World Traveler

It has been another very busy month! We all flew to Palm Springs to spend Thanksgiving with my dad and Sabrina, and Carter and I flew to Chicago last week to visit Alanna and the twins. I was very anxious about flying with an infant. I assumed Carter would scream for the entire flight, and, on top of that, I was also afraid that he would contract the flu or H1N1 from someone at the airport or on the airplane. Luckily, neither happened. The flight to Palm Springs went pretty well. Carter never cried, but he fussed a little and refused to sleep. Of course, he also pooped about an hour into our flight; Jeff had to change his diaper in the world's smallest bathroom and could only salvage his jeans. The flight attendant said Carter was surprisingly well-behaved and that he made less noise than a cat sitting in first class! Although Carter was up several times every night, our week in California was wonderful. We spent as much time as possible outside, and I even have some very faint tan lines. The flight home was even better than the flight to Palm Springs. As instructed by my doctor, I fed Carter during takeoff, and he slept and didn't make a peep until we landed and I had to put him in his car seat. I couldn't believe our luck!

Since Carter did so well flying - and I hate driving to Chicago without Jeff - we decided to fly to visit Alanna, Lila, and Evan. Mike was in Florida for the week for work, and Alanna needed some company. Although I wasn't much help, I did keep her company! The twins have changed so much. They have grown and both weigh close to eight pounds now, but Carter still looks so much bigger; Mike actually nicknamed him "The Gentle Giant." Carter finally seemed to notice his cousins. He watched them constantly and didn't like when they cried. As you can see from one of the pictures, he also enjoyed stealing their pacifiers. He would take them out of their mouths and put them directly into his mouth! Alanna and I tried to stop him the first couple of times; then we just gave up. As always, it was very difficult to say "good-bye" to Mike, Alanna, and the twins. (Mike came home before we left and is responsible for Carter wearing a Bears jersey.) At least Christmas will be here soon...

Chicago, Part 2

Well, I just got home from my second trip to Chicago in less than a month! Jeff, Carter, and I drove down late Saturday night and came home on Wednesday. Mike, Alanna, and the twins are doing great. The twins are growing so fast, but they still look really small, especially compared to Carter. Lila weighs six pounds and nine ounces, Evan weighs five pounds and twelve ounces, and Carter weighs seventeen pounds and one ounce.

Carter is six months old today, and I don't know where the time has gone. He literally changes every single day. He now has two teeth, can sit without any support, and can stand with support. He loves sleeping in his swing, taking baths and swimming, playing in his jumper, hanging out in the Baby Bjorn, and socializing at his ECFE class in Northfield and his Bugs class at The Little Gym in St. Louis Park. He is generally a very happy baby, but he isn't afraid to let you know when he needs or wants something. In other words, Carter has a smile that can make your day and a cry that can break your heart.

The Cousins Have Arrived!

Lila May and Evan Michael McNamara were born on Wednesday, October 14. (They were so close to sharing my birthday!) Alanna's water broke at the hospital after her regular check up, and things went very quickly after that. She didn't even have time for any pain medication. In other words, she delivered twins naturally! I can't even imagine... Even though they were born almost five weeks early, Lila and Evan are doing really well. Carter and I drove down to Chicago last Tuesday to meet them and didn't get home until last night. Lila came home last Friday, and it sounds like Evan will be home very soon.

Of course I'm not surprised, but Alanna and Mike are awesome parents already. I am in awe of their dedication to those babies. When they were both in the hospital - and Alanna and Mike could have actually gotten some sleep - they spent all day and most of the night with their babies. They didn't want to miss a feeding or even just a chance to hold them. Now that Lila is home I think it's even more difficult for Alanna and Mike. They are happy to have Lila home, but they don't want to leave Evan "alone" at the hospital. They are so much stronger than they realize.

