Mamas and Papas of our littlest ones... How's it going?

[jd11365]

How are the newest babes of the BBB? And how are their mamas and papas holding up? Whether it's your first or your thirty-first, let us know how you're doing!

[kimbe]

Hi All,

Our DD just turned 6-weeks. We are holding up well. She is pretty fussy most of the day. I know that they say you can't spoil a newborn, but I think that we have. She will stop crying when you pick her up. She will play on the floor with us for about an hour a day so that isn't too bad. She is eating well and I am now getting a 4 hour stretch of sleep at night! (Then back to every two hours.)

Thanks for the thread Jamie, I can't wait to see how everyone else is doing? It is nice to read that others are in the same boat!

[Lovingliv]

Not sure if I qualify for this thread or not...DD is 3 1/2 months old. Is that new enough? She is Daddy's little girl and the apple of my eye...but she does not like to sleep. We still have her in the moses basket but I fear it is getting to small, plus she only lasts for 3-4 hours in it. We end up co-sleeping a lot and I don't sleep very well as a result. I am back to work in 10 days so I have to come up with a solution quick or I will be a zombie. She will not sleep in her crib. All that aside, I am excited about returning to work, especially at the end of the day when I can pick my lil Liv up at childcare and BF. I will pump at work...REALLY hoping to get to 12 months EBF. This has been a huge adjustment but is the most amazing time of my life.
I'm also really looking forward to the day when I can afford a Hannah playdress/daydress...hehehe. Thank-you so much for starting this thread....I look forward to seeing how others are doing!

[pl71]

My second DS, Ryan, is 10 weeks old. He's sleeping 4 hours at a time most of the time. Every now and then he'll do a 7 hour stretch, but that always starts before I go to bed so I haven't had more than 4 hours yet. I really should go to bed earlier to take advantage of it. At least he stays asleep when I move him to his crib from napping downstairs, my first DS never would.

Ryan is really easy going, it's keeping up with my 2 year old, Owen, that's a challenge. Most of the time Owen goes to daycare with his dad, but those times I'm alone with both boys are hard...I really admire you SAHMs!

This past Friday was my first day back at work, I'm be working only Fridays for a month before going back full time in September. DH was at home watching the baby. I drove the hour drive to work and then discovered I had left all my pumping stuff neatly packed on the kitchen counter at home. So I had to have DH drive it in for me. Of all things to forget!

Patty
DS Owen 4/03 and Ryan 5/25/05

[buddyleebaby]

DD is two months now. She is EBF and has the cutest chubby little thighs now!
She is a very happy and congenial baby. She loves to be held and cuddled. She likes the outdoors. She loves singing and being read to. Her favorite book right now is "How the Grinch stole Christmas", I think because of the rhyming and illustrations (which are all black, white, and red.)
She is still scared of her crib, and the dark, and water. So she sleeps with me with a lamp on. She'll sleep for 6 hours straight, wake up to nurse for five minutes, and then go back to sleep for another three hours. It's great in terms of sleep, but sometimes hard as I am often engorged.
We are really enjoying her right now. She is looking at the world around her (easier to do when you can hold your head up,I guess....) She also has started communicating w/o crying, which I love.
She recognizes us and gives us those great toothless smiles, and she has started "talking".
She is getting to be a lot of fun!

[kfcboston]

Hi Jamie - thanks for asking! Things are going well here. The boys are healthy and sleeping 8pm - 6am with a feeding at 3am. Still simultaneously nursing, which is going great. However, Teddy is in full-blown bottle rebellion starting yesterday, which is a revolting development.

Charlie is doing great with the babies, but seems to be getting more "terrible" himself by the day. He's only one-third of the kids, but way over half the battle. Getting him alone out of my hair during the day is like going on vacation! :)

Looking forward to reading this thread - hope you all are doing well!

[barbarhow]

Get a miracle blanket! It made a huge difference for my DD.
Barbara-mom to Jack 3/27/03, a Red Sox fan
and Anna 5/12/05, my little Yankee fan!

