*Baby Corner*

[Susita 175]

Doodle Pros are awesome. My kids got one from 'Santa' when they were 2 and they're almost 5 and they still play with it.

They can basically draw with a magnetic pen and then erase it over and over...

[Eveline 9]

@Chnst: For you

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x244/Ev...cannedImage.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x244/Ev...nnedImage-2.jpg

He wasn't happy...

[chnst 6]

@Chnst: For you

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x244/Ev...cannedImage.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x244/Ev...nnedImage-2.jpg

He wasn't happy...

lol, these are really priceless. thanks Evi!

@Susita: thank you, that looks like a cool toy! and congratulations on your little girl-to-be

about the babyproofing- we haven't done anything except stairgates and outlet covers. We try to keep him out of the bathroom and he is pretty much under our surveilance when we are at home. I got rid of toxic cleaners but let him play in all the cabinets, he loves to play with my pots and pans and hide in there. The only thing that he is obsessed with is emptying out drawers.... Honestly I pick up stuff he found in a drawer everyday. I want to get a drill and put screws in the drawer so they are permanently closed, haha. He has started to climb up the couch and on chairs and he loves to crawl up the stairs, if we let him- no fear.

We also have one of those playyards that we have used to contain him inside so that he can't go into the kitchen if we are in the living room, or we have used it outside in the summer.

Oh and we have just put up our christmas tree and he is absolutely fascinated with it. We have a couple small wooden ornaments that we hung low, that he can play with. so far he is respecting the rules.

[caybee 21]

@ Jenn, I can imagine the look on her face when she thought you were going to nurse at the table I did try once at the table with family (though not at Thanksgiving - just the six of us, and everyone was fine with it). I used a cover, but it was just too awkward. Now when I'm at my parents' house and he gets hungry, if I haven't pumped a bottle to take over there, we lie down on my parents' bed and nurse for a few minutes, which is really pleasant. I hope to reach a point where I'm comfortable nursing on the sofa with family around. I'm getting better at covering, but he's getting grabby. He's also started this cute game where he'll dive on for one or two sucks, look me in the eyes, pull off and grin up at me, and then start again, but only when he's nursing for the emotional bond. If he's really hungry, he'll still latch on for a good 15 minutes or longer at a stretch. I wish I were more comfortable nursing in public. We were out of town last weekend. I pumped at the hotel but he finished that just before we went into the aquarium, so when he got hungry again, I resorted to nursing him in the public restroom because I couldn't find an isolated spot. I hated having to do that. I'm either going to have to get more comfortable in public or pump more and carry more gear, but being able to nurse him wherever and whenever would certainly be more efficient, especially when we travel.

Everything is pretty regular now. I nurse him right after work around 2 pm, then nurse him to sleep for his nap around 3:30 or 4 pm, then again when he wakes up around 8 pm, sometimes for an extended period. Then I'll nurse him to sleep around 10 or 11 pm if we're lucky, and I'll move him from the bed into his cosleeper. He usually wakes up hungry around 4 or 5 am, but if I bring him into the bed to nurse, he'll go right back to sleep after 15 minutes, and then he'll wake his dad sometime between 8 and 10 am for his first bottle unless I catch him once more before leaving for work. When I'm nursing him to sleep, he often does a Pete Townshend impression with a windmill arm around his head and down on me. I don't know if he's trying to stimulate production or whether he's just too restless to relax, but I think it's the latter because he kicks and arches a little also, though not like he did when he had so much intestinal discomfort. I've started swaddling him to nurse him to sleep. He protests at first, but he settles down once he's getting the milk and usually falls asleep within a few minutes.

@Anna, have you ever posted photos of your diapers? I'm sorry, I can't remember. I'm going to try to make some T-shirt diapers since those look pretty easy and fun, but I guess they'll need a cover? I've been using disposables more than I'd intended because he just outgrows the covers so quickly. The only ones he hasn't outgrown are his three Bumgenius AIOs. They're open all the way now, but they fit him well, and I hope he can keep using them for a while.

[Nessa 23]

Ben is 22 lbs

[Mommy2ZaidnSalma 11]

We got Zaid a Doodle board for xmas too. Im sure he will love it.

Stef were taking Zaid for a breakfast with Santa on Sunday morning. Everywhere we go he sees "Anta" as he calls it and wants to go by whatever it was he saw. He has been watching Polar Express over and over and absolutely loves it. Its so cute. Were planning on going Downtown next weekend to see the Macys windows and the big Xmas tree. Im sure he is gonna have a ball

So some of u may have seen on my facebook but Zaid has been saying "fucky" for 3 days now. ( we do not use that word ever) i have asked him repeatedly what he is trying to tell me and he just tells me "mommy .....fucky" lol I tell him thats not a nice word but I cant figure out what hes saying. I know its not ....puppy, ducky, truck, lucky, looky,yucky, because he can say all those words. It has be sooo baffled.

