(Imagine him saying that a la Joey on Friends.)
Monday, January 30, 2012
In Case of a Baby Blowout...
In one of my last blog posts, I described our recent experience with Ethan's "blowout". I decided to write a post about "must have" diaper bag items, just in case you (or someone you know) is in a similar situation. So, here goes....
Anat's Tip - As soon as you get home, repack the diaper bag with all of the essentials you've used. If you leave it until before you go out, you'll most likely forget some important item(s).
- Extra diapers and wipes
- Changing pad
- Cloth diaper/burp cloth (to cover baby, if necessary)
- Plastic grocery bags (to put dirty clothes/diapers in)
- Change of clothes (including socks)
- Hand sanitizer
Anat's Tip - As soon as you get home, repack the diaper bag with all of the essentials you've used. If you leave it until before you go out, you'll most likely forget some important item(s).
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers!
Ethan is ready to watch the IU Men's Basketball game with his Uncle Yuval this evening. Let's just hope the shirt makes it until tip off!
Out and About
Boy, did we have a packed day yesterday! Momma and Pops drove in from Cincinnati to spend the day with us.
First, we went out for a late lunch at Scotty's. Ethan was wonderful. He was awake and content in his carseat, something that he's only recently started to do. He fell asleep towards the end of our meal, so we decided to take a trip to the JCC to sign up for our membership, since there was a great deal going on which ended at the end of this month.
While we were registering, Pops and Ethan walked around the JCC. We realized that he was probably getting hungry, so we decided to feed him before leaving. As Kevin lifted him out of the stroller, he felt a wet spot on the back of Ethan's pants. Yes, folks, Ethan had a HUGE blowout. He had to be stripped naked in the main entrance of the JCC, given a "wet-wipe bath", and changed into his spare clothing. Thank goodness I was prepared for such a fiasco (except I forgot a spare pair of socks...oops)! Let me tell you, it was quite the scene! Momma and I couldn't help but laugh the whole time. I don't know what was funnier - Kevin's reaction to the whole thing (including the icky smell), or Ethan's proud demeanor.
After feeding Ethan, we stopped at Huddles, a local self-serve frozen yogurt shop for a sweet treat. Ethan was getting a little fiesty after being in his carseat (and not napping for longer than 30 minutes at a time), so we went home.
We said goodbye to Momma and Pops, and got Ethan ready to go out to dinner with some of our friends. Kevin let Ethan hang out on his lap for a while during dinner, I fed him, and then he was pretty entertained by all the things to look at in the restaurant.
This was Ethan's longest day out, and he did exceptionally well. I know he enjoyed himself, and was exhausted. He slept from 10pm to 7:30am!!
First, we went out for a late lunch at Scotty's. Ethan was wonderful. He was awake and content in his carseat, something that he's only recently started to do. He fell asleep towards the end of our meal, so we decided to take a trip to the JCC to sign up for our membership, since there was a great deal going on which ended at the end of this month.
While we were registering, Pops and Ethan walked around the JCC. We realized that he was probably getting hungry, so we decided to feed him before leaving. As Kevin lifted him out of the stroller, he felt a wet spot on the back of Ethan's pants. Yes, folks, Ethan had a HUGE blowout. He had to be stripped naked in the main entrance of the JCC, given a "wet-wipe bath", and changed into his spare clothing. Thank goodness I was prepared for such a fiasco (except I forgot a spare pair of socks...oops)! Let me tell you, it was quite the scene! Momma and I couldn't help but laugh the whole time. I don't know what was funnier - Kevin's reaction to the whole thing (including the icky smell), or Ethan's proud demeanor.
After feeding Ethan, we stopped at Huddles, a local self-serve frozen yogurt shop for a sweet treat. Ethan was getting a little fiesty after being in his carseat (and not napping for longer than 30 minutes at a time), so we went home.
We said goodbye to Momma and Pops, and got Ethan ready to go out to dinner with some of our friends. Kevin let Ethan hang out on his lap for a while during dinner, I fed him, and then he was pretty entertained by all the things to look at in the restaurant.
This was Ethan's longest day out, and he did exceptionally well. I know he enjoyed himself, and was exhausted. He slept from 10pm to 7:30am!!
Saturday, January 28, 2012
A Night Out
Last night, we decided to go to synagogue for Friday night services. Ethan made it through about half of the service before we needed to take a trip to my dad's office for a bottle and diaper change. As a reward, Uncle Yuval let Ethan sport his favorite kippah. Even at services, Uncle Yuval must support his beloved IU!!
Afterwards, we went to one of our favorite restaurants, Athens on 86th, for a nice Greek dinner with my parents. Ethan slept through most of it, which allowed us all to enjoy our meals. He woke just in time to flash a few gummy smiles before we left.
