18 month update

18 months is not 2 years. It's not a baby, but not yet a kid. There is a gap. Many "kid" play groups and events start at 2 but the baby groups are full of...babies. Nico walks and is therefore a "toddler" but doesn't fit in with the 3 year old toddlers. 1-2 is definitely it's own age group. (Not that it really matters because I have yet to make it to any "play groups" or any kid event besides nursery at church) 1-2 year olds are walking but not talking (much), can follow directions but not more than one or two at a time, can do just enough to get themselves in trouble and not be able to get themselves out. Basically they are a handful, but a fun handful. Luckily, I'm in the "I have preferences and likes but not enough to throw tantrums about it" phase. I've been warned over and over that the "terrible" twos are coming and I want to believe that my angel will never be "terrible" but I also know that all children grow up and go through phases.

Let me start with today, we had our 18 month well visit at the doctor. Nico is happy and healthy, still tall and big for his age but is starting to level off. I had to leave the room again while daddy held him for his shots. I get nervous with my own shots and figure no one needs that energy in the room. Not to mention I really don't want to raise a wuss. I heard him scream but 1 min later he was done and over it, fell asleep in the car and was back to normal by the time we arrived home. I used to look forward to seeing the doctor and hearing how he's grown and feeling good that we can "check all the milestone boxes". Now, they're a little boring. I'm not so worried about everything, there isn't so much to watch for, mostly just a "check up", hence the name.

18 months is a big age for us because I decided to start potty training! "Wow, isn't that young!" Well, to tell you the truth, I suppose it is. I never asked anyone when they started with their kids. I just heard that around 2, kids can be trained. I figured 1 1/2 is close to 2 so why not. I read a book which was AMAZING!! I highly recommend reading it if you're thinking about potty training, called "Oh, crap Potty Training" by Jamie Glowacki

  http://www.amazon.com/Oh-Crap-Potty-Training-Everything/dp/1501122983/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463526760&sr=8-1&keywords=oh+crap+potty+training

I got it from the library but definitely worth buying. Glowacki explains when and how to potty train. You have to understand that each kid is different and there isn't a one-size-fits-all process. Yes, you can read 5 min of articles online and save time and money but this book really got me mentally in the right space to get started. I started before Nico showed the "signs" but he stood in the bathroom twice and used his baby sign language to tell me he wanted his diaper changed. I figured that's a pretty clear sign that he's at least interested and I should jump on board. I'll write another post all about Potty. What I didn't realize is that this also pushed me to go back to paying attention. I had gotten used to just letting him roam and play while I cooked or cleaned. He never went out of hearing distance or farther than the next room. I still had to peek in every 5 min but it was a nice change from constant supervision. I stopped worrying about the color, amount, frequency of his poops, liquid intake, measuring ounces of milk, food, water, EVERYTHING. Well moms...great news...all that starts over again with potty training! Now there's even more to look forward to! Honestly though, seeing how proud Nico is when he's using the potty and being genuinely excited with each little step of progress is kinda fun. It makes up for the laundry, hawk like focus, pee in the floor and lack of a life for a few days/weeks. And it saves money and who can resist bragging that my kid isn't wearing diapers when your kid is...pssshh your kid is a baby!

