Alli is starting to enjoy finger food more and more, to the point where sometimes I think she would prefer it over the baby food. I try to give her a little of both since she doesn't eat much in way of finger food. Tonight is an interesting dinner as I just scurried around the kitchen to see what cool things she could try. So on the menu: 1 sandwich-slice of dill pickle, some canned pumpkin, and some Gerber Graduates crackers. She's going to have to eat in stages - they don't mix well. (I sampled...)
She liked all of them. :) What a good eater.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Where's My Baby!
This last week has been an amazing realization for me that I no longer have an infant, I have a toddler. Alli's look is changing, especially with 4 teeth in her mouth. And she feels different - there isn't as much baby fat on her since she's so mobile so hugging her feels like hugging a child, not a baby.
Alli still walks with someone holding her hands - won't try doing it herself yet. But she definitely has ideas of where she wants to go. She's getting good at "steering" the adult, which also cracks me up.
And it appears we have quite the tom-boy on our hands. She loves climbing (up and down steps is great fun) and walking in/on rocks. If she's given a choice between walking the nice sidewalk or the granite beside it she chooses the granite and then heads for the nearest boulder to climb. This morning I went to get her out of bed and I found her standing in the crib with one leg through the bars - foot on the top of the crib bumper pad. She was trying to climb up (and I suppose out) of the crib. Luckily the crib bumper pad is very soft so it just folded when she applied pressure.
On the formula front, well, she drinks it now (diluted 1 part formula, 2 parts breast milk), but I've had problems finding a formula that agreed with her. First we tried soy-based, thinking that with my dairy problems, that might be a good idea. What I noticed was that she broke out that day in a diaper rash. (Apparently, from I've read on the formula websites, this is one sign that the formula is not agreeing with the baby.) So we waited a day for that to clear up and tried another. The next was called "sensitive". It's milk-based (which I was a little concerned about) but lactose-free. OMG - the poor thing broke out in the worst diaper rash I've seen. She was red and puffy and lots of dots. So, back to straight breast milk waiting for that to clear. It's been a week now and not all the dots have gone away, although they are fading ever so slowly. We put diaper cream on her every diaper change (babysitters too). It's just taking a while. Unfortunately, my milk supply doesn't really have a "while". I'm diluting the breast milk with water (1 part water, 2 parts breast milk) so she has enough liquids, but it's not going to be long before I won't even be able to give her that much. So after a week of this diaper rash and only being on breast milk (and water), I tried another formula. This one is milk-based but made for 9month - 24 month babies. And I'm trying a different method of introduction - 2 oz of formula total for the first week. So far, the diaper rash isn't any worse, and she seems to be tolerating the formula okay. I'll keep working on this transition, but at least we may have found something that will work.
Tonight Kim and I installed a new convertible car seat into my car. It's still rear facing, but we're ready now to switch her around when the time comes. Come on 20 lbs! I'm excited to put her in it tomorrow, although she probably won't feel like it's any big deal. But to me it's yet one more thing to remind me that I don't have a little baby anymore - she's growing up!
Alli still walks with someone holding her hands - won't try doing it herself yet. But she definitely has ideas of where she wants to go. She's getting good at "steering" the adult, which also cracks me up.
And it appears we have quite the tom-boy on our hands. She loves climbing (up and down steps is great fun) and walking in/on rocks. If she's given a choice between walking the nice sidewalk or the granite beside it she chooses the granite and then heads for the nearest boulder to climb. This morning I went to get her out of bed and I found her standing in the crib with one leg through the bars - foot on the top of the crib bumper pad. She was trying to climb up (and I suppose out) of the crib. Luckily the crib bumper pad is very soft so it just folded when she applied pressure.
On the formula front, well, she drinks it now (diluted 1 part formula, 2 parts breast milk), but I've had problems finding a formula that agreed with her. First we tried soy-based, thinking that with my dairy problems, that might be a good idea. What I noticed was that she broke out that day in a diaper rash. (Apparently, from I've read on the formula websites, this is one sign that the formula is not agreeing with the baby.) So we waited a day for that to clear up and tried another. The next was called "sensitive". It's milk-based (which I was a little concerned about) but lactose-free. OMG - the poor thing broke out in the worst diaper rash I've seen. She was red and puffy and lots of dots. So, back to straight breast milk waiting for that to clear. It's been a week now and not all the dots have gone away, although they are fading ever so slowly. We put diaper cream on her every diaper change (babysitters too). It's just taking a while. Unfortunately, my milk supply doesn't really have a "while". I'm diluting the breast milk with water (1 part water, 2 parts breast milk) so she has enough liquids, but it's not going to be long before I won't even be able to give her that much. So after a week of this diaper rash and only being on breast milk (and water), I tried another formula. This one is milk-based but made for 9month - 24 month babies. And I'm trying a different method of introduction - 2 oz of formula total for the first week. So far, the diaper rash isn't any worse, and she seems to be tolerating the formula okay. I'll keep working on this transition, but at least we may have found something that will work.
