Staying on track

I have this post forming in my head and I seem to be having a hard time getting it out in a cohesive manner. It’s important to me, so I want to say things just right.

I feel like I should start with an explanation. As most of you know, Jordan is my step-son. We never use the word “step” in our house and 99.9% of the time we don’t even think about the fact that he is not biologically my child. He and I share a lot of similarities (our stubbornness being one of them!), including our coloring and some facial features. People say that Jordan looks like me and Peyton looks like Steve, and it’s true. We view Peyton and Jordan as full siblings, even though they technically only share one biological parent. In fact, typing that just now was one of the first times it has even crossed my mind that they are anything but full siblings! I really believe that family is what you make it. Children can become “yours” in any way that God sees fit, whether that is biological, step, adopted, whatever. They are not any less your children because of the way they came into your family.

All of that being said, Jordan and I began our relationship when he was 4 years old. He had been through some rough stuff in his short 4 years of life and he and Steve lived with Steve’s parents until Jordan was 9. It was a house without rules or structure, where he was basically able to do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted. Without going into great detail, it basically set Jordan up to have a totally spoiled and entitled view on life, where the child ran the house.

Somehow (probably in part due to Steve’s great parenting and in part due to God knowing what Jordan needed!) Jordan didn’t actually become a spoiled, entitled kid. He is thankful for what he has and understands that you must work to attain things you want in life (whether that’s a toy you have your eye on or a larger goal you are working towards). He has never been a kid that we needed to worry about when things got too quiet. I can only think of one instance (ever) where silence meant that he was up to something naughty (and thankfully it wasn’t even anything dangerous). He knows right from wrong in a pretty impressive way for a 12 year old. (Side story: just last night Steve gave approval for Jordan to download a free xBox game. He told Jordan that because of the rating, he needed to keep an ear out for language, etc. and cease playing if it was inappropriate. At the first bad word, Jordan told his friends, “Sorry guys, I need to delete this game. It’s not appropriate.” Proud parent moment.)

Anyway. This is a super long introduction. I guess what I want to say is that Jordan is a really great kid with an awesome head on his shoulders. Sure, he screws up. We all do. He’s 12 years old and he’s still learning how to behave like an adult. There’s a reason God gives you a whole bunch of years to learn to behave like an adult before you’re actually an adult! We did spend the first couple of years that we all lived together working on Jordan’s habits (basically developing good ones where there were none) on things like where to put his dirty laundry, what to do with his dishes when he is done eating, etc. And I realize sometimes just how drastically different my childhood was from Jordan’s. Sometimes I have to step back and realize that he wasn’t raised by my parents and certain things are not ingrained in his head like they are in mine. And that’s ok! It’s a learning process for both of us.

Ok. So, lately I’ve been feeling overwhelmed. There are days when being pregnant, having a very busy 17 month old and trying to raise and homeschool a 6^th grader is enough to just make me want to do nothing. So I take a nap. (You know, while the baby is napping.) This weekend we had a huge snowstorm and then an ice storm and we were stuck inside for 4 days. I started to get very frustrated with being stuck in the house and I felt like I was constantly nagging everyone and having to remind Jordan of every single thing that was expected of him. (Example: I told him to get ready for the day one morning. He got dressed and I asked him if he had brushed his teeth. He told me that I hadn’t asked him to brush his teeth, only to get dressed. This is an ongoing conversation we have because when I say “get ready for the day” that means I expect him to do a certain set of tasks (get dressed, brush his teeth, comb his hair, feed the cats) without me having to list every single task every day. He is forever saying that I didn’t ask him to do a certain task so AGAIN we had a talk about the expectations for him getting ready for the day. I hope we go a long time without having to revisit this one!) Anyway, I felt like I really needed to figure out some changes. I really, really hate feeling like a nag and I wanted to find a way for Jordan to know what was expected of him without me having to remind him of every single thing he needs to do. This was/is true for chores and responsibilities as well as school tasks. I found that if we went into the day without a plan for school, we were lucky if we got one thing done. Which is absolutely ridiculous because Jordan is in 6^th grade and can handle an actual workload.