Nessa, Ben sure is a big boy. Zaid was 24lbs at his 1 year checkup. Seems like the BF babies tend to be chubbier when their younger. My sisters 4 month old is 19lbs. Thats a big boy

[Eveline 9]

Zaidsmommy: Haha that is too funny. FUCKY gg..they make up the funniest words. Adam's been watching Shreck a lot and when the king turns into a frog Adam always yells "Look...there's a FOCK in there" . also, for a while instaed of 'hungry' he'd say "horny" . He's got it now though.

I got Adam a doodle thingy the other day for the flight to Germany. I got everything packed. Got the DVD Player, doodle thing, some playdoh, toys for Allie, his blanket, her seahorse, snacks, diapers etc...blaaaaahhh I'm all worked up for tomorrow

[Nessa 23]

fucky, thats funny

[Anna C. 4]

Oh boy Zaid, picked quite a word there

@ chnst: Surely lead screened that Doodle Pro, hahahaha. I have like 40 tests left.... Wow Ben obeys the rules? Jona keeps plucking ornaments down... We hung them up high for now. But now he thinks "hitting" the tree is too much fun. He laughs himself silly, seriously. Poor tree.

@ Evi: Priceless, that face

@ caybee: Jona still does that... He looks up to me, smiles and goes on. It is soooooo cute.

I have one pic uploaded of a fitted diaper I made. It is surprisingly easy and fun to do. I now purchased PUL fabric (the stuff covers are made from or what's the outer layer of the Bumgenius) to make my own. I paid about $8 for a yard of it (and it is 60 inches wide), and a yard of hook or loop (velcro) runs $0.75. So making your own covers is a lot cheaper. You need a pattern, but there are free patterns out there, or you can just trace your covers The color choices are unlimited, and I add outer layers to the covers that I just buy at Joannes or Walmart. I can post more pics once I actually receive the fabric and work on the covers and pocket diapers (I got some bamboo fleece as inner layer, sooooo soft!).

[Nizzy 1]

@chnst: lol...I know I am crazy but Chicago will always be home to me. Even when I think of the bitter cold weather. I don't really know anyone here..it's kind of lonely...

[Nessa 23]

I now purchased PUL fabric (the stuff covers are made from or what's the outer layer of the Bumgenius) to make my own. I paid about $8 for a yard of it (and it is 60 inches wide), and a yard of hook or loop (velcro) runs $0.75. So making your own covers is a lot cheaper. You need a pattern, but there are free patterns out there, or you can just trace your covers The color choices are unlimited, and I add outer layers to the covers that I just buy at Joannes or Walmart. I can post more pics once I actually receive the fabric and work on the covers and pocket diapers (I got some bamboo fleece as inner layer, sooooo soft!).

thats' so cool. i wish i could do stuff like that. i'm not handy at all

[caybee 21]

@ Zaidsmommy, "Fucky" made me laugh too Let us know when you figure out what he's really trying to say.

@ Anna, the diaper is so cute! I was reading about the PUL fabric, but I hadn't thought about putting an outer layer over it. That will make it easier to be creative. Do you use a serger? I've found some patterns online that look pretty easy. Now to find the time :-)

Watching Rayan's personality develop is so much fun.

[Anna C. 4]

@ caybee: I use a regular sewing machine, a serger is quite pricey! I turn and topstitch the diapers. Or I use foldover elastic, which works pretty well! I like the Wee Weka patterns, they are all for free and have instructions on how to add leg gussets, which in my experience keeps even the messiest blowout in.

When I want to work on the dipes, I just ask DH to take care of Jona. That way I can concentrate

@ Nessa: I never used to be crafy or handy, but seeing those homemade diapers really got me going. I bought a sewing machine in June and read a lot about it online. Diapers are really not hard to make, it's not like clothing It is sort of addictive. Such cute things for Jona's heiny...

[JVKn'CVO 11]

<Rant> If breast is best, we need decent maternity leave legislation to support it. Babies should stay home with their moms until they are 6 months old and are having solids. This is the reason so very few women can handle Bfing and working, and most are faced with the option of either stop working or formula feed. </Rant>

(Still frustrated with the bottle deal)

Saludos,

Caro

[Anna C. 4]

I'm so sorry Caro. Hugs to you. I know it's a touchy subject, but I'm used to longer maternity leaves - my sisters in Germany stay/stayed at home for 13 months. My sister still nurses her 16 months old in the morning and evening and doesn't have to pump at this point. I'm so glad I'm a SAHM.

Why don't you contact a local IBCLC? They have lots of experience with the working mom issue... Maybe they have some tricks how to get Sebas to take the bottle?

Edited December 5, 2009 by Anna C.