Afterwards, we went to one of our favorite restaurants, Athens on 86th, for a nice Greek dinner with my parents. Ethan slept through most of it, which allowed us all to enjoy our meals. He woke just in time to flash a few gummy smiles before we left.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
A Compromise
Ethan and I made our first compromise this week. I would give him his swaddle back for naps, if he would nap in his crib and put himself to sleep, rather than being rocked to sleep.
So far, it's a success!! He's now napping full time in his crib, which gives me the ability to get some things done downstairs without worrying that he'll wake up at every little noise I make. He has slept through Tobi barking, the doors beeping when they are opened, the garage door (which is right under his room) being opened and shut, and the washer and dryer running next to his room. Plus, it beats having to rock/shush/sway/swing/walk/spin him to sleep for 20 minutes or more!
So far, it's a success!! He's now napping full time in his crib, which gives me the ability to get some things done downstairs without worrying that he'll wake up at every little noise I make. He has slept through Tobi barking, the doors beeping when they are opened, the garage door (which is right under his room) being opened and shut, and the washer and dryer running next to his room. Plus, it beats having to rock/shush/sway/swing/walk/spin him to sleep for 20 minutes or more!
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Happy 3-Month Birthday, Ethan!
We've made it through another month! Ethan is rapidly growing before our eyes, as evidenced by his move to Size 2 diapers and 3-6 month clothing!
Stats: Since we do not have a doctor's appointment scheduled for this month, the only stat I have is Ethan's weight, which we gather by having either Kevin or I step on the scale without him, and then with him. Today, he weighed in at about 13lbs, 6oz!
Likes: Ethan LOVES observing everything around him. He is usually content to lay in his Boppy pillow and play with his linking rings, large caterpillar doll, or just kick his legs. Yes, kicking is still his favorite hobby. We can now add "grabbing" to favorite hobbies as well. Ethan used to nap in his swing, but now, he enjoys listening to the music and looking at the little animals hanging above him. He gets the biggest, gummiest smiles when he's hanging out in his swing.
Dislikes: Two words: Tummy Time. Recently, Kevin has been able to lay Ethan on his chest, and Ethan will push up, but this lasts for a total of 3-4 minutes.
Tricks: Ethan's latest trick is napping in his crib. We tried to take away his swaddle, but I think it was too much, too soon. We find that he's able to put himself to sleep in his swaddle, if he's placed in his crib "awake but drowsy". Ethan has also discovered his hands! He can grab things that are dangling in front of him. His smiles are more frequent and deliberate. He smiles at the sound of our voices and faces. Ethan also likes to tell us stories...he's being to talk and coo up a storm!
Mom: Lots of big changes for mom this month! I'm working with a therapist to deal with my postpartum anxiety and depression, and taking some medicine as well. It's a slow process, but I'm optimistic that I'll be able to make progress. We've made the decision to stop breastfeeding, since the stress on my body and mind is not helping the anxiety. This has been a difficult thing for me to give up, but I know it is in the best interest of Ethan and myself. The weaning process is also slow-going, not to mention uncomfortable, but we're working on it.
It's been a wild ride for Kevin and I, as we continue to travel down the adventurous road of parenthood. And you know who's in the driver's seat? Ethan! I'm pretty sure that's how it's supposed to be...for now, anyway!
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Fighting Naps
First, I must say that Ethan is doing very well at night. He is sleeping 7-8 hour stretches, wakes to eat, and goes back to sleep for a few more hours. This is a HUGE accomplishment for him {and us}.
Lately, and I'm talking the last 3-4 days, he's {really} fighting his naps. He cries and fusses when we try to put him down, even though he is showing all the signs of being tired, and even overtired sometimes. My little nap-lover went from taking several naps that ranged from 45 minutes to an occasional 3-hour nap, to catnapping, with maybe a 1-hour nap thrown in.
After searching around for the answer, the only thing I can come up with is that he is going through his 3-month "wakeful period". He's been much more interactive and observant of all the things around him, and I think he's just afraid he'll miss something if he sleeps.
Any other moms want to weigh in on this? Did your child{ren} go through this as well around this age? Any tips? Support? Words of wisdom? I'm open!
Lately, and I'm talking the last 3-4 days, he's {really} fighting his naps. He cries and fusses when we try to put him down, even though he is showing all the signs of being tired, and even overtired sometimes. My little nap-lover went from taking several naps that ranged from 45 minutes to an occasional 3-hour nap, to catnapping, with maybe a 1-hour nap thrown in.
After searching around for the answer, the only thing I can come up with is that he is going through his 3-month "wakeful period". He's been much more interactive and observant of all the things around him, and I think he's just afraid he'll miss something if he sleeps.