Last night we had a family meeting and we talked a little bit about school and changing some things up. I proposed that we create a list of assignments that are expected of Jordan during the school day. I will be available to help with whatever he needs, but I want him to try following the list himself and work on keeping himself on task (another thing I want him to improve on). At the very beginning of the school year I had created a spreadsheet for this very reason and I’m ashamed to say that we only used it for a few weeks, even though it worked really well. I have it broken down by subject and I can fill in what is expected of Jordan for each subject for each day of the week. My problem is that I have an easy time starting something like this, but once we’ve completed something and it’s time to move on to the next thing (like a math concept, etc.) I freeze and things stall out. Last night I sat down and filled out this week’s list. We are focusing a little bit on the winter Olympics right now and Jordan chose Ireland as his country to root for, so we are learning about Ireland. For English I just picked up where we left off previously. For writing I enjoy getting creative and mixing it up (thank you notes one day, a journal entry the next day, Valentine notes another day). I am planning to take some time this week to really sit down and write out “lesson plans” for the next couple of months so that once we finish one thing, we can easily move on to the next without losing our footing. And by “we” I mean ME!

Today I pulled out the weekly list and gave it to Jordan. He looked it over, decided that it looked “pretty good” (which is about what I expected, haha) and got to work on it. He finished about 2/3 of the day’s tasks before asking to be excused for a break, which I was fine with.

I feel like creating this list and setting up clear expectations is going to help a LOT with my attitude during the day. I have absolutely not felt like a nag today. Jordan has gotten a lot done. This morning he was sitting on one couch reading a book, I was sitting on the other couch reading my Bible and Peyton was pushing her stuffed puppy around in a toy shopping cart. And I thought to myself, “I LOVE THIS.” I have even baked cinnamon pull-apart bread today, just because. Peyton fought against her nap for an hour and a half this afternoon and I didn’t even get frustrated (well, I was a little annoyed) because the day had gone so well and I was feeling great about things.

I talked to Steve earlier today and said that I would also like to add a couple more chores to Jordan’s responsibilities. Right now he basically only has one (feeding the cats) and at 12 years old he can really be doing a lot to help out around the house. This week we will add making his bed (which has really always been on the list but has fallen by the wayside because nobody ever makes sure it happens), doing his own laundry and unloading the dishwasher. The laundry and dishwasher will require some assistance for awhile but that’s how a child learns. (Also, Jordan is pretty short and has to climb on the counter to retrieve a drinking glass, so the dishwasher chore may be a tricky one for him. Or we’ll buy a stool.)

I’m excited to see how the next few weeks go on this new “system” and how we all improve (me with nagging and Jordan with staying on task and being self-motivated). I’m hoping that all of the relationships in our house will improve because everyone will be feeling better about the way things are going. And I have begun to realize even more lately (especially with being pregnant and hormonal) that my attitude has a great effect on everyone else’s in the house. Light bulb! I don’t know why I forget this so much. ;)

Goal check and a birth decision

So far I'm doing well with my Bible reading this year. I'm participating in a 5-day a week reading plan and although I'm still not reading every weekday, I have been reading 3-4 days a week. I would like to be reading 7 days a week so I will work to improve that. However, I'm happy that after 2 weeks, I'm still on track. :)

I have walked about 3 miles so far this month and I would LOVE to be walking more but I have been struggling a lot with morning sickness and fatigue. I'm hoping that improves very soon (I am 11 weeks tomorrow).

My 365 photo project and blessings jar are both going fabulously. 

I have not been writing to my husband and kids as much as I would like. I wrote to Jordan once and he was SO thrilled about it and even asked me a few days later when I would write again. So I need to step that one up! He is a kid that thrives on verbal affirmation, so letters of encouragement are invaluable to him. 

What I am hands down most excited about this week is that we have made the decision to have a home birth with this baby!