Carter really didn't know what to think of Lila. In fact, he pretty much ignored her; he would look at anything and everything but her. Maybe he doesn't want to share Alanna and Mike with any other babies. I know Carter is going to be very close to his cousins though. I can't wait to watch them grow up together, and I love sharing the miracle of motherhood with my best friend and sister! And now I understand how much Alanna and Mike love Carter. I did not to leave the twins. Today Jeff called me from work and mentioned going to Chicago this weekend...

Sleeping and Eating Update

Carter turned four months on September 13. That night, for the first time in over a month, I put him in his crib. It was a long night, but Carter did sleep in his crib all night. The next three weeks were very difficult. Carter slept through the night twice but was up several times during the other nights. When he woke up during the night he was mad and crying, so I usually had to feed him in order to get him back to sleep. He was like a newborn again! Things started to improve, and then Carter came down with a cold. He started out in his crib but seemed uncomfortable sleeping flat on his back. So I put him in his swing, thinking that I would only need to do it for a night or two. Well, each night got worse; he spent less and less time in his crib and more and more time in his swing. Even after his cold had cleared up, he still wouldn't sleep in his crib.

Last night was the worst! I put Carter to sleep at 9:00 P.M. He "talked" in his crib for a little while and then started crying. I let him cry for ten minutes and then went in to comfort him. He calmed down and fell back to sleep as soon as I picked him up, but he started screaming as soon as I put him back down in his crib. This pattern continued for hours. At 2:00 A.M. I finally gave in and put him in his swing. He fell asleep immediately and didn't wake up until 9:00 A.M. I really don't know what to do. I'm frustrated that after weeks of no sleep we're back where we started. I'm going to keep trying to put him in his crib, but I'm not going to beat myself up about it. And I'm not going to let him cry himself to sleep. I know some people might disagree with me, but I guess I don't think there is anything wrong with Carter knowing that when he cries someone will respond. And my doctor has assured me that you can't spoil a baby...

On a happier note, we started feeding Carter rice cereal and even some level one baby foods. My hope was, of course, that a little "food" would help him sleep. That hasn't been the case, but it has been fun to watch Carter eat. He isn't a big fan of rice cereal, but he has enjoyed some of his baby food. We're trying a new fruit or vegetable every three days. So far he has liked carrots and squash the best. My mom said Alanna and I were the same way. We ate so many orange vegetables that our skin actually started to turn orange!

He can roll!

Carter can roll - but only from his stomach to his back! He did it for the first time a few weeks ago. I was in the kitchen, and I heard Jeff say, "He's gonna roll!" By the time I got to the living room, I had missed it; Carter was already on his back, looking very confused. At first I didn't believe that he had actually rolled over. Since then, however, I've seen it for myself! He doesn't do it all the time, but he can do it. Usually he has to get pretty mad first though...

Alanna's Baby Shower Weekend

We had Alanna's baby shower on Friday, August 28. It was a huge success! Alanna got so much stuff for the twins, and it was really good to see our friends and family. After the shower, "the girls" all went back to my mom's house and, of course, talked about babies until way too late. My grandma Bauer also stayed at my mom's all weekend and was promptly nicknamed "The Baby Whisperer." She could literally take a screaming Carter and get him to fall asleep in her arms! Over the weekend, Carter had the opportunity to test several of the twins' new toys. As you can see from the pictures, he especially enjoyed the wash pod and pink Bumbo chair.

My Superman

I have been staying a little closer to home lately with the hope of getting my little superman on some sort of a schedule. Most nights Carter sleeps from 10:00 P.M. until 9:00 A.M., usually only waking up around 4:00 or 5:00 to eat. He eats as soon as he gets up in the morning and again around 11:00. Then I try to get us out of the house for an hour or so; we meet Beth or Tatiana for lunch or run some errands around town. I feed him again around 1:30 and then put him down for a nap, in his swing of course. He usually sleeps from 2:00 until 5:00. He eats as soon as he wakes up and again around 7:00, 8:00, and 9:00. We usually go for a walk at some point in the early evening, and Jeff usually gives him a bottle at either 7:00 or 8:00. Although I'm still spending a lot of time everyday feeding Carter, it has gotten much better. And I'm actually really enjoying breastfeeding now. (I'm so glad I didn't give it up in the beginning. Believe me, it was tempting.) I'm also really enjoying my time to myself in the afternoon!