Any other moms want to weigh in on this? Did your child{ren} go through this as well around this age? Any tips? Support? Words of wisdom? I'm open!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Baby Steps
Today is a good day. Even though I lost a lot of sleep due to anxiety last night. Even though Kevin is back in Boston until Friday night. Even though I had a small panic attack this morning. Even though I had to call my mom and her friend, Debra, for some reassurance. Today is still a good day.
I have been repeating two things to myself today: 1) One thing at a time; 2) I'm doing my best.
Our biweekly play group met today. Although I felt overwhelmed at the thought of getting everyone and everything together to leave the house, I repeated my two mantras and went. It was so nice to be around the positive mommies in the play group. Ethan enjoyed himself, mostly sitting on my lap observing the older babies. He ate well, and when he seemed to be getting restless, I put him in his car seat (without so much as a complaining fuss), and we left for home.
Tonight my mom is coming over to give me some relief in the evening and at night, which will be nice.
But today is a good day.
I have been repeating two things to myself today: 1) One thing at a time; 2) I'm doing my best.
Our biweekly play group met today. Although I felt overwhelmed at the thought of getting everyone and everything together to leave the house, I repeated my two mantras and went. It was so nice to be around the positive mommies in the play group. Ethan enjoyed himself, mostly sitting on my lap observing the older babies. He ate well, and when he seemed to be getting restless, I put him in his car seat (without so much as a complaining fuss), and we left for home.
Tonight my mom is coming over to give me some relief in the evening and at night, which will be nice.
But today is a good day.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Opening Up
In addition to this blog being a way to keep family and friends posted on our lives, it is also an outlet for me. Therefore, I'm deciding to write about something personal because I think it is important, not only for me, but for others who may be going through a similar situation.
This week was a difficult one for our little family. I had a very rough four days with Kevin gone; nights of sleeplessness and restlessness, and days filled with anxiety, stress, loss of appetite, thoughts of hopelessness and helplessness, and although this is difficult to admit, feeling like I had no interest in caring for little Ethan. I finally had to admit that there was a problem, and I had to do something about it.
No one likes to talk about this stuff, but I've decided to make it public because those four days I suffered were the longest, most miserable days I can remember. I felt like I was losing my mind. I felt alone. I felt like I was a bad mom. No amount of encouragement from loved ones lifted my spirits.
What I went through was the ugliness of Postpartum Depression and Anxiety. Yes, it's a real thing...and it's really scary. I refused to let this go on any longer untreated, so I met with my doctor and we developed a game plan. I'm taking medicine to help with the anxiety, and have an appointment to meet with a therapist to regain some coping skills that I seem to have lost.
I have a lot of work to do, but knowing that I have some control in this situation has given me much more peace of mind. Talking about this openly makes me feel empowered. I know how alone I felt this last week, and maybe me opening up about this will encourage other women in a similar situation to take control and reach out for help.
I am fortunate to have a wonderful support system, including my husband, parents, brother, in-laws, and close family friends, who all stepped in to help me during this tough time. I will continue to blog about my experience with Post-Partum Depression and Anxiety, because it is something I do not want to brush under the rug. Overcoming this will ultimately make my family and me much stronger.
This week was a difficult one for our little family. I had a very rough four days with Kevin gone; nights of sleeplessness and restlessness, and days filled with anxiety, stress, loss of appetite, thoughts of hopelessness and helplessness, and although this is difficult to admit, feeling like I had no interest in caring for little Ethan. I finally had to admit that there was a problem, and I had to do something about it.
No one likes to talk about this stuff, but I've decided to make it public because those four days I suffered were the longest, most miserable days I can remember. I felt like I was losing my mind. I felt alone. I felt like I was a bad mom. No amount of encouragement from loved ones lifted my spirits.
What I went through was the ugliness of Postpartum Depression and Anxiety. Yes, it's a real thing...and it's really scary. I refused to let this go on any longer untreated, so I met with my doctor and we developed a game plan. I'm taking medicine to help with the anxiety, and have an appointment to meet with a therapist to regain some coping skills that I seem to have lost.
I have a lot of work to do, but knowing that I have some control in this situation has given me much more peace of mind. Talking about this openly makes me feel empowered. I know how alone I felt this last week, and maybe me opening up about this will encourage other women in a similar situation to take control and reach out for help.
I am fortunate to have a wonderful support system, including my husband, parents, brother, in-laws, and close family friends, who all stepped in to help me during this tough time. I will continue to blog about my experience with Post-Partum Depression and Anxiety, because it is something I do not want to brush under the rug. Overcoming this will ultimately make my family and me much stronger.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Is This a Growth Spurt???