[barbarhow]

Anna is doing great-she is now 12 weeks-soon to be 3 months old. She is the most wonderful little girl in the world. She loves to sleep at night-7-10 hours at night thanks to the miracle blanket. She is rolling over and this weekend started really laughing. She is so funny and so cute. I can stare at her for hours and be totally awed by her gorgeous little face. I feel like the luckiest Mom in the world.
She starts daycare in two weeks and I am so sad about that. At least she has finally started taking the bottle which removes some of the anxiety and Jack is excited that his little sister is going to go to "school" with him.
Barbara-mom to Jack 3/27/03, a Red Sox fan
and Anna 5/12/05, my little Yankee fan!

[calebsmama03]

Thanks for asking Jamie! Sophia is 11 weeks old and still quite grumpy, but getting a bit better. Man - colic SUCKS!! She finally started smiling (MUCH later than Caleb did) and seems more content when being held/slung but still rarely consents to being put down so I am pretty exhausted and achy :) She is about 11 1/2 pounds and 24 inches as of last week - growing up so fast!!! She is very much a mamas girl which frustrates DH a lot, as he was great with Caleb at this age and has a tough time calming her. She is still exclusively BF and has stopped puking on a daily basis so we didn't have to take her in for testing - huge relief there! She sleeps pretty well at night. We're co-sleeping so I nurse her to sleep when I go to bed (around 10PM) then she sleeps through till 3:30 or 4, nurses and back to sleep till 7:30 or so. Naps are another story and pretty non-existant unless I hold or sling her :( BTW - huge thanks to Rachel for reviewing the snug tuck pillow!! It has made co-sleeping much easier and safer for us!

As with Katie's Charlie, Caleb is great with his sister but has become quite "rotten" (for lack of any other word appropriate to use on a public forum!!) in his own right. So darned defiant all the time, throwing tantrums, refusing to eat anything that resembles anything healthful, etc. I am at wits end and hopeful it's a stage that will end soon (someone PLEASE tell me it's a stage!!!!)
Lynne
Mommy to C 3/03
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_emerald_18m.gif[/img][/url]
And Miss Purple, 5/05

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

not certain how "new" is "new"...
Bronwyn seems to have taken off in growth lately and it just AMAZES me that my little chicken leg girlie now has some folds etc...

after about 2 months of having colic I just feel so lucky that she has overcome it and just seems to go with the flow. When she is rear facing in the car I have to ask Reichen (who sits in the 3rd row) "What is B doing", I usually assume she is asleep and 90% of the time he says "she's awake-looking at Tristan, looking out the window etc..."...poor thing she just seems to know she has to go with the flow around here.

she does have shifty eyes kind of checking everything out, still convinced that is because she dropped on her head at birth.

she ADORES Reichen he makes her giggle so loud!!!
the boys love her and Tristan's only time he can't deal are consistently at bedtime where for some reason his pillow is his pillow and no amount of pleading is going to let him allow her head on HIS pillow. He also insist that we put a hat on her head, he seems to associate her bald head with "hat...hat...hat..."

Daddy is beside himself and I suspect Bronwyn will be spoiled rotten by him, in fact I take advantage of it when I want to get her something I email it to him as if Bronwyn is asking...he acts like butter!!!!


Neve
Reichen (6), Karsh (3), Tristan (2) and baby girl Bronwyn born March 10th!!!!

[C99]

Rose is 14 weeks and for the most part, a doll. She sleeps a 6-hr stretch pretty consistently at night. She's pretty laid-back compared to Nate at this age, and doesn't cry much. We just got back from a couple of days in Seattle and although our flight was full of kids in varying stages of discomfort and upset, Rose slept the whole time. The guy behind me was surprised when I got up at the end and Rose was in the sling. She's also a total Mama's girl and is happiest if I am holding her or nearby.

[mamicka]

We are actually doing pretty good (I hope I haven't jinxed myself). Thanks for asking!

C is now just over 3 months & about 16 lbs. Following in big brothers footsteps already! He's a great nurser but isn't that great of a sleeper. Napping, well... we're working on it. At night he does OK. We just started putting him in his crib at night - he no longer fits in the bassinette length-wise. He'll go down around 7:30, & wake to eat at about 9, midnight, 3-4 & then every 1/2 hour or so until 7am. I just bring him into our bed when he wakes around midnight & cosleep the rest of the night. That way I get to sleep alone for at least 1/2 the night.