10 month review *warning this is more emotional than informative

Nico turned 10 months old two days ago. It's unbelievable to think he is going to be a year old sooner rather than later! It's a little bittersweet, not gonna lie. I still think of him as my little baby but he physically is so big and can do so much. He gives me that "thanks mom but i can do this by myself" look at least twice a day. I've gone from his sole source of entertainment to his entertainment director to his "ok, don't eat that, don't touch that, do you want this, don't you wanna play with me" person. Some times I think he would be totally content if I just left him to play on his own in his room. And if I had baby proofed it and removed all the choking hazards then he probably would be fine. He cries sometimes when I walk out of the room still. But if someone else is there than he can usually be distracted and stops crying within 2 minutes. Don't get me wrong, I think this independence is great, but once in a while I wish he would cuddle or want to play with me more often, be a little more dependent just a little bit. I guess that's what being a mom is all about. (I can't believe I'm having the "let them fly" speech at 10 months old!) You care for them, teach them, support them, all so they can go out and do it all on their own, right?! My aunt's family watch him last week so the hubby and I could go to dinner. They told me he took his first steps. Part of me was excited but most of me just brushed it aside because I know his first steps are going to be with me, no matter what anyone else says or sees. But I really don't want him to walk yet. All day I think, it would be so cool if he could just follow me around or walk from here to there but at the end of the day I'm glad he's still crawling.
He is starting to prefer trying to do things on his own which is cute. Sometimes time consuming but hey it's not like I have anything better to do than watch him smash pieces of sweet potato across the high chair tray. It's fun to watch him try to figure things out. I'm so lucky that I'm a stay at home mom and can take all the time I want. I did have to remind myself today that it doesn't really matter how much of that food is on the tray/floor/clothes/hair/dog and how much actually made it to his mouth. That it's about the process. He is not going to starve even if that was the only thing I fed him for dinner (which it wasn't). It's easy to get stuck in a routine: breakfast is half a jar of food, a cracker and juice. Everyday, same thing, different flavor. But it's ok if one day I just let him attempt getting toast pieces into his mouth, even if that's all I give him it's ok. He nurses before his nap an hour later and he will make up for a small breakfast with the rest of his meals. Same with his naps. I was so obsessed about making sure he gets enough sleep. I realized that I would go 2 days without leaving the house simply because I didn't want to mess up his nap schedule. Not like I really have anywhere to go but geez even just go for a walk or the mall or grocery store. Family came into town and blew my schedule out of the water. We didn't get home til 2 hours after his bed time, missed naps all together....blah blah blah. He loves spending time with the family. Yes, he was a little more clingy and fussy a few times but didn't have a melt down and the day after they all left he went right back to his nap schedule! (well, by day 2 he was back into napping at the same times). I was so impressed. It helped show me that we can go out and do things. Explore, hang out and Nico will be fine. *I fully believe in getting enough sleep and keeping a nap schedule but I'm saying missing a few or adjusting every now and then is good too.

Baby nails

A quick note since I haven't posted in a while...

Moms should get an award for being brave and nimble enough to cut baby nails. When you first see baby clippers you can't believe how cute and small they are. When you first see the clippers next to your new baby's hand you can't believe how anyonr manages to clip baby nails with this chainsaw!

Best advice I ever received was to use a NAIL FILE NOT CLIPPERS!!  I thought the women was crazy. I rarely file my own nails but when it came time to cut Nico's nails for the first time I was too scared to use clippers! I was so glad I had files and it made so much more sense. It takes a little bit longer but I can't imagine using clippers on a baby under 2 months old.

Step 1: Make sure baby is sleeping. Really sleeping. I found that I have to get all nails done at the same time, no doing 2 now and 2 later. By the time you get all them done it will be time to do the first ones over again.

Step 2: Position baby so they're sitting with their back on your stomach. Sort of like spooning but while you're sitting. This way the angle will be similar to doing your own nails.

Step 3: Start at one pinky and work all the way to the other pinky on the other hand. (I have had success doing toes in the car seat )

Step 4: Carefully put baby down to continue napping and go relax :)

I did start using clippers when Nico was 3 months old. It simply took too long to file down his nails once they hardened up. Yes, it was terrifying but it gets easier.

*Once Nico started taking a bottle before bed and can hold the bottle with one hand, I started cutting his nails then. He's calm because he has a bottle and he's focused on holding the bottle so I can easily, but quickly, cut the free hand and switch. As he got older and faster, I had to do one hand during nap time bottle and the other hand during bedtime bottle because he would finish the bottle before I could start on the 2nd hand.

I  have Safety 1st Baby Clippers, they have a light so I can use them in the dark. It took a little getting used to because it's a little wider than other clippers. They are hard to use for toes but are great for fingers.

http://www.amazon.com/Safety-1st-Sleepy-Baby-Clipper/dp/B001579YRM

Nursery Set Up

There are a million websites and people who will tell you what you "need" for your nursery. They'll tell you to set it up and decorate and have everything baby proofed and blah blah blah. Well, in case you haven't gotten it yet, I'm a "do it as you go" kinda girl, and nursery prep was no different. I knew my newborn was going to sleep in a pack n' play next to our bed in our room. I didn't experience "nesting instincts" because we moved, to a different state, a month before I was due. I was too busy trying to get myself comfortable to worry about getting a baby, who hasn't arrived yet, ready. My method would freak some (type A) women out. Some people need to feel prepared in order to feel "ready". I don't. I was ready for the baby as soon as I had a box of newborn and size 1 diapers (never know how big the cutie is gonna be), wipes, a bed (pack n play), baby wash, a washcloth, swaddle cloths and a few onesies. Seriously, that's all I needed. Thanks to my baby showers I had more things but I open all those things much later. I didn't even go in the nursery until Nico was 3 months old. That's only to set up the crib, I still didn't use the nursery until he learned to sit up on his own.