P.S. I'm sure as soon as I post this Carter will change things up...

Road Trip

Last week, while Jeff was at We Fest, Carter and I decided to take a road trip! On Wednesday we drove to Appleton to visit Christine and Sophie. We did some shopping and even went to the pool. The next day Christine and Sophie rode with us down to Chicago to visit Mike and Alanna. It was well worth the long drive! I don't think Carter has ever had so much attention! We did more shopping and a lot of relaxing. Plus, we finally won the bottle battle. We bought some new bottles, and Carter seems to like them; he even took a bottle from me one night. Carter also started to grasp and play with a couple of his toys while we were in Chicago. He especially likes a giraffe named Sophie. (No, we didn't name the toy after Christine's baby. She came with that name.) It's so much fun to watch him learn how to use his hands.

While we may have won the bottle battle, the crib battle rages on. Carter continues to sleep very well at night; he'll sleep eight to eleven hours straight most nights. But he has to be in his swing, and the swing has to be moving, all night. I'm really not sure how to transition him from his swing to his crib. I've been trying to trick him into sleeping in his crib by laying him down in there asleep. If he doesn't wake up and immediately start crying, he usually lasts less than an hour. Then he gets so worked up that I have to feed him and pretty much start the whole bedtime routine over again. It would be so much easier just to let him sleep in his swing, but I can't get this image out of my head: Carter is so big that his legs are touching the ground as he swings himself to sleep. I'll keep you posted on our progress! Wish us luck!

I need sleep!

When I was pregnant everyone told me to rest while I could. Of course I didn't listen. I was too busy cleaning and getting everything ready for Carter. What a mistake! Now I would give just about anything for some sleep. And I mean real, restful sleep.

Carter has actually been sleeping a lot better lately though. He has been sleeping through the night most nights; I usually put him to bed around 10:00 P.M., and he hasn't been waking up until around 7:00 A.M. most mornings. However, almost all of this good sleep has taken place in his swing. I know, I'm the worst mom ever! When I discovered this amazing phenomenon I did call my doctor, and she told me Carter could sleep in his swing (or car seat) until three or four months. Imagine my relief! She said she thinks Carter probably has some reflux that makes it uncomfortable for him to sleep flat on his back.

Last night I put Carter in his crib at 10:00. He slept in there until midnight. At midnight though I heard him fuss, so I quickly moved him into his swing, where he slept until 7:30 A.M. Carter and I are off to Appleton and then Chicago next week, so maybe we'll wait and try the whole transition-into-crib thing when we get home!

P.S. The top picture is of Carter sleeping in his car seat, in his crib! I thought it was kind of funny!

Carter and Me

Remember all of the cute pictures of Jeff and Carter? Well, here are a few of Carter and me. Apparently I need to remind Carter of the fact that I'm the one who gets up with him in the middle of the night!

Carter's favorite babysitters!

Now that Carter is getting older - and a little more predictable - I am able to actually leave him with a "babysitter." I wouldn't trust him with just anyone though. On Saturday, July 11, I worked at one of my dad's stores in New Richmond while my dad and Sabrina watched Carter. They said he was pretty good; he even took a nap. But they had a hard time getting him to take a bottle, even though he was starving. My mom had the same problem when she came down to watch Carter on Tuesday, July 14, so Jeff and I could go out to celebrate our anniversary. Jeff had been giving Carter at least one bottle a day since he was three weeks old. He seemed to really like the bottle. The last month though Carter and I have been traveling more, and Jeff has been working later. We kind of got out of the whole bottle routine. With more practice, he is getting better, but Carter had several days when he would scream and refuse to take the bottle. Jeff's heart broke every time I had to take Carter to feed him! The last couple of days have been much easier. Last night I went out to eat with some friends from school while Jeff watched Carter. Carter drank his bottle and was sleeping when I got home. We've found that Carter will drink a bottle only if it's breastmilk and the perfect temperature. What a stinker!