Tonight Kim and I installed a new convertible car seat into my car. It's still rear facing, but we're ready now to switch her around when the time comes. Come on 20 lbs! I'm excited to put her in it tomorrow, although she probably won't feel like it's any big deal. But to me it's yet one more thing to remind me that I don't have a little baby anymore - she's growing up!
Friday, April 17, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
Uh oh.. We have a Climber!
First, I have to say that "uh oh" is really for Alli. Apparently that is her favorite word right now. It's funny. She drops something - "uh oh". She hands you something - "uh oh". Cracks me up!
The climber part is something new. Saw it for the first time tonight. She pulls herself to standing *everywhere* and always trying to reach something new. So tonight I was in the kitchen and she pulled herself up to standing by some shelves we have. She thought maybe it would be good to reach for something that was on the top shelf, so her foot went up onto the bottom shelf and her arms were pulling. "uh oh" says Mommy! She never could get her balance to pull herself up all the way. Whew! But I guess we'll be moving some vitamins (top shelf) and watching more carefully. She also tried to climb up the drawers of an end table. I wasn't too worried about that one cause there were really no foot holds. But I do realize we are in for some fun!
Oh, and an update on the formula dilemna... Today Alli took a bottle that was 1/4 formula, 3/4 breastmilk. Tomorrow I'm packing all 3 bottles with that ratio. We'll see how she does.
The climber part is something new. Saw it for the first time tonight. She pulls herself to standing *everywhere* and always trying to reach something new. So tonight I was in the kitchen and she pulled herself up to standing by some shelves we have. She thought maybe it would be good to reach for something that was on the top shelf, so her foot went up onto the bottom shelf and her arms were pulling. "uh oh" says Mommy! She never could get her balance to pull herself up all the way. Whew! But I guess we'll be moving some vitamins (top shelf) and watching more carefully. She also tried to climb up the drawers of an end table. I wasn't too worried about that one cause there were really no foot holds. But I do realize we are in for some fun!
Oh, and an update on the formula dilemna... Today Alli took a bottle that was 1/4 formula, 3/4 breastmilk. Tomorrow I'm packing all 3 bottles with that ratio. We'll see how she does.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Mommy's Milk is Best!
My milk supply is starting to dwindle. I guess my body is tired of being a cow... :( I've been using my frozen supply to help supplement what I am producing, but that supply is getting quite low. So, at almost 11 months, Alli will start being supplemented by formula. In a lot of ways, I'm sad that I can't sustain her by myself for as long as we both choose. In other ways, I feel like I see the light at the end of the tunnel, where I don't have to get up at 4am every day of the week to pump for the extra milk.
So today I sent 1 bottle of formula. I marked it for Marcie so that if the baby fussed about it, she would know why. Apparently, Marcie tried giving Alli the bottle of formula at lunch time. Alli put it to her mouth and immediately pushed it away. Not wanting to fight, Marcie just gave her another bottle that had breastmilk in it.
She tried the formula bottle again at Alli's 3:00 feeding. Yep, still pushed it away. The two of them fought, Marcie walking Alli around constantly trying to give her the bottle. Alli wanted nothing to do with it. So Marcie let Alli play and get even more hungry. She tried the bottle again. Nope. Apparently she would rather be hungry than drink that stuff! After 1.5 hours of trying the formula bottle and "fighting" a hungry baby, Alli got about 3-1/2 ounces down. (A sip here, throw the bottle. A sip there, throw the bottle.)
While in some ways it makes me grin because my milk is *obviously* the best, in other ways I realize we have to do something to get her on the formula... I will start weaning her by using 1/4 bottle formula and the rest breast milk and see if she will drink that. Should be interesting...
I can imagine that as soon as I finally get her drinking formula, it will be about time to switch her to cow's milk! ;) hahaha I would switch her now, but I'm waiting til she is a bit past a year for food allergy reasons.
So today I sent 1 bottle of formula. I marked it for Marcie so that if the baby fussed about it, she would know why. Apparently, Marcie tried giving Alli the bottle of formula at lunch time. Alli put it to her mouth and immediately pushed it away. Not wanting to fight, Marcie just gave her another bottle that had breastmilk in it.
She tried the formula bottle again at Alli's 3:00 feeding. Yep, still pushed it away. The two of them fought, Marcie walking Alli around constantly trying to give her the bottle. Alli wanted nothing to do with it. So Marcie let Alli play and get even more hungry. She tried the bottle again. Nope. Apparently she would rather be hungry than drink that stuff! After 1.5 hours of trying the formula bottle and "fighting" a hungry baby, Alli got about 3-1/2 ounces down. (A sip here, throw the bottle. A sip there, throw the bottle.)
While in some ways it makes me grin because my milk is *obviously* the best, in other ways I realize we have to do something to get her on the formula... I will start weaning her by using 1/4 bottle formula and the rest breast milk and see if she will drink that. Should be interesting...
