Hannah: 8 Months

Sweet Hannah,

Another month has gone by and you are 8 months old.  Hard to believe that you are closer to your 1 year birthday than to the day you were born.  You aren't listening to me when I whisper in your ear, "Slow down!"  Don't you know you are supposed to always listen to your mommy!  But these days you don't slow down for much.  You are all over the place!  Into everything!  You started crawling a few days after you turned 7 months old and haven't slowed down since.  You are starting to pull yourself up on things now too.  But you haven't quite mastered that yet, which I'm happy about.  I am in no rush for you to grow up.  If you decide that you want to stay my little peanut forever, I'm okay with that! 

Here's what you are up to these days (besides crawling):

• I haven't weighed you yet, but at your last doctor's appointment (October 20), you weighed 18 lb. 14 oz., which was less that what you were when I weighed you at home on October 11.  I am pretty sure you are at least 20 pounds by now though.
• You still have no teeth and no real signs of any coming in....I am loving that.  No teeth = no biting while nursing! ;-)
• You talk all the time - "dadadadada" is your favorite thing to say.  Everytime you say it I just assume you are asking for your daddy, so we then spend a few minutes talking about daddy.  I think you two will be best friends one day! :)  I think you said "hi" the other day too.  At storytime one of the other mom's said "hi" to you and you looked right at her and said, "HI"!!  It was probably just a coincidence, but it was cute either way.
• You adore our dog, Bubbles.  You can't get enough of her and would chase her around the kitchen all day if I let you.
• Your obsessed with cell phones and tv remotes...apparently a favorite of all babies.  I don't know what it is about these things, but the second you see one you stop everything to try to get it.  And shoes...you are obsessed with those too!  It's been really hard trying to teach you that those are "no" items.  We are going to have our hands full when it comes to discipline with you!
• You eat all kinds of foods these days - prunes, pears, plums, peaches, apricots, raspberries, carrots, green beans, sweet potato, squash, peas, chicken, oatmeal cereal, whole wheat cereal, rice cakes, puffs, wagon wheels, teething biscuits, and greek yogurt.  You are generally not picky about what you eat, except when I try to feed you homemade green beans or peas.  You HATE those!!  It's definitely a texture thing though because you love the jarred variety.  If I try to feed you the homemade ones you start crying and gagging....it's pathetic. 
• You are still nursing like a champ.  You nurse 4 times per day still (8am, 12pm, 4pm, and 7:30pm) and average about 4 minutes per side.  You also eat solids 3x's per day (8am, 12pm, 4pm).  You definitely aren't very interested in eating these days though.  You have better things to do with your time. ;-)
• I could watch you play all day.  You are so fascinated by the littlest things.  You love the tags on toys and the shadows the sun makes when it shines in the playroom window.  You love the writing on my Gator sweatshirt and the specks of dirt on the floor.  Who needs toys when you have those things! :) 
• This month was filled with firsts - first time at the park, first time in a bucket swing, first time at a pumpkin patch, and first time drinking from a straw.
• You are wearing 9 month (6-9) and 12 month (9-12) clothes and size 3 diapers, although you now wear a size 4 diaper at night.  You are also wearing size 2 shoes.
• You sleep with your pacifier for every nap and at night.  This was definitely a habit we didn't want you to have, but after exhausting every other measure, we decided it was okay.  You sleep much better with it and so do we! ;-)
• You love to turn off the light in the playroom.  Every time we walk out, I ask you to turn off the light and your little finger reaches out to the light switch and pushes it down.  Your face lights up with excitment.  Precious!
• The last 3 nights you have slept through the night again!  Amazing!  Just when I thought I was going to go insane from waking 1-2 times every night, you started sleeping 10-12 hours again....thank you!

We love you so much and cherish every day with you.  The Lord truly blessed us 8 months ago!

Independent Playtime

Independent playtime is a concept I took from the 'Babywise' series and have used with Hannah since she was only a couple months old.  Just saying 'Babywise' probably has some of you wanting to close my blog, never to return.  But keep reading and I think you will find that this is a very helpful tool for any parent.