L is doing really well with him. He climbs into our bed in the morning & just keeps saying C's name over & over again really sweetly & C just smiles & coos like crazy. Another thing he does is take role-call several times a day. He'll just out-of-the-blue say "Mommy, [Daddy], L######, C######" & I'll say "Yup, we're all here!".

This is a great thread - I love hearing how all the new little ones are doing.

Allison

[Lovingliv]

Barbara, I was so ready to get a miracle blanket and my DH said "she doesn't really need it". Now this is the child who was so happy to be swaddled in the beginning. I am kicking myself for listening to him- there was a co-op for the blanket a few weeks ago.
Moral: Always listen to your Mama instinct!

[calebsmama03]

Neve -
Glad to hear that B's colic is over - gives me hope that this, too shall pass!!!
OT but my sister had her first on March 10, as well but they live in IL so I only just met him and won't get to see him often :( I love your pics and stories about B because she is my nephew's "birthday buddy" :)
Lynne
Mommy to C 3/03
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_emerald_18m.gif[/img][/url]
And Miss Purple, 5/05

[jd11365]

Sounds like all is well in the world of our newest babes! How lucky they are to have such wonderful mamas!

For our newer mamas and babes with colic, I have two words for you... GRIPE WATER!! Run, don't walk to get some, if you have a babe under 3 months. After that, the colic usually subsides and you can breathe a bit easier.

I'm so amazed by those who are on number two...or more. I just can't imagine keeping up with Kayla, who can be impossible sometimes, and taking care of a little one. Big hugs and high-fives to you all on an amazing job!

[brigmaman]

Yes, Gripe Water! My Grandmother and Great Aunt were so happy to hear I was giving Brig Gripe Water because they always suggested Fennel Tea which is similar. :)

[Tondi G]

Checking in here! Aidan is 3 months old and is a wonderful baby! He is sleeping 8 hours on the regular... followed by a little more after a good 6 oz bottle! He smiles and laughs. He loves his exersaucer and his aquarium bouncer.... and his Bjorn. He like his big brother hates the car..... I feel bad for him but at least this time around I know he won't be harmed by crying in the seat.... it used to make me so anxious with Mason! I am hoping to move him to his Roundabout soon and am praying that it will help improve his mood in the car... we'll see (wish us luck! LOL). He is rolling over from tummy to back and is overall a much happier/easier baby than Mason ever was (Mason was colicky and miserable for months!!!). Little guy still has red hair so I am thinking it is probably going to stay that way!

Mason is loving being a big brother.... only recently have we noticed a bit of jealousy from him (he is just being a bit more whiny and needy than usual) but he is really good to his brother. Sometimes he tries a little too hard and scares the crap out of me when he comes walking into the kitchen with Aidan in his arms (having plucked him out of the swing... YIKES!) but he just can't wait for Aidan to be sitting up and crawling around so they can play more!

~Tondi
Mommy to Mason 7/8/01 and Aidan 5/4/05

[sidmand]

Things are great, but I'm still waiting for the long stretch of sleep! I end up in tears pretty much every Monday because I'm just so tired. I know I should really go to bed when he goes to bed (I think there is a four-hour stretch there) but I just really don't want to go to bed at 7:00 p.m.! Plus it's the only time all day that I know he's down for the count and so the only time I have to catch up on cleaning, e-mails, phone calls, etc. Everytime he wakes up I keep thinking the next time might be the time he sleeps for five hours. Heck, even four hours would be great.

But he's starting to coo and laugh and really look at things which is a lot of fun. He used to cry everytime we changed his diaper and now, for some reason, his changing table seems to be his favorite place in the world. We strap him in and watch him laugh and wave his arms and legs around. I still haven't figured out why he likes it so much (we did put a mirror and mobile there, but he likes it even when it's on the floor). But my friend started it when she said to never move a happy baby, so now we just play with him on the changing table! Odd, but effective.

Sorry for any typos--typing with kiddo onboard.

Debbie

Mom to Sawyer!
http://lilypie.com/baby1/060607/0/3/1/-5/.png (http://lilypie.com)

[newbelly2002]

Katie,

Hey there! GLad to hear you're doing well. I can't imagine the challenges you day consists of. I know I'm not around much but was wondering if you might be able to drop me an email when you get a chance (your profile is disabled). I've got some questions that I think you might be able to answer. psidore @ alumni . bates . edu (no spaces). Thanks!