I really wanted a natural childbirth with Peyton and I would have loved to have seen a midwife for my prenatal care. It wasn't financially feasible for us and the idea was too nerve wracking for Steve, being that it was my first pregnancy and that Jordan was born via emergency c-section. We had a hospital birth with P, I caved and got an epidural (really by my own decision) and then hated it. I pushed for 3.5 hours, had 3rd degree tearing, had to be catheterized and couldn't sit down for a week. I would change a lot of things about her birth if I could do it again. However, I learned a lot from the experience and I feel that knowledge is power. 

This time around, I've felt like I'm in a bit of a funk. I'm much more sick than I was with P, and I have a 1-year-old to chase around. Being home full time is nice (hello naps!) but it's been a much different experience so far. I was having trouble feeling excited about the pregnancy (although I'm absolutely thrilled that we are having another baby!) and of course, that made me feel guilty. I didn't realize that for 6 weeks I was feeling bummed about having another hospital birth. I felt like I had to do things on doctor/hospital terms, not mine. I felt like I wouldn't be able to be in control of my own labor experience. 

A couple of weeks ago, Steve agreed to see a midwife for a free consultation. I called up the same midwife that about a dozen of my friends have used (and loved) and on Wednesday we went and met with her. 

I LOVE HER TOO!

She is so down to earth and easy to talk with. She explained how they educate couples on options and choices and then WE get to decide on everything. She is on our team, not being our boss. She is there to help us have the best experience that we can. 

So we hired her. :) Steve is still worried about the insurance/financial aspect because I will be applying for OHP and he's not convinced that I will be accepted and covered 100% (but I am). But he feels comfortable with the idea of a home birth and I am SO thankful! I immediately felt so much more excitement about this pregnancy and birth than I had been. I will admit that I am nervous about a natural birth because I didn't succeed in having one with P, but I look at how well my body was doing up until we arrived at the hospital, and I'm confident in my ability to have one this time. 

Hooray!

Goals for 2014

I have never been one to make resolutions for the new year. I have always thought that if you want to make a change, you should just do it! But as my family grows and my hopes and goals change, I decided I wanted to make a few changes in 2014. So here is a list of the goals I am setting for myself this year:

• I want to walk 100 miles. 

This equals out to be around 2 miles a week. Totally doable. Since I'm pregnant I want to walk more and stay active this year. Steve likes to walk too, so I hope this is something we can do together, with babies in a stroller. 

• I want to read the Bible in a year. 

I've joined a group of moms on Facebook (The Bold Year Challenge) who are doing a 5-day a week visual Bible study. I actually need to check because I think this study may only be the New Testament, but I'm ok with that. ANY amount of Bible reading would really be an improvement at this point, so if I can read the NT this year, maybe next year I can tackle the whole Bible. I'm just excited to start a long-term study with other women and to discover more about visual studies. 

• I want to read 12 books. 

When I think about a lot of my friends and the amount they read (I have at least one friend who could easily read 12 books in a month!) this goal seems almost lame. But I have totally gotten away from reading and I want to get back to it. 12 books in a year means just one book a month. Doable!

• I want to blog 25 times. 

This means a blog post every 2 weeks. My last post was something like 9 months ago and that's just pathetic! I'm hoping to write about mothering topics, homeschooling and family life, as well as some new-to-me things like essays and poetry. 

• I want to have a natural childbirth. 

Baby #3 is due in August and I desperately want to have a natural birth. I would like to have a home (water) birth but I'm not sure that Steve will jump on board with that. If not, we will have a hospital birth and I want to deliver without drugs!

• I would like to get better at meal planning and cooking healthy meals for my family. On this same topic, I would like to get Jordan eating more foods that are good for him. 

• I want to start a Blessings Jar.

This is something I started in 2013 and didn't follow through well with. I have a huge pickle jar that I want to fill with slips of paper containing blessings, achievements, milestones, etc. A very fun thing to look back on at the end of the year. 

• I want to start writing more letters to my husband and kids. 

I feel that I express myself well on paper and I think I want to start notebooks (I already have one with Steve) to write letters to each member of my family once a week. 