Independent playtime is a set time, each day that Hannah plays on her own.  Right now her independent playtime takes place in the pack n' play and I usually try to do it right after breakfast, before her morning nap.  Before she goes into the pack n' play, I set out several toys and tell her to choose one to take with her.  After about a minute or so, I pick her up along with the toy she is currently playing with and place her in the pack n' play.  I always have at least 3 other toys in the pack n' play that I rotate every so often, along with a musical toy and a mirror.  Every time I put her in, I turn on the musical toy, hand her another toy to play with, set the egg timer, and leave the room.  I make sure to stay out of her line of sight, as this is a time for her to play on her own.  Right now she stays in there for 17 minutes at a time.  However, when we first started, it was only 5 minutes.  I do not go into the room until the timer goes off, even if she is crying!  However, after almost 6 months of doing independent playtime Hannah has truly learned to enjoy this time and rarely fusses at all.  After the timer goes off, I go into the room with a big smile and say, "Wow Hannah, you did such a good job!  I am so proud of you for playing all by yourself."  I say that even if all she did was cry the entire time.  This shows her that there is nothing to be sad about and that the timer is what brought mommy back, not her crying.  Before I taker her out of the pack n' play we always clean up her toys (we just stack them in the corner). 

There are many benefits to independent playtime:

• It teaches your child to enjoy their own company, creating independence
• It teaches your child to focus on a limited number of things at a time (mental focusing), therefore increasing their attention span
• It encourages creativity in your child
• It teaches your child orderliness by limiting the number of toys and cleaning up when they are done

So, how do you get independent playtime started with your child(ren)?

1. Start with a short amount of time - 5 minutes is a good starting point
2. Place your child in a pack n' play or even on a blanket (if they aren't mobile yet) with several toys in reach
3. Set a timer in the room (so they can hear it when it goes off) for the designated time
4. Don't come back until the timer goes off (but stay within ear shot)
5. Even if your child cries the whole time, praise him/her for "playing" all alone!
6. Clean up the toys together (even if your child is too young to help, let them watch you)
7. If your child did not cry at all, increase your next independent playtime by 1 minute.  If your child did cry, keep the time the same.  Continue to increase by 1 minute everyday that he/she doesn't cry until you reach your goal (30 minutes is a great goal)  You increase the time when your child doesn't cry, but you never decrease the time when he/she does cry.  You just continue doing the same amount of time until he/she does not cry.  It may take a while, but you will get to your goal eventually.  Hannah will be 8 months old in a few days and we are just now at 18 minutes, so you can see how long it might take.

I hope that you will implement this 'Babywise' principle into your child's life as I really do think it is a vitally important skill.  If you have any questions about independent playtime, please ask! 

Happy playing! ;-)

Mommy Idols

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"  - A question that is asked of children throughout their lives.  My answer was always the same, "A mommy!"  There was never any doubt as to what my life's purpose was.  I have always known that I would be a mother and that has always been my ultimate goal.  Little did I know what a challenge it would be to get to that point and then what a challenge it would be once I was there.  
We tried for two years to conceive and it was a painful road.  We did all the fertility testing and everything came back "normal" - unexplained infertility they told us.  We waited and prayed that the Lord would bless us with a baby.  This was my first of many lessons in patience and trust.  I was forced to lay it all in the Lord's hands and trust Him.  We tried everything (naturally) that we could to become parents and it just wasn't happening.  I was forced to give up my trying and let the Lord do what He wished. 

After finding out we were PREGNANT I knew right away that I was having a girl.  I don't know why, but I just knew.  I had always wanted a boy first (again, I don't really know why, I just did).  But the day of our gender ultrasound I was not surprised at all to find out we were having a girl.  However, I was disappointed.  We had tried so long for this - why couldn't I at least have the boy that I had always wanted?  The Lord taught me to trust Him more.  He had a plan and a little girl was part of that plan.  Again, I was forced to trust His plan, not my own. 