Now that he's 7 months old here is how I have things set up. It's all an evolving process but this is what currently works:

CRIB:

The style of crib doesn't matter just buy whatever you like. I  prefer to have one with an adjustable mattress height. As soon as Nico learned to sit up I moved him from the bassinet in the pack n play and into the top level of the crib. It's too difficult for me to put Nico in the lowered pack n play while he's asleep. I still haven't been able to do it and keep him asleep. The crib transition was pretty easy. I started doing naps in the crib when I saw that he was close to sitting up so by the time he reached that milestone I was ready to put him in the crib for the night. I did sleep in the nursery for the first 3 weeks, simply because I was too lazy to walk across the house to feed him in the middle of the night.

A few weeks after moving him into the crib, he learned to pull himself up to standing using the crib railing so we had to drop the mattress to the middle height. Super easy. A week after that he started chewing on the railing so we bought a Gummi Railing Guard. I only put it on the front railing. It seems to be the only one that he chews on. It's clear, you can barely see it in the  picture.

I also have a mesh "bumper" to keep lil legs and arms from getting caught in the slats. Nico loves the scratchy sound it makes when he runs his fingers across it so bonus. I tied the top ties to the top railing to keep it from sliding down. (*this apparently is a safetly hazard because babies can use it as a step to climb out of the crib but I'll deal with that when I get to that point.) For now, it's more important for it to stay up and keep his parts from slipping through than a safety hazard. He can't even lift his foot yet.

NURSERY FURNITURE:

This is the rest of my nursery. Long story but yes we have an extra king size mattress. I'm terrified of letting my baby play on the floor because it's hard tile and I worry about him hitting is head. We play on the mattress 90% of the time. I used old diaper boxes to store toys and as a "diaper caddy" (which are crazy expensive but so necessary). I don't have a changing table. I personally believe they're a waste of money because after a month or two your baby will be too wiggly to change on the table safely. I always prefer changing baby on the floor, or in my case, the bed. I keep stuffed animals and pillows to keep Nico from rolling/crawling/falling off the edge. ***I never leave him on the bed unattended*** I can't believe I have to add stuff like this but I know someone out there will think it's cool to leave baby to play on a bed alone. It's not. 

The only other thing I have in the nursery is my rocker/glider. I love it and it's necessary. I always nurse Nico in the glider. So I get a lot of use out of it. It's right next to the crib (you can see the top of it in the crib picture). Shorter distance to walk after he's fallen asleep.

DIAPER CADDY:

Diaper caddy's are like $35, even on Amazon! It's a portable changing station. For those who are lucky enough to have carpet or brave enough to let baby play on the hard floor, this is a life saver. You can bring all your supplies to baby instead of having to corral and contain them. *Side note: give baby an extra diaper to play with while you change them. It should hold their interest long enough for you to get them fresh and clean. Although you gotta take diaper back when you're done so it stays interesting for next time.

As i've said in previous posts, Nico has never gotten diaper rash and I rarely use any products on him. So in my caddy I only have diapers, wipes, tylonol, burp cloth and A&D. Everything I need in one place!

GOOD LUCK!!

Homemade Baby Food

I know, I know, I don't strike you as the granola mom who eats everything organic and sews her own baby clothes but I had to try making my own baby food. It seems crazy to pay $1.32 for every jar of baby food when it's just mushed up fruit. Right? Seems easy enough.

First of lets get some facts out there.
Wait, first let me say who knows if this is the "right" way to do this but this is what I did. ok, now facts:

• Try to buy organic. Or uncooked frozen veggies (you can refreeze if they are uncooked when you buy them, then cook them, then freeze them)
• You can do large batches and have a month worth of baby food. It's the most economical way to do it but do a small batch first to make sure your baby will eat it before you go crazy.
• I used the ice cube tray, I think each cube is 1 oz.
• STORAGE
•  up to 3 months in the freezer
• 48 hours in fridge for fruits and veggies
• 24 hours in fridge for meat/eggs/fish (although idk who would do this)
• SUPPLIES - I'm lazy and cheap so I used what I had on hand
• Blender
• Ice cube tray
• Plastic Bags (freezer kind)
• Plastic Wrap
• Pot
• Water

Attempt #1 (yes, i had to try it more than once)
  I started with carrots. They were on sale BOGO at Publix and I figured why not. I know Nico likes carrots. I bought baby carrots (not the organic ones but oh well). I used half a small bag.