• I want to complete a 365 photo project. 

One photo every day for a year. I will post the album on Facebook. 

• I want to waste less time.

All of these goals are awesome in my eyes and they will take time and effort. There is a lot of writing involved and I hope that implementing these changes means I will waste less time on Facebook, time sucking apps and the like. 

I hope to check in on my goals every quarter to see how I'm doing on them!

Cloth diapers (and how we do them)

This is an extremely long post! And it is only our family's experience with cloth diapering for the last few months. :) I welcome comments and ideas that are not explained here!

 Peyton, 6 months

Before Peyton was born I decided I would like to use cloth diapers. We plan to have more babies and I knew that they would get a lot of use. We also planned for me to stay home with our kids, so we knew they would save us a lot of money! (We were right.)

I started out by looking at a few different types of cloth diapers. They're kind of all the rage right now (go green!) and there are TONS of different styles and brands. By doing a little bit of research on different brands and types, I knew a little bit about what would work best for us. (For instance, I didn't want disposable liners, I wanted something with snaps, something that was adjustable and would grow with our baby, etc.) There is a whole lingo that goes along with cloth diapering and I'll explain that, too. :) When I first started into the world of cloth diapering, I was totally intimidated. I wasn't familiar with anything and I thought it would take me forever to get the hang of using and washing cloth diapers. In reality, it's not hard at all. Once I jumped in with both feet and started using cloth diapers consistently it became very easy for me. (The hard part actually comes when we switch back and forth from cloth to disposable.)

I started my search for USED cloth diapers. I knew that there would be a pretty good sized start-up cost and I didn't want to buy brand new if we could help it. Thankfully, one of my cousins was getting ready to sell her huge stash of cloth diapers (of many different kinds) and was willing to give me a great deal. I bought a couple of different styles from her (12 diapers total). I also found a lady who worked for the same company I did at the time who was selling a huge lot of used diapers for super cheap. I think I paid around $60 for a garbage bag full of diapers and inserts, which is a smokin' deal. Eventually (after P was born and we found which diapers we liked best) I bought another small lot of our favorite diapers on eBay.

We found that FuzziBunz is our favorite brand, simply because it's the style that works best for Peyton. I ended up with a whole bunch of diapers that have an Asian logo and despite looking around online, I can't figure out the brand (they are very similar to BumJoy). I think will be great for her when she's bigger, but right now they aren't tight enough around her legs. We ended up with One Size diapers, which are fully adjustable and will fit Peyton until she is potty trained. The elastic around the leg holes is adjustable at both ends (with holes in the elastic and buttons on the diaper, much like in children's jeans these days) and the snaps on the front allow for many different snapping options.

Let me explain some of the clothe diapering lingo.

Shell: The shell is the outer, waterproof portion of the diaper. This is the part that is colored or patterned and has velcro or snaps for securing the diaper. These diapers will usually have a pocket for the insert and are called pocket diapers. (Some brands have inserts that snap on to the shell.) Some shells are adjustable (One Size) and some are not.

The left side of this diaper is the back. 

If you were to fold over the right side, you would see all of the snaps.

Insert/liner: The insert is the absorbent piece that goes inside the shell. These can be different sizes. Newborn inserts are shorter than standard ones. We use both sizes right now (P is 6 1/2 months old) but eventually will move to just the standard ones. While newborn size inserts are handy, I don't feel that they are completely necessary - we have used the standard size all along and just fold them in the back if needed. (I add this in case you are wondering whether you need to purchase multiple sizes of inserts.)