Throughout my pregnancy I knew I wanted to have a natural (un-medicated) delivery.  I did a lot of research about the possible side effects of an epidural and other drugs used during labor.  I didn't like the idea of using medication, so I prepared as best I could for a natural labor.  We prayed for Hannah to come a few days early or at least on her due date so that I wouldn't need to be induced.  Her due date came and went.  Come on Lord, can't I at least have this baby the way I have planned and prepared?  Once again, my heart was tested.  Do you trust me Sabrina?  Do you truly believe that I have the perfect plan for you and Hannah?  There was nothing I could do to make Hannah come according to my plan.  Again, I was forced to trust that the Lord was in complete control.

While preparing for the arrival of our sweet little baby, I read every book available about caring for a newborn.  I spent hours (thousands of hours) making lists, taking notes and planning out what to do and when.  I had a plan and a back-up plan for my plan!  I knew what I was doing.  Well......AGAIN, I was forced to give up MY plan and realize that the Lord was in control, not me.  My baby didn't follow any of my plans.  She didn't do anything by the book and all those hours were wasted.  Lord, why couldn't I at least get something I wanted?  She doesn't sleep like the books say she should, she doesn't eat like she should, we have tried to let her cry it out for 4 months straight and it's still not working!  Why Lord?  What are you trying to teach me?  And again, the Lord was showing me that my plan is not His plan - He is in control, not me!

I could go on and on giving illustrations of what my plans were for Hannah and how they crumbled (didn't want her to use a pacifier and now she is addicted, wanted her to follow the Dr. Denmark schedule but she wouldn't, etc.)  Motherhood has always been my ultimate goal and hope for my life.  I had placed motherhood on such a pedestal my entire life.  Now that I had reached that goal and it had become my reality, things just weren't what I had expected.  Motherhood was my idol and when it started crumbling around me, I began to see my desperate need for Jesus.  I couldn't live up to my own expectations any longer.  I was failing as a mother, in my eyes.  So now what?

It has taken several years to realize what an idol I have made of motherhood.  I never saw it as a bad thing (and it's not, in and of itself).  But I had placed such value on being a "good" mom and having the "perfect" family.  I wanted everyone to think that I had it all together.  I wanted other moms to say, "Wow, Sabrina is such a great mom."  How selfish and ugly that desire was and is.  It's not about me.  What good does it profit me to hear the praises of others?  And to appear to have it all together.  It may feel good for a moment, but it has no eternal value.

Have I conquered this idol?  Absolutely not!  It is a struggle I deal with on a daily basis.  And the Lord will continue to shatter my "plans" in order to teach me that He is enough and that He is in control.  While the road has been painful at times and extremely frustrating, I can truly say how grateful I am for each trial - they have brought me to the end of myself and into a deeper relationship with the Lord.  I am so thankful that I don't have to live up to my standards as a mom, but that I can rest it all on His shoulders and trust that He will guide me down the right path.  What freedom there is in that! 

All Better!

Hannah is finally back to her old self, although she does have some snot still, but I think that is just a part of life with a baby.  After going to the doctor last week and being diagnosed with croup, I started her on prednisone (an oral steroid).  Things went down hill fast!  Hannah was completely out of sorts, wouldn't sleep, wouldn't eat, didn't want to be held, didn't want to play....she just wanted to fuss.  I felt so bad for her because I had no idea what was wrong or how to help her.  It was very frustrating for both of us and I felt like a horrible mom!  How could I not know how to help my own baby?  After two days of constant fussing, I finally started searching online for answers.  I stumbled upon some parent comments on prednisone and its side effects.  Oh my goodness - it makes kids CRAZY!  I had no idea.  I briefly read over the side effects on the medicine label before giving Hannah her first dose, but nothing stood out.  I gave her the medication for the two days, as prescribed, and thought nothing of it.  It sure would have been nice if the doctor would have warned me that it was going to turn my happy baby into a nightmare child!  UGH!  I was beyond frustrated with the doctor and wanted to call them up and yell at them for making my child miserable and for making me think I was an awful mom.  After spending almost an hour researching this oral steroid, I was frustrated but also relieved to know what was causing my child to be so off.  We just had to wait for the medicine to get out of her system.  Thankfully it only took a couple more days before she was back to her smiling self.  I was sure to make a note of her reaction to this drug so we can avoid these side effects in the future.  The other frustrating part is that I am not even sure if she actually had croup.  She did have some wheezing when she breathed in deeply, but she never developed the croup cough (or any cough).  I could kick myself for giving her a medication when she really didn't need it.  Live and learn!