• Cut the carrots into small pieces (baby carrots I cut in quarters)
• Boil the crap out of them. I can't tell you how long but it took forever! Until they're tender.
• Poured the whole thing, carrots and water (about quarter cup of water was left) straight into the blender.
• I hit "liquefy" until it got the consistency of baby food. No chunks but not a liquid. 
• Poured it into an ice cube tray
• Let it cool
• Cover it with plastic wrap
• Stick it in the freezer
• Next day I poped them out and put them all in a freezer bag.
• I took 2 cubes out, stuck them in the freezer for 15 seconds, stirred, another 10 seconds, tested it and served.

Nico DID NOT eat it! I was devastated. I felt like my own baby rejected my cooking :( Boo hoo hoo

After I thought about it and talked with a friend. I decided it was because even though it looked the same as the stuff in the jar, the consistency was probably different.

Attempt #2 (I didn't have the patience to boil the carrots again so I switch to banana)

• Bought organic bananas. Yea!
• Cut them and threw them in the blender with a little water.
• Liquefied those bad boys! This time I held the button down until it looked like a liquid.
• Poured in ice cube tray
• Covered with plastic wrap
• Froze

This time it worked! Nico ate it. I was so excited! I tried carrots again, liquefied them completely this time and then he ate them.  

Trial and error with the amount of water and such. If it's too thick in the blender just add water. If it's too think when you're about to serve it just add water then. My banana was too thin so I just added a little oatmeal to thicken it. Trial and error baby!

7 months - How I Feel Now

       For the last month I've been hungry! Like similar to when I was pregnant accept this time more like a teenage boy because I'm not nauseous. Even if I eat until I feel like I'm going to explode, I will be starving an hour later. When I get really hungry then I get tired so getting up in the morning with Nico is hard because I'm so hungry, tired and weak. His smile gives me just enough energy to get him up, changed and in his high chair so I can get a bowl of cereal in me. In the afternoon I crave fast food. I know it's crap and I really want healthy food but I'm so hungry that I just want food now, not in half hour when the good food is done. It's terrible. I want wine everyday almost too. I figure I could drink a glass as soon as Nico goes to bed and be good to breastfeed by the time he wakes up again. Usually it's a 5 hour gap but I haven't done it yet.
     I also weigh 5 pound less than BEFORE I got pregnant! I still have no stomach muscles so it's still a little pouch and when I eat it looks like I'm 5 months pregnant. I'm not confident enough yet to wear a bikini because of my stretch marks. I keep saying I'm going to get back to my workout DVD but I haven't yet.
    I'm convinced that I'm lighter than I was and hungry all the time because Nico is literally eating me. My body is working so hard to produce all the milk that he demands that it's taking it from where ever it can. I'm not eating properly or enough to supply it with what it needs. Isn't that terrible! A hard cycle. So my advice to all moms feeding 7 month old is to eat, a lot. Plan meals, get help and don't feel bad about eating like an elephant.
 
    Also, I miss my friends finally! It only took 9 months after moving away. I want to go out with the girls. I need to go dancing and get dressed up and just not care for an hour or two. I haven't put a pair of heels on in almost a year. I just have no where to go and no one to go with! We've had a lot of friends and family come to visit so that's been great. I think that's why it took so long for me to get lonely. We've had lots of guests. Now, everyone is gone. My hubby will take me out whenever I ask which is great but we always bring Nico with us, which is also nice. I love going out as a family but a girl needs girls night out once in a while.

    Overall though I'm pretty happy. I still can sit and watch Nico do whatever it is that Nico does for an hour without getting bored. I like getting stuff done around the house and not having to go back to work.  The things that I "miss out on" because Nico is too young to go I don't feel bad about any more. I'm starting to look forward to doing them with him next year or in a few years. I'm learning to say no to invitations to things I normally would jump at. I can't just get in the car if someone calls and wants to go paddle boarding. I'm learning to be ok with that. I even like having something to do 24 hours a day. I thought that I'd get tired of that but I enjoy it now. As long as I get a break everyday or every other day even if that just means a shower. Most times Nico's nap is enough of a break to get recharged. I love being a mom.

