My Breastfeeding Journey

This is a very touchy subject with most women but I write this post for the ones that had a difficult time breastfeeding. The only stories I had heard about breastfeeding were positive ones which made my particular journey really tough. Recently, I read a similar story on one of the many blogs I follow and was relieved that someone else had issues too. Too often women judge other women which really just drives us all mad right?!

Before Jackson was born (see previous posts) I was going to breastfed 100%. Honestly, I almost didn't buy bottles because why would I need them? I bought a decent pump because I wasn't really going to use it that much right? (ha.ha.) I read all the books, took the class and felt pretty confident about it. I admit I was judging other moms who didn't/couldn't because my book said it was easy!!

In the hospital, Jackson latched on fine but would continually unlatch, scream/cry, relatch, fall asleep. Jamie and the nurse spent the whole time putting cold water on him or poking him, undressing him, or changing his diaper to wake him up. The first day my nipples were bleeding. But hey this is normal right? I didn't know. I spent every day requesting the lactation consultants and speaking with the nurses who were all giving me different advice and telling me he was doing great! Through our stay I was getting more and more worried because he was so "unorganized" (they called him that but it was normal...). I pulled out my breastfeeding book and read it the whole time we were in the hospital.

We were discharged with the "he is doing great you will have no problems!". hahaha oh boy so the journey continued- latching, unlatching, screaming/crying, sleeping, bloody nipples. He would cry and cry every time we breastfed so I would cry right along with him. Everything was painful (I mean he was relatching at least 20 times each feed which lasted an hour at least). WE (Jamie, Jackson and I ) were miserable. Miserable. And then you get the advice.... Keep trying, you aren't trying hard enough, it will get better........ So we went to our first ped appointment and he was down to five pounds. FIVE POUNDS. I don't care if that is normal, no one wants to hear that their baby is down to five pounds in four days. We were then scheduled for a weight check in three days and I was told to feed him as much as possible. Insert tears here. I was already feeding him all the time now what? And I was in some serious pain.

And that's when I started pumping. And what would you know he gulped that bottle down NO CRYING and was content. Mind you I was pumping blood the first few times because of the major damage being done to the nips and pumping was very painful. And what would you know he put on a lot of weight! Of course the pediatrician told me to keep trying to breastfeed because it would be easier.  Everyone kept telling me to KEEP TRYING and that I was just XYZ because I was a first time mother. This is what really makes me frustrated because I knew my gut was telling me one thing but I was feeling a lot pressure to do what was considered "right" and best for Jackson. I then decided I was going to pump as much as I could and store it so I could quit breastfeeding sooner. Although the pumping eliminating a lot of the issues we were still dealing with some.

So I did try again to breastfeed and it went horribly. I remember telling Jamie he just ate for 50 minutes! I was so proud. And then literally two seconds later he was screaming because he was hungry. He ate 3-4 ounces- at a week old... That's not right. If he breastfed for an hour there is no way he could eat that much right after. That's when I said we are done with it! He is obviously not getting much from the breast and he's happier with the bottle. So I start exclusively pumping (which is actually much more common than one might think).

Three weeks in I got mastitis. I couldn't figure out why I was freezing cold with two sweatshirts on.. and then I had the night sweats, I took my temperature and realized something was wrong. At first I thought I had the flu but after sitting at the doctor's office for TWO hours with my newborn, I found out I had mastitis. When you have mastitis not only do you feel like death your breasts hurt but the only way to get rid of it was to feed/pump as much as possible. More crying. And then I had clogged ducts, etc. Anything negative associated with breastfeeding I got. So not only was I in pain, I was really miserable and of course still getting the "advice" and judgements. I finally started listening to my mom and friend who said a happy mommy = happy baby. I gradually started weaning and quit. And all the pain went away. I was finally able to workout, sleep, do anything without pain. I was happy feeding Jackson with the bottle and not having to pump afterwards. It was when I quit breastfeeding I felt that bond with Jackson. We still sit with the boppy and cuddle while he eats. And no one can tell me that our bond could be stronger if I breastfed. I know plenty of mothers who breastfed that don't feel the same bond and attachment that I have for Jackson so I think we can eliminate that "myth" on breastfeeding... along with others but I won't go there. We are all much happier now. Is breastfeeding ideal? Sure but it doesn't work out for everyone and formula was made for a reason. Of course I will try again with the next baby but I'm going to do what is best for us and not listen to others.

