It was so cute. I was working on your Gerber menu for the week when I looked over at you in your swing - just chilling with your foot in your mouth. I got really excited and grabbed the camera. I got a mediocre picture of the milestone, but you are very camera shy. Any thing adorable or impressive you are doing stops on a dime when you see the scary, flashing black box come out. You literally drop the smiling and acting and sport the deer in the headlights look.

Later this very same evening, I got to see another cute sight - You giggling with your daddy. I can't even describe the assortment of noises he was making in order to get a laugh from you but you smiled and laughed right along. We have been waiting a long time for your laugh. You still have a pretty cautious giggle and boy do you make us work for it each time. You are more of an observer. You watch and listen and comment or react only if you are truly impressed. If you keep that quality, you will be remaining true to yourself and not acting for the approval or benefit of others - while I wholly support this... I really want you to giggle more for me! You and daddy were cracking up and I thought I could get it on video on the IPad. Silly, mommy. Of course, as with the camera, the second I bust out the IPad and hit record, you are a mute. I guess some of these special memories will only be kept in our mind and here in words - though it can't do these moments justice in the slightest. You are so beautiful and impressive and constantly changing with new milestones each day. Including this evening's thumb sucking. Normally it's your whole fist you stuff in your mouth but today you limited it to your thumb. So stinking cute! If I could have a video camera recording your every move, I think I would. It is all happening so fast.

The Time You Turned 5 Months

Each month, I try to get pictures of you in a white onesie with your age sticker. From birth, you haven't been too excited about these little photo sessions. I try to knock them out quickly. This session was quick and easy. While I was getting the camera, I came back in to find you sucking on the sticker. Oops! I left it too close to you and your insatiable desire to suck on things. I didn't manage to get any pictures prior to your stealthy moves so the only pictures I got show a partially eaten 5 months sticker.

Other highlights this month:
5) Flipping in both directions
4) Started solid foods - sweet potatoes (your favorite!), peas (yuck!), and bananas
3) You attended your first wedding - Uncle Zach and Aunt Maggie
2) You had your first Christmas
1) You got EVEN cuter!