Pets and Baby

Every dog and cat has their own personality so there is no "one size fits all" way to introduce pets to a new baby. I can only tell you what I did and how it's going. I have two dogs and a cat. They don't get along :( so the cat has it's own room. I also started training my dogs (who were my husband's dogs) the moment I met them. While I was pregnant all the rules and attention slacked. I wish I could tell you that after the baby I whipped them back in shape but I can't. But I can tell you that I haven't had a single issue with the animals and baby. NEVER LEAVE BABY UNATTENDED NO MATTER HOW GREAT THE DOG/CAT BEHAVES. Here's what I did:

1. I knew what I wanted from my dogs and made it clear to everyone. I pictured what I wanted the relationship to be between the dogs and the baby from Day 1 and what I wanted it to be in 5 years. I didn't want dog hair on the baby or on his stuff. I didn't want to worry about the baby accidentally getting hurt. My dogs are big, I have scrapes and bruises from them stepping on my toe or playing with them and I will not tolerate anyone, even my fur babies, hurting my real baby. I did not want the dogs to touch Nico. I did not want them licking him, nothing. In 5 years, I can imagine them running around and playing in the yard. Here is my plan.
2. Establish boundaries. The dogs always slept next to our bed. About a month before Nico came they got kicked out. boo hoo hoo. No one, human or dog, liked it at first but when the baby came everyone understood and was ok with it. First, we moved them to their crates in the kitchen to sleep. Now, they are allow to be loose in the house while the nursery and our bedroom door are closed. 90% of the time they will not go in either room even with the doors open but I don't take chances. I also put a piece of painter's tape on the floor into the kitchen when we moved in. The dogs are not allowed to cross the line. The nursery (and guest room) is on the other side of the kitchen so they know to stay away.


3. Start training before the baby comes and think about what you will need from the dog. I knew I didn't want the dogs to touch the baby so I practiced "leave it" command as often as i could. I use "leave it" so they turn from the baby and/or his toys. I taught them "back up" and "go" so that I could walk into a room and they won't crowd me or if I'm sitting they can give me some space. This is important when I come home with Nico in my arms and the dogs come to greet me. I can tell them to give me space to get in without having them sniffing or rubbing on me or Nico. If I'm sitting with Nico on my lap I tell them to "back up" so they won't get too close to him. I use "in your crate" about 100 times a day! This just gets them out of my hair whenever I need them contained and they always go in their crate when food is out. Basically, all the commands to leave me the @&#%^ alone. Also, keeping up with sit, stay, down, all the basics  are important in reminding your dog that you're in control and making sure they learn the baby is "above them" in the "pack order".
4. Teach them that baby is not a toy or something to be scared of. Everything I read said to bring home a baby blanket for the dogs to smell before you come home. I had my mom do that. She said they smelled it, didn't seem too interested and didn't try to take the blanket. That is actually the reaction I wanted. When I walked in the door, I greeted them for a minute or two until they calmed down then my hubby came in with the baby (in the car seat). We let the dogs smell the car seat but did not put it down or let them touch it. I kept the baby and dogs separate most of the day for the first week. It wasn't hard. I spent most of my time in the bedroom with baby anyway. Don't feel like you have to rush this issue. You are establishing something that will last for years. If you don't feel up to it then just keep them separate until you're ready. You don't want to rush and have things not go the way you want. I slowly introduced them by having my mom sit on the sofa with baby and I brought the dogs in one at a time on leash to come in the room and lay down near my mom. They could smell and see the baby while laying down. If they got excited I pulled them back and made them lay down again. I did this a few days. Then I had my hubby sit next to me and allowed the dogs to come in the room without a leash. Still made them keep their distance and lay down. Eventually, I felt comfortable to let them both loose while I was alone with Nico. The dogs understand that they are not allowed to touch Nico but they can get close and we go about our daily lives without worrying. Now, that Nico is 6 months old, he has started reaching out for them and I allow him to touch the dogs but they are not allowed to come to him to be petted. Nico is the one in control of when he touches them.

5. Teach "leave it" with all of babies toys, high chair, bouncers, clothes.... It takes constant attention but my dogs leave all the toys that Nico throws off his high chair and they don't touch clothes left on the floor. I found one toy ring chewed to pieces when I came home from spending the day at grandma's. I figured that's not a bad record.

6. Spend time with the dogs. They still need excerise and attention. You can't expect them to behave if they have tons of pent up energy. If you have to have your friend come to walk them or play fetch or your hubby watch the baby while you take the dog for a walk then do it. I wasn't putting the time in that I thought they deserved so I actually bought Bark Boxes. I figured having new toys would not only occupy their time and attention but it would force me to spend time with them. It was something we could all be excited about and enjoy together. I've only gotten two so far but it works for us so far.


The cat was easy. I let him in the room. The cat ignored Nico the first 3 times they were together. The 4th time, he came over, smelled him and walked away. The cat is not allowed to lick Nico or in Nico's crib. Nico loves to watch the cat's tail as he walks around the room. He has tried reaching out to touch the cat but usually the cat walks away or stays just out of reach.


There are a ton of training videos online. Buy lots of treats and get training! Have fun. If you are scared and nervous your pets will be too and that's not going to be good for anyone.