Food Allergies:

Although he was eating and gaining weight, he was still very unhappy, gassy, uncomfortable baby. He literally cried ALL the time, especially when I would pump which is really stressful because you can really hold a baby and pump at the same time- this created my hatred for the pump. The pediatrician suggested I eliminate dairy from my diet but just the big ones- cheese, milk, yogurt, etc. And I did and saw absolutely no changes except for the fact that I was eating next to nothing and I couldn't believe that I was really getting the nutrients for Jackson but hey whatever. So to make a long story short if you have followed my blog you know that Jackson has a very severe allergy to EGG and soy. The whole time I was being pressured to continue feeding Jackson, I was causing him to be in some serious tummy pain. And after months of trying everything we are still on prescription formula and he can have absolutely no traces of EGG or soy. Insert major mommy guilt. When we finally got all of the dairy (we didn't know egg at the time) and soy out of his diet he changed into a whole new baby. Happy happy happy and rarely cried. I remember calling Jamie and telling him, "he didn't cry today, I don't know if this was a fluke or not?" While he was in pain for the first two month of his life, I could have easily put my foot down and fed him formula. But I am a first time mother so I had no idea. And I do know that other mothers continue to feed their MSPI babies by using an elimination diet and maybe I will try that with the next one but I'm finding out that all I could eat is sweet potatoes, broccoli, and beets... how long would that have taken to figure out? Not to mention I still question how good is it for your baby if your hardly eating?

Now stepping back and being crazy hormone free there are a few things I know. 1. Jackson has a mild tongue tie which was causing him to mash at the nipple rather than pull and suck. We had a lot of issues with bottle feeding that I will save for another day but he can only use one brand and has had a really hard time progressing through the nipples 1-2-3. This is why I had bloody nipples ALL the time. 2. The pediatrician thinks a big part was his severe allergies. Every time he ate it was making him feel bad which was making him upset :( 3. Next time I will buy a different pump! Apparently you shouldn't be in pain all the time...

Do I feel like I failed? 100% I have struggled with this guilt of not breastfeeding for probably the first 6 months of his life. I used to have dreams that I could do it. Do I still feel judged? Absolutely. I hate when people ask are you nursing? I feel like I have to make excuses. But now I just say nope. It wasn't going well and he has severe allergies. Of course then they ask more questions which is more annoying but whatever. But surprisingly I will get mothers who say omg I hated nursing and I had no issues or I know so and so who had the same problem. I hate the thought that the one thing I couldn't do was FEED my baby. That's really my main job and guess what? I couldn't do it. Do I think this has made me less of a mother? Heck no! I would cut off my right arm for Jackson. He is the most loved baby! I know I'm not perfect but I am def. trying my hardest!

The morale here is next time you judge someone for not nursing you probably don't know the whole story (I know there is going to be that one person who says, "I had the same issues and still did it for 16 years"..). And if it doesn't work out it doesn't work out. The sooner you get rid of the guilt the better mom you can be! And formula is not poison- it was made for a reason, back in the day their were wet nurses this has been happening forever.

There you have it. My honest story now be nice!!

Memorial Day 2013~First Family Vacation

For Memorial Day weekend, we went down to Longboat Key. Jamie's family was vacationing there so of course we had to go visit :) We got up bright and early Saturday morning, loaded up the car (which much to Jamie's amazement took too long and we had "way" too much stuff), and off we went. We only left 45 minutes late.. not bad! Jackson was a real trooper in the car and screamed for 3 hours of it. He only napped for 1.5. And I had a huge bag of tricks (toys, DVD player, music, food, etc). Needless to say we were really ready for a beer when we got there.


Saturday we attempted to put Jackson in the ocean but he was no having it! But he was really entertained by his little tent and all the sand. We spent the rest of the day (trying to get him to nap- didn't work) and playing in the pool. Jamie and I did get some free time to enjoy some Coronas and swim in the water (plus side of having family there!). We had tacos for dinner and then passed out at..9ish. We were exhausted. BUT Jackson slept for 12 hours!! We couldn't believe it.

We took his suit off in an attempt to get him to nap.. as you see this is what happened!

He loved the pool and this raft!!

Sunday we took Jackson straight to the ocean and he still was not having it. Tried the pool. Nope. Made him nap and while GG babysat Jamie and I swam around in the ocean. The water is soooo clear! It was awesome! Probably had a few cocktails :) Then attempted the ocean with Jackson again and after a slowly getting him used to it, we had success! We spent the rest of the day at the beach and then headed over to BBQ. Jackson was quite the ham with everyone around. He loved Conner's impressions! After we put him down for bed we attempted a date night. It didn't last too long because I didn't feel well- I think it was all the sun and food but who knows.

