[jenedens6102]

Ladies, I'm so sorry I've been MIA. Work has been crazy busy and then Ethan's evening schedule is pretty short so I take full advantage of what time I have with him.

Anyway, today was his four month appointment. He's now 16 lbs 3 oz (Anna, you were right!) and he's 26 1/2 inches long with his head measuring 16 1/2 inches around. He did much better with this round of shots. Yes he still screamed his head off for a couple minutes but he was back to smiling and flirting with the nurses before we left. Plus by the time we were leaving it happened to be time for his first nap of the day so he slept the whole way into the sitter's. He got rave reviews on his developmental skills except that he's not lifting himself up with his hands when on his belly. He still rests on his forearms. But he's rolling side to side, though not all the way over, he grabs things held in front of him (the doctor got this a lot while just trying to check him), he sings, he coos, yada yada. Oh and she did confirm for me that he is indeed teething and both white buds are teeth. At first she was skeptical too but then when she did the exam and looked she said "oh my, yep those are teeth." Anyway, all is well. Since he's been on oatmeal and doing well for two weeks she said I can start to add fruits and veggies.

Have you guys done this yet? She recommended a veggie first because if you give them the sweet stuff first they tend to turn away the bland tasting food. I was planning on waiting another two weeks (give him a full month on cereal) before starting foods but we'll play it by ear. She also said to do fruits and veggies first and then introduce meats. She said not to do mixed veggies with meat (in a single jar) because there is very little meat involved so do to them separately. She also mentioned based on his size that he'll be in a rear facing convertible seat soon. I can confirm that his feet do touch the back of the seat but he's still got one notch in his harness before he outgrows his seat.

I promise I will catch up soon (I hope anyway). Here are some of his four month pictures. Enjoy!

[amfandrmf]

Jen, Ethan just keeps growing, growing! I'm glad the appt went well. It definitely seems like they are getting better at their appts. My doc said they could do veggies first before fruit but to not start until they were 5 months. So, we're gonna wait a few weeks. She also wants us mixing Maddie's oatmeal with formula instead of water since she still needs to put on the weight. You'll have to let me know how the veggies go if you start them soon. I can't wait to see how they take their food. Before you know it we'll be celebrating their first birthdays!

Okay, so DH just got a new position. He is now working 12 hour shifts and it will have its +'s and -'s. He'll be working 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., which means I'll have to put both girls to bed myself! Ahh! But, I get to sleep in and not get up until 7 a.m. for days that I work. That will be kinda nice. This starts next week, so we'll see how it goes.

[jenedens6102]

Anna, don't talk about them being one yet! I'm not even ready for him to be four months but he is. Well Ethan is throwing a fit, scared of daddy for some reason. I'll be back on at some point.

[amfandrmf]

I know I'm just amazed some days at how fast they learn new things. Maddie is starting to grab at toys. Mila would just rather play with her dresses and suck her thumb than grab a toy. She also loves, loves, loves kicking her legs like a wild woman and standing up on her own. She eventually loses her balance, but she is really good at standing.

Well, today I'm hosting my DH's family reunion. A few years back I had told them to throw me in the rotation (they have 8 families that take turns hosting it). Of course they throw us in the year that is probably the hardest...ah! But, I have a friend coming to help with the girls and my mom last minute now said she could help as well. So, we'll see how it goes. Of course it has to be raining and storming ALL DAY today! Ugh...I hope it turns out okay. I rented a pavilion at our local park. There is a beach, so the girls may be able to go swimming. We'll see with the rain if it is even possible. Hopefully, I'll get some pics posted soon. I haven't been using my camera as much...we've started using our video camera which we haven't used since our wedding!

[jenedens6102]

Anna, hoping you survived the family reunion. We haven't had one in our families for probably 10 years or better. Ok so back to the post I couldn't finish the other day. We did get Ethan some veggies to try. I was hoping to wait but once she told me to start I thought I should go ahead. Being that baby food is a different consistency then oatmeal or cereal he did struggle a little. He definitely made a TON of yucky faces at first and even got to the point where he held his mouth shut if it was the veggie but would open wide for his oatmeal. But like they say you try and try again. He ate about 1/4 of the jar of sweet potatoes on Saturday plus his oatmeal and then yesterday he ate the rest of the jar plus his oatmeal. I think he would have eaten more if I gave it to him but I stopped. He actually didn't make a single face yesterday, goes to show that they just have to get used to the different taste and then they want more. Ethan is definitely moving and shaking these days, loves to be on the flow rolling around (not over just around) and he's also grabbing and playing with his toys. He loves to stand or sit up but doesn't like to be held as much unless he's tired or needs comforting. Lots more babbling and he's blowing raspberries now (makes feeding time fun) but we are enjoying it all!

[lauriej79]

Jen- our doctor told us not to rush on the food but to start sometime with something basic between now and their 6 month checkup. He said not to feel the need to rush it at all because the Pediatric association recommends that babies be strictly breastfeed or formula fed for the first 6 months and that starting too early can lead to obesity later on. Plus, since they are consistently gaining weight he said that there was really no need to until later. Especially with out babies being preemies, they really have the intestinal makeup of a 2 1/2 month old. Here is some info that you might want to read. I noticed you said that Ethan had his mouth clamped shut.

