I really do love Alex at this stage, but he's growing up soooo fast! This is a new picture of him with his Bible Board Book.
Over the past month, we've reached new milestones, approached new milestones, eaten new foods, found new "wanna-be" toys, and had a flu bug (which we somehow lived through just this past weekend).
Sleep:
I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned it before, but it's difficult getting Alex to fall asleep each night. There are some days where he fights us against going to sleep, and there are also days where he is just so exhausted that he throws a bit of a tantrum. Because we live in an apartment building, (and because I can't stand to listen to him cry himself to sleep), we typically have to hold or rock him until he falls asleep. I'm not proud of this, and I wish it could change. The longest amount of time that we have left him alone in his crib to "cry it out" is about 20 minutes. I can only recall a few times where he has actually fallen asleep on his own. It's a struggle, but I had to preface this paragraph with something new that I've grown to love lately:
A few weeks ago as I was trying to get him to sleep, I walked into our bedroom and laid down in our bed with him snuggled on my side. And just like magic, he shut his eyes. I repeated this for about 5-6 days, and it was pure bliss. Because he is getting too big to hold, I started enjoying this sweet little bonding time with him in my arms again. Well, since then it has stopped and my little trick no longer works. *sigh* It was fun while it lasted!
Food:
At his last Well Baby visit, Alex's pediatrician recommended that we try to increase his solid food intake, eliminate the 4th bottle of the day, and introduce meat (chicken). Since that visit, it has been quite a challenge. A few reasons: Because Alex doesn't like to sit still in his high chair long enough to eat, and because Mark and I are "creatures of habit". Typically, we realize that 4 hours have passed, and we start putting together a bottle. It's a familiar and easy routine that we have settled into. Because his pediatrician answered with "Whatever and how ever much he wants to eat when you give him solids" and because we are used to a measured quantity of formula, it's been hard to "guesstimate" how much solid foods to give him in addition to his regular bottle. So, Mark went online to BabyCenter.com to research how much food a typical 10-month old eats, and boy were we shocked!
In addition to his formula, Alex should have (per day):
1/3 c. to 1/2 c. dairy (yogurt, cheese)
1/4 c. to 1/2 c. cereal (oatmeal, rice, etc.)
1/4 c. to 1/2 c. fruits
1/4 c. to 1/2 c. veggies
1/8 c. to 1/4 c. combo foods (casseroles, stews, etc.)
1/8 c. to 1/4 c. protein (chicken, fish, mashed egg yolk, etc.)
WHAT!?
So, this past weekend when Alex remained mostly in his diaper (and with no clothes -- more on that later...), of course I started wondering if he is malnourished. I also wondered because he has these tiny bumps on his upper arms that are quite similar to the bumps that I had when I was pregnant. My doctor told me that those bumps are due to lack of nutrients because the baby was taking all of my vitamin stores. (And I even took pre-natal vitamins faithfully everyday - wow!). Anyways, I forgot all the literature that I've read (and our pediatrician has said) about his bottle providing all of the nutrients he needs until he is 1 Year Old. Mark and I have decided that yes, it is still in his best interest to increase his solid food intake. We're using the above list as a guideline, but also Alex's appetite as to when to stop when he is full. In addition to the multiple containers of homemade sweet potatoes we have in the freezer, I spent a fairly large amount of time last weekend planning meals and things to buy for him at the grocery store. I am still not comfortable giving him regular jarred baby food unless it is organic, so we picked up quite a few new foods for him to try: Chicken w/ corn and squash, chicken w/ country veggies, oatmeal w/apples & cinnamon, Yo Baby meals, and yogurt for baby. I also bought a ton of frozen veggies, so we're well on our way to trying new foods. This stage is really fun, but it's also quite hard getting adjusted.
Flu?:
Last weekend was a huge challenge. A few weeks ago, I actually thought to myself: "I wonder how awful it will be when I actually see my child vomit for the first time." Lo and behold, don't think these things. They actually come true quicker than you think...
Last Saturday morning, I woke up around 4 am to the sound of Alex gurgling and coughing. I went into his nursery, and he looked up at me. So, I pick him up and he falls back asleep immediately on my shoulder. As I lay him back down, I felt his crib sheet was wet. And then, I felt around some more and realized it was soaked everywhere. Because it was dark, I didn't really notice anything further. I go back into my room to wake up Mark and tell him, and Mark thought perhaps it was drool from Alex teething. I fall back asleep after about 1.5 hours of worrying, and then we all 3 eventually get up around 8 am. Mark and I go into Alex's nursery, and his sheet is covered with orange blobs (sweet potatoes, I assume from last night's dinner). As I give him his morning bottle, he throws up all over me and down my shirt, all over the living room carpet, everywhere. I beg Mark not to go to class and stay home with me as we make it through this mess. We call the Dr. who tells us that it's important to keep him hydrated, giving him 1 tsp of liquid every 5 minutes. Yes, every 5 minutes! How can we possibly keep up with that pace? His Dr. explained that if you gave him larger amounts of liquid, he won't be able to keep it down. As I held Alex over the kitchen sink while he continued vomiting that morning, Mark assumed the Pedialyte role. He fell back asleep for an extended period of time that morning, and then he never vomited again. His diapers on the other hand were a different story. Alex remained in only a diaper most of the day, we went through about 3 loads of his laundry, and about 1 1/2 bottles of Shout. What a challenge it was! We were all 3 totally exhausted.
Other New Milestones:
We can see a 3rd tooth! On the top, in the middle -- I can see white. I wonder how many teeth he will have before his first birthday?
He is also on the verge of crawling (finally!). After months of flattening out like a pancake when he is placed in position, he can finally hold his weight, and he rocks back and forth in place with his little bottom. I have been using his rubber block set to make a big tower a few feet in front of him, and I'll say: "Get Your Blocks!" He will move himself in a forward motion to the blocks. I think he will be crawling within the next month. (No Dad - I will NOT cry this time) :)
He also seems to enjoy playing with "non-toys": From pots and pans and spoons to beans in a Tupperware bowl, he loves them all. He also loves to watch me cook in the kitchen. He likes to watch me chop vegetables, and he especially likes it when I am boiling water on the stove. I hope he starts to understand when Daddy constantly says: "Hot!".
Finally, we are planning some outings soon. Easter is coming up, and Alex's cousin Joee will be baptised this coming weekend, so I'm on the hunt for some cute new dressy outfits. As Spring approaches and it becomes warmer, I'm hoping that we can go out as a family again... to the mall or something. I'm getting cabin fever. I'm not sure where we will be, or what apartment/house we will be in, but we'll probably have a small 1st birthday party for our families on Saturday, April 24th. Mark your calendars! (if you are able to come). Indianapolis or Cleveland, who knows? Time will tell...
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