I love this picture!

So excited!

Monday we headed back to Jacksonville. It was another easy drive.. lots of screaming and NO napping. Sigh. We are really ready for him to start liking the car because in one month we will be driving 6 hours to Atlanta. But overall it was a fantastic trip! Even though Jackson cried (a lot) and was fussy (because he refused to sleep) we still really enjoyed our first family vacation! We can't wait to take more :)

Amber Teething Necklace~Review

Could this picture be any cuter?! Stella was actually imitating Jackson. I think she was trying to figure out what he was looking at. I'm pretty sure Jackson was looking for Jamie because he kept saying "dada". He also always watches Jamie clean the pool so I think it's a good assumption :)

I have gotten a lot of comments about Jackson's necklace. The younger folks know what it is but it's throwing the older generations for a loop. Some think it's cute... others you can hear judgement in their voices.... It is a Baltic Amber Teething Necklace.

When I first heard about them, I was like no way that sounds stupid (which is somewhat surprising considering I cloth diaper and it's totally on the hippy train). But you've heard our horror stories about teething and we (ok I) was willing to try anything. I ordered it bam from Amazon at probably 5am when Jackson had been up screaming for days.. I exaggerate but you get the idea. It really was 5am because that does seem to be the "wakeup" time. Anyways I regress.

This necklace and healing has been around for centuries (from what I have googled). The warmth of your skin releases the amber to give off a positive influence on the body. The amber is suppose to help with drooling, pain, and works as an anti-inflammatory. I have also read that a lot of elderly adults wear them as bracelets for arthritis. It sounds wacky right? But I'll try anything to get rid of the tylenol in our house and for a couple more hours of ZZZ. And when Jackson is in pain I might as well be teething because I feel so BAD! OK there I go again.

He has been wearing for a couple weeks now and I love it! He is getting a least two teeth (confirmed by the doctor) and his sleep has not be affected what so ever. Is he still a little fussy yes just a tad. Chewing but not as much as usual. It's a miracle! We have def. decrease the use of tylenol or hylands by a ton. Read the reviews on Amazon because a majority are very positive! I will be buying one for all future children and making them wear them at birth :)

And I think it is totally cute! Doesn't he look like a little surfer baby?!

Pad Thai

I love eating out. Partially because I hate cooking on the weekends, going to the grocery store for the 15th time, thinking up something, etc. I also love to eat out because I get really sick of eating the same things over and over again. And I sure as heck don't want something healthy a.g.a.i.n. That's way too boring and not fun. Life is short people! Now that we have that adorable creature living with us, it makes going out to eat impossible. He wants to be on the move!! So I found this recipe on pinterest and thought, perfect! Thai at home! It is a super easy recipe and very good. A little spicy (which I love).

My finished product :)

better-than-takeout easy pad thai

 

Author: Rachel Schultz

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

• 8 ounces pad Thai noodles
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sriracha
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 cooked chicken breasts, sliced
• 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
• 1 cup cilantro
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• ½ cup chopped peanuts

Instructions

1. Prepare noodles according to package instructions.
2. Meanwhile, scramble eggs for about 2 minutes and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk soy sauce, sriracha, lime juice, canola oil, and brown sugar together.
3. In a large skillet, combine noodles, chicken, and sauce.
4. Top with bean sprouts, cilantro, scallions, and peanuts.

Beginner Cups

Most people transition their baby to a sippy cup then a straw cup. But being a speech therapist I hate sippy cups. If you do a quick google search you can find some really good articles about why you shouldn't use them. My biggest concern is lingual protrusion or creating a lisp. Lisps are really hard to correct so why even go there? Jackson still drinks mainly from the bottle but we do water in the straw cup.

My suggestion is to get a soft long straw cup to start with and then go to a shorter straw once the baby gets the hang of it. We started with a cheapy from target and he learned in one day. I used some tactile cues but mainly I showed him with my own mouth and he got it!

It's a bad picture but you get the point

After the cheapy one, we tried the Lolla cup. I like it because it has a lid, doesn't spill, and it's easy to use. It also is one of those cups that it doesn't matter what position he tilts it, he will still get water. Jackson does have trouble with it because the water comes out really fast but he also has had a hard time transitioning through the nipple sizes (which I read is common with kids with tongue ties). They are really expensive!

Feeding Favorites 4-6 months

Ok I know Jackson didn't have any foods until 6 months so it was really our 6-8 months but you get the idea.