Paula
Mama to Dante, 8/02

[NatalieM]

I'm glad to hear everyone is doing good. Reagan will be 3 months this Saturday. I love watching her sleep, doing tummy time with her, reading to her, I love everything about her (proud mama!) She is sleeping 7-8 hours at night thanks to the Miracle blanket. Although at 13 pounds and 24 inches long I'm not sure how much longer she'll be able to use it. She's really a happy baby. We are very blessed. She's in daycare now, but I get to see her while at work b/c the daycare has cameras in the rooms. Sometimes I find myself staring at my computer screen at work for 30 minutes and not getting any work done! DH and I have adjusted pretty well to parenthood. It's the best thing in the world and we look forward to watching our DD grow. We have had to use the Gripe Water a few times before. It works wonders!

[marinkitty]

Well, Jack is not that "new" anymore, but he is doing wonderfully! I seriously think I have the world's happiest baby. He rarely cries and if so, it is always easy to identify and fix, he smiles and laughs (he has this hilarious belly laugh that just slays me) all the time, he absolutely adores his big sister and his eyes are on her whenever they are in the same room.

He was 18 pounds and 27 1/4 inches at his 4 month check so he is growing well - he has the chunky thighs but the rest of him is actually fairly lean b/c he is so long. But wearing and filling out 6-12 month clothes already!

On the sleep front - no big long stretches from him - he sleeps in the crib for naps about for 3-4 hours at the beginning of the night and then comes to bed with me b/w 10-11 for his first feed. After that, I lose track of what happens for sure but know he eats a couple of times during the night. But neither of us ever fully wake so we wake pretty rested in the a.m., which has varied from 5:30 - 7 lately depending on the day. I'm digging the co-sleeping thing, love waking up to my smiley little guy and love the nighttime snuggles too!

He is growing up so fast though - I cannot believe soon he will be sitting on his own and so much more independent. He is already so different from the little newborn that needed to be held/slung 24-7, he loves being down on the floor and even likes the car now that he is in the Roundabout. I'm enjoying his "babyhood" so much more than I did Mia's - it is bittersweet how quickly it is flying by!

Holly
Mom to Mia (3.17.03) and baby brother Jack (3.23.05)

[TaChapm]

Two months in to this and we are TRYING to keep our heads above water. Dealing with Tyler's reflux has been so much more challenging than dealing with Jackson's. Poor little guy is just miserable 24/7. We have him on the prilasec and reglan to help keep things down. We paid a fortune for a special reflux wedge and then ordered the Amby hammock to see if that would help. Nothing is really working. Worst of all he has stopped breathing several times at night so we are going tomorrow to pick up a sleep apnea monitor and have him sleep on his tummy (doctor's advice). I'm just so worried something is going to happen that I don't sleep. Hopefully the monitor will ease my fears and I will get some rest. We are also dealing with him having 2 ingrown toenails. Jackson had to have surgery at 4 months for it and it looks like Tyler will have to have the same. He is on amoxacillin for that and we are having to soak his toes 5 times a day. That usually ends up meaning 5 baths a day with Jackson because there is no way to soak baby toes without big brother making a water mess all over. :) It's a sight to see.

Other than that he is doing great. He was up to 14.2 pounds at an appointment on Friday. He is hungry all the time. He eats 4oz every 2.5 hours. (We have tried so hard to cut him back but haven't had any luck). He is literally eating us out of house and home because he is using Nutramagin. SOOOOOO EXPENSIVE! We were out of credit card debt completely and haven't used them in years but with all the special purchases and now the formula we have had to pull them out. Our extra money came from my Mary Kay sales and I just don't have time to have parties right now so money is tight. I keep reminding myself that this all will pass and soon he will be a crazy 2 year old so I am tryin gto enjoy every second of him being a baby. Even though he cries all the time he is still so PRECIOUS and such a joy to have around.

Jackson is such a trooper. He is so great with Tyler and has never once shown any signes of being jealous. He is so patient and seems to know that Tyler needs me now. My favorite times are in the morning when I am feeding Tyler and Jackson climbs up in my lap with his sippy and snuggles with us. I love that 45 min. of quiet time with them interacting. It is truly the sweetest time of our lives.