Croup

Hannah is sick.  Yuck!  She started with a runny nose on Sunday and it has progressed into an all out snot-fest!  I have never seen so much snot.  Her poor little nose is so red and dry from all the wiping (which really isn't a lot since she won't let me near her face).  Yesterday she woke up crying and when she would breath in it sounded like a seal barking.  I knew that wasn't good, so we headed to the doctor to have her checked out.  Of course she didn't make the barking/wheezing sound while we were there, but the doctor listened to my description and diagnosed her with croup.  She is now taking a steroid medicaton - prednisone - and is also getting a round of medicated eye drops for her goopy eye.  Poor thing.  Thankfully she is looking and sounding a lot better today and I haven't heard that telltale croup cough since yesterday morning, so maybe she never really had it....who knows?!  Just praying that she is on the mend and will back to normal soon!  But I will say that she has really handled this sickness like a champ!  Despite all the congestion, she is still her happy self and crawling all over the place!  I will post a new video of her crawling soon.  She is really a pro now.

We Have a Crawler!

Hannah officially started crawling this afternoon!  She has been so close for a few weeks now, but today she finally did it!  She's still learning, but she is already getting into everything.  Oh boy!  This is the first video we have of her crawling...more to come.  Don't mind our crazy voices and over-excitement.



Hannah: 7 Months

 

Dear Hannah,

You are seven months old today.  You are no longer a tiny little baby who I can cradle in my arms.  You are a playful, active, bundle of energy.  You love to move and are trying so hard to crawl these days!  You want nothing more than to dart accross the room and to chase the dog around the house. 

Here's what you are up to these days:

• You weigh 19 pounds 2 oz and are 27 inches long
• You are still toothless...which I am happy about.  I don't look forward to teeth - biting while nursing is a bit of a fear for me
• You finally started saying consonant sounds - gagaga, googoogoo - and I swear I heard you say mama the other morning, but you won't repeat it, of course.
• You are getting really good with your hands.  You just got a new toy - a bubblegum machine - and you are so good at pushing the lever and grabbing the balls that come out.  I am amazed at how grown up you are!
• You love to suck on your toes.  I wondered for months if you even knew you had toes, but then one day recently, you really discovered them.  You had known about them for a few months, but you hadn't realized how fun they were until now.  You prefer your left foot over your right....must be extra tasty. ;-)
• You still love people!  Strangers are no problem for you....you love everyone!
• You have tasted all kinds of new foods - chicken, beef, potatoes, pastina (tiny pasta), chicken broth, peaches, peas, plums, green beans, and prunes.  You have also chewed on a few pieces of bread and love it!  There really isn't a food you don't like.  But we do still have to watch carefully for constipation, as that is still a problem for you.
• Your schedule is still the same - nursing 4 times per day (8am, 12pm, 4pm, 7:30pm) and eating solids after the first 3 nursings.
• You still wear size 3 diapers and are wearing 9 month (6-9 months) clothing, although you can still fit into some 6 month (3-6 months) stuff too.
• Your sleeping is getting better, although still not perfect.  However, this month I finally let go!  I finally realized that it is okay if you don't sleep exactly when I want you to.  I have stopped obsessing, which has been such a weight off my shoulders.  You will sleep when you need to!  Your schedule is still the same as it was at 6 months.
• You have started to get up onto your knees and rock.  You are getting really close to crawling, but not yet.  I really think it will be any day now!

As I say every month, I can't believe how big you are getting.  In the grand scheme of life, I realize you are still so small, so I try to enjoy you just as you are every single day!  I squeeze your chubby little thighs and smell your sweet baby hair and kiss your soft, pudgy cheeks every day.  I just can't get enough of you!

I love you little peanut!