Bowls:
Munchkin Bowls- They are cheap, cute, and work! I love that you get 5 bowls for $5. We have two sets.

OXO Bowls: These are like the mac daddy bowls. They serious keep the food frozen even if you put it in the fridge. I love that they have lids. But of course these are pretty expensive for bowls. I use them the most for the nanny or Jamie so the food is all in one spot. It makes it easy on them. If I worked full time I would have a million of them. For now we have two :) 

Beaba Food Storage: This is what I put his food for the day in. I just plop the "ice" cubes of food in each one and then mix whatever I want to mix into a Munchkin bowl when it's time for a meal.

Spoons:

OXO Spoons: Again the best! I love that they have a groove and they are soft. These are really great to start off with. But they are expensive. I think we got them as a gift thank you :)

Munchkin Spoons: I actually had these for feeding therapy and decided to buy Jackson some. They are very shallow spoons which makes it easier for them to clear the spoon with their lips and to get the food off in general. You aren't rubbing the spoon on the roof of their mouth are you?! Shame Shame if you are!  These are also super cheap and come in a big pack! We have two sets of these bad boys too.

Bibs: I don't really have a favorite yet.. I don't like the plastic ones. I know they are easy to clean but I think I would rather throw them in the washer. I like the bibs that are soft. I have no advice for this one!


High Chair: Graco Oasis I know I said I was indifferent about it before but I love it now. It may look like a spaceship but it has wheels! We move this thing all around the kitchen. It's also sooo soo easy to clean! I can also change the positioning which is also really important for feeding. I love it!

Food: Obviously I make 98% of his food but occasionally he decides he won't eat anything I made and I'm scrambling around trying to find something.. and it ends up being canned food or if we are on vacation, etc. We stick with Earth's Best which he loves. I want to try Healthy times but we still have a ton of Earth's Best to get through.

Does this help?

The Allergist

Monday we had our appointment with the allergist. I was really hoping for a hey he just has eczema and the MSPI. Sweet. I can live with that. Not the case. He did a skin test, testing for apples, bananas, wheat, dairy, soy, and eggs. Probably some other stuff too but I can't remember. After 15 minutes of pure torture trying to get Jackson to not touch, roll, or lay on his back we got the results. He has a severe egg allergy and mild soy allergy. And don't worry you need an Epipen for the egg allergy but just. in. case. At first I was taking this really well. OK just eggs got it. And then I called my mom who informed me that eggs are in EVERYTHING. And then it really hit me that we have an EPIPEN. And oh by the way we have to come into to do a test for the milk formula... blah blah. AHHH over whelmed doesn't even begin to describe it when he broke out in hives yesterday and had swollen eye lids. I'm trying to figure out what to feed him. And don't even start with just give him fruits, vegetables, and meats because what we are going to wait until he is 16 to have the texture of bread, crackers, cake, etc. I SEE KIDS FOR FEEDING THERAPY. Not to mention my panic of omg when he goes to a birthday party and grabs a piece of pizza and eats it. Or think about preschool. And now I'm thinking of how I'm going to make his dinner then our dinner while he screams at me to be picked up.. because if you haven't witnessed me making dinner yet it would drive anyone insane. I can never make his dinner fast enough and luckily he is only eating purees (it takes about 30 seconds to heat it up). I would wait until Jamie gets home from work to start this process but that's usually 7 and we are trying to do the bed time routine and then we would be eating at 9. Sigh. I need a personal assistant... or a chef? So my plan of action (not that anyone cares) is GOOGLE, Pinterest for ideas on foods. Going to Native Sun for food. Never sleeping again. And buying these cute allergy bracelets for him to wear when he's out just in case. Buying an epipen case for the diaper bag alone with benadryl. Demanding that Jamie comes home by 6 every single night :) And I quit working out again because like I really have time to do that now. Please. Vent over.

But look how cute he is in that picture?!

Happy Mother's Day!

Look how our lives have changed!! Getting a family picture this year was next to impossible. We have 10 pictures where one person is smiling and the other two are waving menus (Jackson) or trying wrangle the baby. Last year read here  was a little bit more relaxing but not nearly as much fun! This year I woke up to a fussy baby :( We can officially feel one tooth there might be another one but he isn't letting us in his mouth. But then he decided to take 2 really amazing naps and I had no idea what to do with myself! I actually read a book and laid on the couch. I was super spoiled this year:

Pink roses, CHOCOLATES, COFFEE, and Ponte Vedra Spa (body, toes, and nails) package and the sweetest card! I couldn't have asked for anything else! I am so excited!! I actually bought my mom a pedicure so we could go together. AWWW so freaking sweet! My boys did a great job.