Optimal Nutrition and Introducing Solid Foods Early
It is a known fact that breast milk, and even formula, contains the proper combination of essential nutrients to sustain a baby's healthy growth and development well into the 9 month age range or longer. While your grandmother may have been fed rice and milk gruel at 2 weeks of age, science now tells us that solid foods should not replace breast milk or formula too early. Introducing solid foods early will deprive a baby of these crucial nutrients and also replace the amounts of breast milk or formula a baby needs.

"Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 mo of life followed by optimal complementary feeding are critical public health measures for reducing and preventing morbidity and mortality in young children." American Journal of Pediatrics - Feb. 2007

Self-Regulation of Food Intake and Introducing Solid Foods Early
Many pediatric authorities suggest that the early introduction of solid foods may lead to obesity later in life due to the lack of self-regulation. Your baby needs to be able to learn for him or herself when he or she is full! In the past, this type of information, based on scientific research, was unavailable to parents.
Babies who are fed solid foods earlier than 6 months of age lack the ability to regulate how much food they are eating. As you are feeding your baby, you control the amounts that your baby is eating. Until a baby is able to indicate that he or she is full (either by turning away from the spoon or clamping the mouth closed for example), the risk of overfeeding is high.

Adrienne and Anna - Hope you girls had a good weekend.

As for me today is vacation day. We are leaving about 4:30 or so and will be back Friday. I am excited and keeping my fingers crossed for happy babies on the way down. It is about a 6 hour drive down but with stopping it may be more like 7 1/2 to 8.

[jenedens6102]

Laurie, thanks for sharing that. Ethan is still drinking just as much formula each day as he was before so I don't think he's missing out there. I wonder if the reason our pediatrician recommended we get started with the solids is because Ethan is so big. I do worry about obesity which is why I've tried to hold off as long as I have but he is definitely a big boy either way. He is still drinking 4-5 six ounce bottles a day. Usually only four but like this week because it's my early week and thus his schedule is a few hours different he'll end up with five bottles today.
So now that I've given him food for two days should I continue or stop? What do you girls think?

[lauriej79]

I don't really know. Our babies are drinking 4- 8 ounce bottles a day. They eat at 8am, noon, 4pm, and around 8:30 for the last one so that is 32 ounces. If Ethan is only eating 4-5 6 ounce bottles that is only roughly 24-30 ounces a feed. I wouldn't think that that would be enough as big as he is. The pediatrician should have calculated his kilo's to his daily consumption to let you know how much he should be eating to continue to gain weight for his size.
I don't have any advice though. I really trust our pediatrician and he said not to rush it so we aren't. I may try something with them closer to 5 or 5 1/2 months but definitely not before then. I worry about stomach aches and knowing how much to feed them and like the article said, you are in control of it because thye don't know how to tell you they don't want anymore.

[jenedens6102]

The thing with Ethan is that he's always been behind on how many ounces he takes per feeding. If we try and give him more then 6 ounces he throws the rest up. Because of his reflux we were always watching how much we gave him. He's not throwing up as much now but he also has to work to get those last couple of ounces down as it is. I don't think I can increase his bottles from 6 to 8 yet....we've tried. But even before starting the cereal, which I just did two weeks ago. He's gaining weight very well, growing above average - he's just going to be big like his daddy.

[Laci]

Hi girls. I have missed reading your posts this past week, but I have been very busy. On top of all that I got a stomach virus. DH took care of Karson for two days while I stayed in the spare bedroom. I have prayed that he would not get this, and so far so good. As far as food goes, our Doc told us not to give him anything until he gives us the go ahead. His four month appointment is towards the end of August, so we will see what he says then. Like Ethan, he is also a big boy. When I took him in for the fussiness at almost 12 weeks he was 14 lbs 11 oz and almost 25 inches. This makes me wonder if he will need foods a little sooner, but we will just wait on the Doc to give us the thumbs up. On a side note, Karson rolled from his tummy to his back Thursday on his playmat. We were both sitting there with him, so it was very exciting. I am sure it was an accident, and he has not done it since, but it was a fun moment.

[jenedens6102]

Yeah Karson congrats on rolling. Ethan has only done it once but we keep trying! Our pediatrician told us at the two month appointment that they start to eat solids between 4-6 months but that Ethan would let us know if he was ready sooner. While I was hesitent to try cereal for the first time he took it without issue. My thought was if he's not ready, no big deal we'll try again in a few weeks - but he was definitely ready. And we started just under two weeks before he turned four months old. So Karson might give you signs here in the next couple of weeks. Trust your instincts.

[Laci]

If I think he might be ready sooner than what our Doc says I might give it a try in a couple of weeks. My goodness, if these big boys need to eat then they need to eat!!

[amfandrmf]

Hey girls...lots going on with the feedings huh. Laurie, thanks for the info. For us, I know Mila has no issues with her oatmeal. But, Maddie still needs to gain more weight so we really need to watch her intake.