I miss you all and hope that things will quiet down soon so I can rejoin the community.

Tara
Mommy to Jackson 11-10-02
Tyler William 6-9-05
http://lilypie.com/baby3/021110/0/2/1/-6/.png


http://lilypie.com/baby1/060609/3/0/1/-6/.png

[kfcboston]

Tara you are such a trooper!! Hang in there, girl! Just a quick thought - my cousin had to use Alimentum for her son and she got a Rx from the ped for it so insurance covered it!

Stay strong............

[lmintzer]

Tara,
Wow, you've been through a lot with the scares during pg and now all of this during the newborn stage. You're doing great--it sounds like you're keeping everything in perspective and know you'll get through this too. I'm glad to hear Jackson is such a trooper, too. Little guys can sometimes be hit hard by so much going on with baby.

On a more fun note, how's the Posh bag? : )

[PurpleDog]

My little Lydia, born 5 weeks early, now 9 weeks old, is sleeping blissfully in her swing right now, swaddled up in a 40" square microfleece blanket I made for her (and since I can't even succefully make ice, that's a major accomplishment). Mommy has been up since 2am and cruising the boards, the cable, the cookbooks . . . These babies. Can't reason with them. No logic, at least that I can understand. Mama needs sleep!

Actually, I'm not complaining. Poor little Lyddie had a week in the NICU with gavage feeds 'cause she wouldn't eat. Wouldn't have anything to do with it. We (by "we" I mean "me") worked so hard on the bottle (all the while I'm pumping religiously every 2 1/2 hours). Once she got that she got out of the hospital and came home. Breastfeeding took a looooong time (and I bought myself a deep freeze to store all the EBM), but at least is easy and painishless, and last night my little 10 1/2 pounder slept from 7pm till 2; then 3:30 to 6:30.

Oh, and did I mention that I had a gigantic hemorrhage on my brand new living room furniture once I was discharged from the hospital (after a csection)? I refused to go to the ER until I'd pumped. That the following week I turned 41, and my cat died?

I could go on, but I"m tired, and really, we're all doing remarkably well so I'd really just be whining.

Vicki

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

keep me posted on your sisters little bugaboo...I love the thought of a birthday buddy for my little Bee!!!


Neve
Reichen (6), Karsh (3), Tristan (2) and baby girl Bronwyn born March 10th!!!!

[momathome]

Not sure if Julia counts as one of the newest babes in BBB-land, but here is our update. She will be 5 months-old tomorrow and is growing quickly. She can roll over from back to front (although she is mad she cannot roll from front to back yet!) and she recognizes her name now. She was diagnosed with reflux at her 4 month check - she typically spits up anywhere from 2-6 times after each feeding. She lives in bibs (so much for showing off her cute outfits :( ) and we do a lot of laundry but overall she is well. She is generally sleeping through the night (most nights she goes from 9:30-7:30 - CIO was a success!) and naps pretty well during the day. She adores her big sisters and they generally adore her. She is still a bit of a cling monster with me but I am trying to enjoy it while it lasts because Julia will be our last baby. Hope everyone else's little angel is doing well, too!

ETA: Stats from her 4 month check-up - 23.5 inches long, 12 lbs 2 oz
My little peanut!

[jenmcadams]

Little Luke was born almost 7 weeks ago (about 3 weeks early) and he's pretty different from his big sister. We're getting a dose of reality in terms of sleeping issues this time around (most of my friends say it serves us right given Abbie slept through the night by six weeks and gave us six hour stretchs in week 2). Luke's not awful, but not great -- we typically get up twice a night...some time b/t 12-2AM and sometimes b//t 4-6AM. The biggest problem with the night wakings is that typically he won't go back to sleep after one of the night feedings...can take up to an hour to get him to go back to sleep (after a 45 minute nursing/diaper changing session). We've tried all of the standard advice to make night feedings different from day, but he still has some issues there. Nursing has gone well which makes everything else a little less stressful and he gained almost 3 pounds from birth to his one month appointment, so that's been a bright spot. Otherwise, he's definitely a momma's boy and he loves his big sister. We're just starting to get the barest hint of smiles and can't wait for the big gummy grins.

Good luck everybody...especially everyone who's a little sleep deprived like me (can't believe how tough the six week growth spurt was...I'm hoping it's done now) :)