So, I've been searching the internet to understand whether or not Ethan is going through a growth spurt. We've had a rough few days, and like any mom, I just want to know that he's OK and that there is an end in sight. Here is what Ethan's been up to the last few days:
- VERY fussy behavior - When not nursing, Ethan can be entertained for a total of 15-20 minutes before getting fussy.
- Does NOT want to take naps - It's impossible to get him down, as he's always fussing. When he is down, he wakes after 10-30 minutes. I've tried swaddling, not swaddling, placing him in the crib, placing him in his swing, laying him on the couch, holding him...just to mention a few. Prior to these last few days, he would do a few short naps (45 minutes - 1.5 hours), and one long nap (2.5 hours - 3.5 hours).
- Eating after shorter intervals - I don't know if this is because I'm still trying to follow the "Eat, Play, Sleep" routine, and since his naps are so short, I just feed him when he wakes, or if he's actually hungry. It seems the only way he can be soothed is by nursing.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Little Bengals Fan
Guess who he was rooting for???
I know they didn't win, but I still had to post this. He just gets cuter and more expressive every day!
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Napping in the Crib
After a {very} fussy morning (but also a "sleep-through-the-night", so can't complain too much), Ethan had a difficult time napping in his usual snooze spot - his beloved swing. He woke up after only 30 minutes and refused to go back down. He was only consoled by a very fidgety nursing session, which resulted in a frustrated mom and baby. Daddy tried putting him down for another nap in the swing, which lasted all of five minutes.
While Daddy was trying to sway and shush him to sleep, I decided that it might be time to try the old "nap in the crib game". Usually, this ends up with Ethan waking up and screaming after 10 minutes, and not going back to sleep. Lo and behold, after falling asleep in Daddy's arms, he went down {and stayed down} in his crib! He's been sleeping there for over an hour! I keep thinking he's going to wake up any minute, though.
Maybe he was overstimulated down here and just wanted the quiet comfort of his room. Maybe he's outgrown the swing. Or maybe this was a one time thing and it won't work for his next nap. Regardless of the reason, I'm counting this as a win!
While Daddy was trying to sway and shush him to sleep, I decided that it might be time to try the old "nap in the crib game". Usually, this ends up with Ethan waking up and screaming after 10 minutes, and not going back to sleep. Lo and behold, after falling asleep in Daddy's arms, he went down {and stayed down} in his crib! He's been sleeping there for over an hour! I keep thinking he's going to wake up any minute, though.
Maybe he was overstimulated down here and just wanted the quiet comfort of his room. Maybe he's outgrown the swing. Or maybe this was a one time thing and it won't work for his next nap. Regardless of the reason, I'm counting this as a win!
Friday, January 6, 2012
Say Cheese!
Look who's learned to smile (and discovered his tongue, too)! Every time he flashes that gummy grin I'm reminded how lucky we are to have him in our lives. Keep smiling, E-man!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
To Bumper, or Not to Bumper
That is the question. Little Ethan is quite the mover and shaker. Each morning, he likes to surprise us with where he has ended up in his bed. He scoots himself all over the place, while he's swaddled, mind you! The problem is that he bumps his head on the wood slats of the crib, and this morning, got his legs wedged in between them.
Many of my friends on Facebook suggested putting up bumpers, and say that once he is able to move like that, he should be fine. I'm not so sure. I don't know how long it takes him to get into those positions, and therefore don't know how long it would take him to get out of a dangerous situation.
We do have adorable bumpers that were custom made to go with his bedding. However, I would feel so guilty if something happened because I put them up for the sake of me not having to wake up and feed the baby (since he wakes up and that's the only way he'll go back to sleep). The idea that something could go wrong is always in the back of my mind.
For right now, I think we're going to try to angle him differently in the bed. Hopefully, this will allow him to scoot without hitting any "walls". I'm still a little hesitant to take the bumper route. I'm not totally ruling it out...but I definitely need to give it some more thought.
Many of my friends on Facebook suggested putting up bumpers, and say that once he is able to move like that, he should be fine. I'm not so sure. I don't know how long it takes him to get into those positions, and therefore don't know how long it would take him to get out of a dangerous situation.
We do have adorable bumpers that were custom made to go with his bedding. However, I would feel so guilty if something happened because I put them up for the sake of me not having to wake up and feed the baby (since he wakes up and that's the only way he'll go back to sleep). The idea that something could go wrong is always in the back of my mind.
For right now, I think we're going to try to angle him differently in the bed. Hopefully, this will allow him to scoot without hitting any "walls". I'm still a little hesitant to take the bumper route. I'm not totally ruling it out...but I definitely need to give it some more thought.
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