Oh, no!

As most of you probably know, Jeff bought a motorcycle about a month ago. I told him he was going through an early mid-life crisis, but he assured me that he has wanted a motorcycle "forever." And he's already trying to influence Carter... I'm in trouble!

One boy, one girl!

Mike and Alanna found out on Monday that they are having a boy and a girl in November! Carter can't wait to meet his cousins and neither can I!

On Monday my mom went down to Lakefield to pick up my grandma Bauer, and Mike and Alanna drove up from Chicago. Carter and I decided to stay at my mom's all week too! It was so much fun to spend time with my family, and everyone was really helpful with Carter. On Wednesday we went shopping, and I bought a new swing - the Fisher Price Cradle 'n Swing. I tried putting Carter in there for the first time on Thursday night, and he slept for almost eight hours straight! I was too afraid to turn the swing off in case he woke up, so I kept it going for most of the night. Friday night he slept for six hours straight, and Saturday night he slept for seven hours straight. I turned the swing off more each night, but I have a feeling we're going to go through a lot of batteries before this is all over... We're back at home tonight, and I'm hoping Carter continues to sleep well. Otherwise, we might have to move in with my mom!

Carter has been spending more and more time awake and alert during the day. As you can see from the pictures, he enjoys lying on his blanket, usually stretching and kicking his legs. He's growing so much! On Thursday at Baby Stop he weighed in at eleven pounds and three ounces!

Jeff and Carter

Jeff is always asking me to take pictures of him with Carter, so we already have tons of good pictures of the two of them! Jeff and Carter still look a lot alike, but I think Carter is starting to look more and more like his own little person and maybe even a little like me. I definitely think he has my ears... I can't even believe how many times I've heard, "He's so cute. He looks JUST like Jeff!" Thanks?!

What a week!

We have had a busy week. On Monday we went to Lakefield with my mom to visit my grandparents. I was nervous about being away from home for three days, but we had so much fun. Carter got to meet his great-grandma and grandpa Bauer and got to see his great-grandma and grandpa Jerlow again. It was a special couple of days; I, of course, cried everyday seeing Carter with my grandparents. My grandpa Bauer is in the nursing home and had been practicing so he could hold Carter. He held Carter everyday, and we took lots of pictures! It was really nice to have some company - not to mention some help - during the day. And my grandma Bauer even helped me put Carter to sleep at night. Carter slept for six hours and then three hours both nights - a new record! I know they are all really going to miss him.

As you can see from the pictures, we reached another milestone this week: Carter took a pacifier and kind of starting sucking his thumb! I'm hoping at least one of them sticks so he can start self-soothing. It would be nice to be able to put him down before he's fast asleep! Maybe then I could get something done during the day...

Carter is one month old already!

Carter is one month old today! I can't believe how quickly the last four weeks have gone. Okay, to be honest, the first two weeks felt like ten years, but the last two weeks really have flown by. Carter changes so much everyday. He has been gaining a lot of weight, but his personality is also starting to emerge. He is even starting to smile, although I've heard that his smiles might just be reflexes. After one month, Jeff and I still aren't sure what color his hair and his eyes are going to be. His hair looks brown on the top of his head and a little red on the sides, and his eyes are a bright blue. Jeff hopes his hair stays brown and his eyes stay blue, but I'm kind of hoping for a ginger baby...

Look what we've started...

Carter likes sleeping in two places: my arms and his car seat. I swore we weren't going to start any "bad habits," but I guess sleep deprivation will make you do crazy things. I sometimes feel like I hold him all day, and at night we have started putting him in his car seat (and usually later transferring him into his cradle). Are we the worst parents ever?!