Baby Yoga

Stretch

Tuck

Grab

Extend

These moments

It's late. Close to midnight. I've just finished my homework and I hear you starting to fuss from your room. It's more than "going back to sleep" fussing, so I listen for a moment then creep in to give you your pacifier. It doesn't help though and you start to cry.

This is rare for you these days, so I know something is wrong. Your gums hurt or you're scared. Or maybe you just want Mama. Whatever the case, I pick you up in my arms and sit with you in the rocking chair. You quiet instantly, and snuggle your little face into my chest.

We sit there rocking together. I'm singing softly and you're looking up at me. I feel like my heart is literally going to explode from loving you so much. Slowly you start to nod off. I kiss your sweet little hands and cheeks, gently pick you up and lay you peacefully back in your crib.

These are the moments that I am forever thankful for. And the ones that I will hold on to for the rest of my life.

D.I.Y. Baby Food

I absolutely love making our own baby food. It's super fresh and unbelievably easy. Just compare the color and texture of jarred baby food to homemade baby food and you'll be sold!

Most of the time I go to the grocery store (and soon the farmer's market!) and just buy whatever organic produce looks good that day. I've vowed to never feed Will anything I wouldn't eat myself, so I have tried literally everything he has. We mix it up a lot, but I almost always buy organic banana, avocado and sweet potato, as they are Will's favorites.

We are fortunate enough to have a Beaba Babycook (courtesy of my mother-in-law), but you could definitely get by with a basket steamer and a mini food processor if need be. The Beaba is a little pricey, but definitely worth it in my mind. In the Beaba everything is steamed and pureed in the same bowl, so it saves on prep time, cooking time and clean up. I also love that the Beaba saves the cooking liquid, so I can puree the nutrients lost during cooking right back in.

I have several baby food cookbooks, but I've really just been winging the purees as of late. I'll probably start consulting the books when we advance to more complex purees (like the one's that include meat and grains). But just to show you how awesome and easy homemade baby food is, here's a glance at one of the meals I made Will last week...

Spinach and Pear Puree

1 cup of baby spinach, 1 medium pear (chopped)

Add to Beaba steamer basket (water measure 2)

Steam!

Remove steamer basket, pour contents into bowl, and puree

Mmmmm... enjoy!

So how 'bout it? Any tips, tricks or yummy combinations to share?

Seperation Anxiety

Will has a pretty good case of the "I want Mama's", which is 80% cute and 20% frustrating. It's cute when he wants to snuggle and cuddle all day. When he can't get enough books and songs. When he's thrilled just to take it all in from my arms or lap. When I know I'm his greatest comfort and joy in this world.

But it's super frustrating when he refuses to be put down for five seconds (even though Mama really, really has to pee) and right now, at bedtime, when he bursts out crying whenever I leave the room.

Sigh.

We better start saving for braces

Guess who (finally) has two teeth poking through?

Chomp, chomp

Still hard to see, but they're right next to each other on the bottom.

I don't have the heart to tell him that he'll almost certainly need braces. Both Daddy and I had gnarly teeth as teenagers.

Seven Months Old

Toes are fun

Dear Will,

You and I have really found our stride in the past few months. You are at this fabulous age where you are on a really predictable schedule, which means I can (usually) figure out what you want/need rather quickly. We are just in sync you and me, and it's oh so much fun.

You are such a playful boy! You love to jump, either in your jumper or on Mama's lap. You also love rattles, crinkly paper, silverware and anything that spins. You are enamored with cell phones and the TV remote, and will dive to capture them whenever you see them.

You got your corrective helmet this past month, which was much harder on Mama and Daddy than it was on you. You are doing great with it, and I must say, you look awfully adorable with it on. Though I miss being able to kiss your sweet baby head whenever I want, I make up for it by showering you with kisses whenever it's off.

You can sit on your own now, but you really don't care to. You much prefer standing or being perched on Mama's hip. When I plop you down on the floor, you'll stay there for a few moments taking in your surroundings. But if nothing catches your interest, you'll go for your feet or just fall right over (so the helmet actually has its perks). You sit very well in Mama's lap at restaurants, which has proven to be a useful skill. It's fun being able to take you out with me for lunch and dinner dates.

You started rolling from your back to your front this month. At first you would just roll back and forth in the same spot, but later on you started actually rolling toward things you wanted (a favorite toy, Stella, etc). You aren't really showing any pre-crawling behaviors yet, but I'm in no rush for you to be mobile. I like being able to put you down and be (reasonably) sure that you will be in (approximately) the same place when I get back.

We introduced a few new foods this month, including peas, pumpkin, mango and apricot applesauce. Though you hated plain applesauce, you love the apricot applesauce, especially when mixed with the pureed pumpkin. It's fun to watch you try new foods and experiment with new tastes and textures. I'm raising a little gourmet!

We also introduced a sippy cup, which you're getting slowly but surely. If Mama holds the cup for you, you are able to get several good sips. When you hold the cup yourself, you can get the spout to your mouth, but you more inclined to chew on it than drink from it. We'll keep working on it.

You started babbling recently, which is just adorable. Your vocabulary mostly consists of ooh, aah, mmmm, wa-wa, ma-ma, and ba-ba. You usually babble in your crib after you wake up or while you're playing in your exersaucer. I love to hear you "talking".

Speaking of your crib, you morphed into an excellent sleeper this past month. You started sleeping through the night and taking 2-3 solid naps during the day. It's awesome.

We started an early-childhood music class at Lawrence University. It's so fun to watch you interact with the instructor and other babies. We sing songs and clap nursery rhymes, try out instruments and play games. You're a little more tentative than the other kids, but you love music and singing, so it's a blast.

Every month as I write this, I'm shocked by how much you've changed. I'm so proud of you and I love watching you grow. You are my entire world, sweet darling. I love you.

Hugs and kisses,

Mama

A plague on our household

My poor baby is sick. Runny, stuffy nose and a fever (101.5 degrees). He's so uncomfortable, it just breaks my heart.

I'm anticipating a rough night sleeping, but that's OK. I don't mind getting up frequently with him when he's sick. My baby needs me! It's when he's healthy and just electing not to sleep that it gets old (for the record, he's been sleeping great for the past three weeks).

He can't wear his helmet while he has a fever, so I feel like we're going to undo all the great progress we've made so far. Rationally, I know that can't happen in just one or two nights, but parenthood is not always a rational state of mind. I just checked on him, and thankfully he's sleeping on his side.

Hoping it's a short-lived bug. Lots of fresh air and fluids tomorrow!

Seriously?!?!?

Remember how today was supposed to be new helmet day? Version 3.0?

Well, I just got a call from the orthotist's office saying that Will's helmet didn't arrive yesterday. They don't quite know why, but they have a call in to the manufacturing facility to find out what's going on. It took all my energy to be polite. I know it's not the receptionist's fault that this keeps getting messed up, but I'm getting really frustrated.

It's now been 5 weeks of repeated errors. Thankfully, Will is still getting treatment. Just ugly treatment.

I know it seems vain and silly, but I want what I ordered. I want to use the cute stickers we purchased. I want anything that makes this process even slightly easier. And for me, that's a white helmet.