I can imagine that as soon as I finally get her drinking formula, it will be about time to switch her to cow's milk! ;) hahaha I would switch her now, but I'm waiting til she is a bit past a year for food allergy reasons.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Reading is Fun!
I always wanted to get in the habit of reading Alli a book before bed. I've tried it several times, but Alli has wanted nothing to do with it. Not wanting to force the issue, I would wait a good month or so before trying again. For the last month, we've been able to read a story to her at bedtime. This has become daddy's duty, as mommy and Baggy hang out on the floor and listen. It's always fun to listen to the story. Kim reads it as best he can while Alli is flipping pages back and forth. When he gets through the book, he lets her play with it and tries to read what's on the page she happens to flip to. That's always the fun part - listening to what he comes up with!
Lately Alli has been picking up her books by herself and flipping through pages while babbling. It's so cute to watch her read! We keep a book at the changing table, and she reaches around for it as soon as she's plopped down. It's a 4 page book, so I've got that one memorized. I "read" it to her while I change and she plays with the pages. She "reads" it with me and back to me when I stop reciting. It's so funny how intent she is, looking at the pages, babbling her babbles of the story. :)
Lately Alli has been picking up her books by herself and flipping through pages while babbling. It's so cute to watch her read! We keep a book at the changing table, and she reaches around for it as soon as she's plopped down. It's a 4 page book, so I've got that one memorized. I "read" it to her while I change and she plays with the pages. She "reads" it with me and back to me when I stop reciting. It's so funny how intent she is, looking at the pages, babbling her babbles of the story. :)
Monday, April 6, 2009
Way Down Low
Alli just loves walking around (with an adult - still not on her own). And in fact, sometimes when you go to put her down she stays stiff so she can't sit, all because she would rather stand, or walk. She's also getting VERY good at pulling herself up to standing using just about anything. Now all our lower cabinets are fair game because she can open the doors and pull herself up to stand and reach whatever she wants.
But also the crib... I put her down for a nap the other day and after a while, I heard her giggling. I figured I should check to see what was going on. Well, she was laughing at the dog, who had wandered in and decided to lay on her floor. She could see him because she was standing up looking over the side. Yep, crib mattress went down that night. It's so weird to see her sleeping so low in it, but we'll get used to it. :)
But also the crib... I put her down for a nap the other day and after a while, I heard her giggling. I figured I should check to see what was going on. Well, she was laughing at the dog, who had wandered in and decided to lay on her floor. She could see him because she was standing up looking over the side. Yep, crib mattress went down that night. It's so weird to see her sleeping so low in it, but we'll get used to it. :)
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Da-Da-Da
Tonight was a big eye opener for Kim and I. Alli started babbling da-da-da as daddy and I played with her after dinner. We were pretty excited, especially since the babbling did seem to be directed to daddy.
She also surprised us with her eye-hand skills. I got out a new toy - hard to explain the toy, but it's basically a big tree-house looking thing with plastic balls. You put the balls in a hole and they go through the "tree" on different paths and end up at the bottom. We inherited this toy, like so many others, from the Kingery's who were kind enough to clean out their toy closet into ours. :) I'm not sure what the suggested age is for this toy, but I thought maybe Alli would like to play with the balls. So I got it out, set it down, and put a couple of balls in the hole to watch them go through the tree myself. Alli obviously thought this was cool cause she then picked up a ball and put it into the hole and watched as well. She kept doing it! We were soooo impressed! The hole is just big enough to fit the ball, so I was amazed she could do it. And left-handed. So Kim and I were talking about how maybe she might be left-handed and then she surprised us by switching hands and playing with the toy for a while, sinking balls into it with her right hand. Huh. Guess she's ambidextrious! Cool!
On another side note, looks like her two top teeth have finally broken through the gums. They are just barely peeking out, but they are there. Our little girl is growing up so fast!!!
She also surprised us with her eye-hand skills. I got out a new toy - hard to explain the toy, but it's basically a big tree-house looking thing with plastic balls. You put the balls in a hole and they go through the "tree" on different paths and end up at the bottom. We inherited this toy, like so many others, from the Kingery's who were kind enough to clean out their toy closet into ours. :) I'm not sure what the suggested age is for this toy, but I thought maybe Alli would like to play with the balls. So I got it out, set it down, and put a couple of balls in the hole to watch them go through the tree myself. Alli obviously thought this was cool cause she then picked up a ball and put it into the hole and watched as well. She kept doing it! We were soooo impressed! The hole is just big enough to fit the ball, so I was amazed she could do it. And left-handed. So Kim and I were talking about how maybe she might be left-handed and then she surprised us by switching hands and playing with the toy for a while, sinking balls into it with her right hand. Huh. Guess she's ambidextrious! Cool!
On another side note, looks like her two top teeth have finally broken through the gums. They are just barely peeking out, but they are there. Our little girl is growing up so fast!!!
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