After Jackson's second nap we went to the Fish Camp at Neptune Beach and had lunch with my parents. Jackson sat in the high chair for maybe 15 minutes and then we all took turns walking him down to the beach. Exhausting but still really fun! Nothing a couple glasses of champagne couldn't fix :) We spent the rest of the afternoon playing in the pool. It was a great day!

Wish list

Now that Jackson is 8 months old, he has decided he is so over all his baby toys. I'm not even kidding. The jumperoo is quickly becoming a torture device even though he used to love it. Finding ways to entertain him while I get ready for work or cook dinner is next to impossible. I regress. I have a list of new toys I really want to get Jackson... But we just spend lots of money baby proofing boo.

1. Activity table- similar to the jumperoo but he can stand around it. Mr. Independent would love this. I'm loving the baby Einstein one because I'm pretty sure it says it has over 100 songs. AMEN.

2. Push walker- since you aren't suppose to use the other walkers anymore this is the next best thing.

3. Wagon- a way to walk Jackson with out him sleeping. I didn't realize how expensive these are but look at that! It even has a little sun cover!! Oh Radio Flyer I will be dreaming of you.

4. Water table- totally a wish! Jackson loves water so I think this would be a big hit.

5. Aden and Anasis sleeper sacks. We have one that he literally wears all week and then I wash it... I know gross. But he wears jammies under it and they are so $$$$. And no you cannot replace them with any other brand because these are light weight. Which is perfect for Florida and my extremely hot baby. This has also been key to improving our sleep!!! He loves these things.

Hmm Christmas in may?! Hahah I wish. Maybe my husband is reading this? (shaking his head and telling me I am ridiculous)

Salsa Verde and Flautas

I have been quite the chef these days, making new recipes left and right. Jamie is in heaven. He gets so excited when I say crock pot or Mexican, it's a little ridiculous (also really makes me happy). I have learned not to say the recipe name before he eats something because he will immediately decide that it sounds "gross." But anyways one Friday night I decided to make my own Salsa Verde and Flautas. They turned out amazing! I got the recipes Here. If you are looking for some new recipes these are great!

Spicy Salsa Verde

Baked Flautas

Teething

Teething. Gross. That word makes me cringe every time I think about it. Naturally, Jackson is a terrible teether. I mean he is not that kid that wakes up one morning with a tooth and we say wow we didn't even realize. PSH. The first go around was 9 days of fussy, crying, not sleeping hell. Yes. I said it. We were ALL miserable. Everyone. Even the cats. We are now entering round #2. I think.

That's the thing with teething, you are never quite sure if they are or aren't. Is it a cold, ear infection, just being a baby? Jackson was fussy for the 9 days before we even saw anything start to pop through. Then he had 3 more days until they were up. And for the record, we couldn't really feel anything for those nine days. But every baby is different. My new thing is everything people tell you is never right (I can't tell you about your baby). Oh you will feel them and then ya de ya de ya blah blah. You just go with whatever your gut is.

Ok so I gave you my warning of we have the worst teether ever and we were miserable BUT I did find some relief in these things... I feel they saved our lives a little. I mean it could always be worse. In fact if I'm right about these 2nd round we are doing way better.

1. Try to keep your same nap/sleep schedule even if that means they cried for 30 minutes (which means the nap is over in our house). It was easier to transition afterwards. This one sucks but I'm still sticking to my guns on this one. He went right back on track after he got his teeth.
2. We always always start Jackson in his crib for bed and then if he wakes up (and is teething) we would let him sleep with us. For some reason that is just what he needed. He has always needed lots of cuddles so this was especially important. At first we were really against it but someone said hey maybe that's just what he needs right now. Hm why didn't we think of that?
3. Mesh Teether. We put ice in it and he goes to town on this thing. We love it! He loves it. It's really great. Plus with ice in the teether when it melts it's just water so it's no big deal. And if you kid has problems chewing this is a great tool for teaching them to bite/chew.

4. Hylands Teething Tablets with tylenol. Works for giving you at least 4 hours a sleep at a time and helps with naps. I have also heard Motrin but we haven't gotten any yet so I can't vouch for that one. Hylands is all natural and doesn't have medication in it. Really if you could get away with just hylands that would be awesome. We try to avoid Tylenol at all costs but sometimes you just have to use it.