I say if the babes are still taking about the same and it doesn't decrease by much that it would be okay to try foods. I plan on trying veggies with Mila (not sure about Maddie, yet) in a couple of weeks.

Well, today is DH's first day on his new shift. So, I will be trying to feed them both oatmeal and their bottles in about a half hour...yikes! Wish me luck. Then, I have to try and get them both to sleep. We'll see how this goes. Ugh, I'll be so tired by the time I'm done with all this. Then, tomorrow it starts all over again. At least I don't have to do this all week. This week DH works Mon, Tues, Fri, Sat.

Oh yeah...the girls went to the beach on Sat! The family reunion was a smash, but lasted waayyy too long. I got there to set up with DH and the girls at 11:30 a.m. and people didn't start leaving the park until 7:30 p.m.! Then, we had to clean up, quick get home to get the girls fed and put to bed and then get things put away at home. Oy, what a day! The girls waded in the water. I didn't really have them swim because DH's cousin made me very nervous. He was swimming and his nipple got bit by a fish! He jumped up so fast! I was afraid they may come after the girls, so I kept them at the shallowest part. Mila was sitting and kicking her feet in the sand under the water...she loved it! Maddie on the other hand was not the biggest fan. They both screamed when we first put their feet in the water because of it being cold. It took a little while for them to get use to it. And, well, I forgot to take pics AGAIN. I'm getting really bad. I get so caught up in the moment that I completely forget.

[jenedens6102]

I agree Anna, as long as we aren't decreasing Ethan's formula in any way then I think he's ok. And he's definitely still taking his bottles just like normal. He had his oatmeal and half a jar of sweet potatoes before taking his full six ounce bottle and now he's sleeping soundly. He did have another rough episode with his teeth this evening but after two teething tablets and lots of rocking, humming and loving from mommy he calmed down relatively quickly this time. His sitter did say she thought today would be one of those days because he was a bit fussy there today too but not throwing fits.

[amfandrmf]

Jen, how is Ethan doing with his teething today? Hopefully, he is feeling better than yesterday.

Laurie, have you started giving rice or oatmeal yet or have you decided to wait on it?

Laci how is everything going with you lately? I hope you're feeling better. Congrats on Karson rolling over...so jealous. I'm still waiting for the girls to show any interest.

So, I've had my first two nights by myself and the girls have really been behaving for me. I'm such a proud mommy. Both yesterday and today it has only taken me about 1 1/2 hours to get food ready, feed them oatmeal and formula and get them both to fall asleep in their cribs. I can't believe how easy they are making it on me. I don't know why I was so scared.

So, drama, drama goin on here in the fam. Tell me what you girls think. I hope I can make this quick otherwise I'll know I could type forever on this. Well, this has been festering for awhile. My SIL and her fiance have our one and only nephew Caden who is almost 4 years old. We babysit when they need someone and normally they only need someone when they want to go out. They are both still young and had him when they were 20. So, they still go out drinking, Renee goes twice with her friends and Keith goes out twice with his friends. They still have a lot of maturing to do, but are good parents and we spend a lot of time with them. Well, whenever we babysit for Keith when he wants to go out he is always late and never tells us the right time of when he thinks he will be home. On Sunday, DH said he would watch our nephew while Keith went out to watch a golf tournament. Keith told DH that he would be no later than 3 p.m., but then later called to say it would be 3:30, which was fine. DH said if you need until 4 that is okay too, but he insisted that it wouldn't be that late. Well, Keith didn't show up until 5 p.m.! His excuse was that no cells were aloud inside and that he doesn't wear a watch. You mean to tell me that no one there was wearing a watch! You could have asked anyone the time! So, DH was pretty pissed off...this was the last straw. DH left a somewhat nasty message on his sister's cell saying that he would never babysit our nephew again for Keith. He said that he would always watch our nephew for her still because she does so much for us, but Keith just takes advantage of us. DH was also pissed because Keith said since Sat (the day before) was his day to go out that he was going out with her side of the family after the family reunion and she would have to stay home with her son. These are people that she only sees once a year and she really wanted to go to the local fair with them after the reunion. So, this was icing on the cake and DH was already pissed at Keith. Anyways, he later called his sis back and left a message that he needed to talk to her about this because he felt like maybe he overreacted and just wanted to talk it out with her. She is so pissed at him that she won't return any calls and won't talk to us. I heard from MIL that she wants DH to stew over this and suffer for what he said about her fiance. I just want her to understand that he can't just keep taking advantage of us when we babysit. We love watching our nephew but he needs to treat us with respect and grow up. Its different if he has to be late because he has to work, but he is always going out with his buddies and just being irresponsible. Ya, so we were all suppose to go to the zoo on Thursday. I guess that won't happen if she won't even talk to us. In my eyes it just shows her immaturity by not even calling to talk this over with us. It's like we're back in high school again. I can't believe all this petty sh-- is going on. I just don't have the time for this. Tell me what you girls think. Sorry for the long post, just had to vent.