Yes we have tried- cold teethers, wooden teethers, rubbing his gums, cold wash cloth... the list goes on. We do LOVE Sophie but she doesn't really help at the crucial points of teething. The only thing we haven't tried is the necklaces which I have debated but we'll see.

Spring Cleaning

I used to be a super clean and organized person and then you know who came along :) It takes everything to keep the house clean. I also think that playing and spending Jackson is the most important thing so I try to keep his spaces clean and the rest of the house is on the back burner. So my cleaning schedule is by no means a great one but whatever.

My general routine is every Friday:

• Clean all the toys and rotate them. I only put a forth of his toys out a week and then change it up on Fridays that way we don't get bored or overwhelmed with too many toys.
• Clean all of his linens/blankets. This sometimes gets done multiple times a week it just depends.

Mondays:

• Clean the bottle warmer, sterilizer and our boon grass thingy. I use vinegar and water or method soap. Although after researching these pics I saw BabyGanics soap...

Every week:

• Laundry like everyday. ugh. This is the one thing Jamie will actually help with :)
• Clean the floors.. at least the kitchen, living room, and places Jackson goes.
• Vacuum at least 3x's a week...we have cats

Every other week:

• Deep clean bathrooms, dust, windex.

And you know we do do the others- dishes, etc.

My favorite cleaning products:

Baby Ganics Cleaners- It's baby safe! And it sounds silly cleaning your floors with baby safe cleaner but think about it- they touch the floor with their hands and then immediately put their hands in their mouth. Heck Jackson actually licks the floor! And I'm being 100% serious. 

Method Cleaners- If we aren't using a baby cleaner it's Method. 

*When I'm cleaning Jackson's room, I clean it an hour or two before he sleeps in there. I don't know if it's necessary but the idea of him breathing in all the cleaners just makes me ... (can't think of the word) but I have asthma so maybe that's why?

What a boring post! Haha what are your cleaning routines?! Are there any better baby cleaners out there? 

I actually really love cleaning. I can't figure out if it's the process of cleaning or I really like things being clean. Or both? 

Now I also really LOVE organizing. Love it. However, that would take Jamie watching Jackson for hours while I do it and that's not happening any time soon... so maybe when Jackson goes to school I'll go back to organizing :)

8 Months!

Jackson,

     I can't believe you are 8 months old! This month might have been my favorite. You are now army crawling everywhere! You love chasing the cats and pulling their tails..although they don't enjoy it. You really love to dump their food and water dishes. Oscar may start fighting you on that one! Your personality is showing through all the time- you are so sweet and cuddly but man do you have a quick temper. Shoo whee if you don't get your way you will throw your head back and scream. Your dad and I threaten to video all these fits to show you when you are older.  You still love to be the center of attention but only in small groups of familiar people. You act very shy in new situations. Being upside down is your FAVORITE thing or flying through the air. Not only are you crawling you are trying to climb over/under/on everything (fireplace). You also really love to pull the chairs or your high chair around which I don't think is normal :) You are still 100% a mama's boy which I LOVE LOVE LOVE and you also really really love your daddy! Between us and the cats you are just happy at home! The sleep situation has gotten much better, typically, 3 naps and then down at 8:30 and up around 5/6ish. The pediatrician did say we need to do some tough love because you should be sleeping longer. You have really shown an interest in My Gym now. You love all the other kiddos, the swings, and the bar...and of course anything that makes you go upside down.

Milestones:

• Army Crawling!
• Pulling to stand. 
• Putting your arms over your head this is really cute. You also like to put your arms up and say "ahh ahh ahh". Too cute for words.
• Picking up small pieces of food.
• Pulling the cats' tails.
• Imitating a few words- Mama, Dada, Ball- (obviously he hasn't has his first true word yet- no I'm not the crazy mom who thinks her kid starting talking at 4 months)
• Possibly starting to imitate signs? It's hard to tell because you do like to clap a lot.
• First bites of puffs and a waffle... we tried a frozen waffle for teething and you bit right into that thing and were chowing down. When I went to take it away from me you threw the biggest fit!!! I can't wait until you can actually have waffles because you obviously love them.
• Eating stage 1-2 and some 3's. 

Health: You had your first ear infection :( But other than that you are healthy! You are now eating sweet potatoes, broccoli, beets, pears, peaches, banana, avocado, yams. I can't tell what you are really allergic to (expect milk, soy, apple) anymore because they eczema is really hit or miss so who knows. Your favorites are banana mixed with sweet potato and avocado. Tonight we are trying chicken! 
Jackson love watching you discover and meet new milestones everyday! We can't wait to see what next month brings!