Wet bag: A wet bag is the bag that holds soiled diapers. Planet Wise is my favorite brand and they come in all kinds of adorable patterns. We have 4 wet bags (small size). I do wish that we had at least one large size, but the small size holds about 6 diapers and we have enough bags that it works out fine for us. The bags we have also have an outer zipper pocket (they are technically wet/dry bags) which I love to use for wet or soiled clothes. This way they're contained in the diaper bag, but kept separate from dirty diapers. They also have a loop on one corner which I use to hang the bag from P's dresser drawer. The large size bags have handles. I can only speak for Planet Wise bags (I have not tried other brands) but I feel that they contain odor extremely well. I have had a bag of dirty diapers sitting on the floor of my laundry room for two weeks before (I wouldn't recommend that - lol) and we never smelled them. I stuff full wet bags into our diaper bag and nothing else in the bag ever smells like wet or soiled diapers.

Stripping: Stripping is the process of getting rid of build-up on your diapers. It involves a couple of extra wash cycles and honestly, I don't know much about it. :) Stripping is something you would do if your diapers were absorbing poorly or if they smelled funky even when they were freshly washed. I would also recommend stripping your diapers before use if you buy used diapers. This link explains stripping diapers if you're interested!

Sunning: Sunning is the process of bleaching the diaper shells using sunlight. It's like magic! I have honestly taken a very stained diaper (from the early days of newborn poop), laid it out on a drying rack on a rainy, cloudy day and retrieved it a few hours later to find it bleached almost totally white. (I wish I had taken a before and after photo.) Sunning even works in Oregon! :) It's really smart to do this every so often with your diapers. It's just good for them to be sunned and bleached.

"Sunning" in the Oregon rain!

 

The basics

Lots of folks recommend starting out with 24 diapers. We have 16 that we use regularly and I wash a load of diapers every other day. 24 diapers would probably allow me to wash every three days.

 I love a stack of clean diapers!

I know people who cloth diaper at night as well as during the day. We choose not to simply because Peyton sleeps longer in disposable diapers. A couple of good friends have told me that their babies also sleep better in disposables because they wick moisture away better. I put Peyton in disposables if I know she will be in one diaper for a longer period of time than normal (at night, on a car trip, etc.). She's just more comfortable that way. However, she does wear cloth diapers during naps and I will often double stuff her diapers. This just means that I stuff two inserts into the shell instead of one, for extra absorption.

 Peyton, 2 months

When our diapers are clean, I stuff them all (stuff the inserts into the shells), fold them in half and keep them in the top drawer of P's dresser (which is also her changing table) for easy access. When I go to change her diaper I simply take her soiled one off, pull a clean one from the drawer and diaper her up! I pull the insert out of the soiled diaper (very easy and not gross if you just grasp the very end of the insert), lay it on top of the diaper, fold it in half and drop it into the wet bag. This way, when I go to wash my diapers, everything is already separated and I don't have to touch anything. The inserts, shells and wipes will all fall away from each other in the wash and I find that our diapers get very clean, every time. (Now that P is eating solids and her poop is more solid, I will shake a dirty diaper over the toilet to get rid of most of the poop before putting it in the wet bag.)

 A full load, waiting to be washed

Wipes

I use cloth wipes, too! I made our wipes myself by taking flannel, cutting it into 8" squares (7" would be fine too) and serging all around the edges with a serger sewing machine.

I find cloth wipes to be SO much more effective than disposable wipes. Tons of parents say they use baby wipes for everything. Personally, I can't stand them. I think they smear and just generally kind of make a mess without really absorbing anything. But I love our cloth wipes! They are so much better at cleaning things up. The other day we were out and about and my husband asked me if I had a Kleenex for his nose. I handed him a cloth wipe and just dropped it into our wet bag when he was done. ;) I find that most of the time I only need to use one cloth wipe, even for poopy diapers. If it's really a doozy of a diaper I sometimes need to use two.

My best friend thought that 60 wipes would be a comfortable supply for her (with a 24 diaper stash). We use much less than this, but if you are using 24 diapers and using wipes at every diaper change (and for other things along the way) then this is probably perfect.

I fold my wipes so that I can drop them into a wipes box, pour my wipe solution over the top of them and pull them out just like regular wipes (one right after the other). Below is a photo example of how to fold cloth wipes to use this way. (When I fold them to put them in my travel wipes container I just fold each wipe in half by itself and stack them, rather than folding them all together.)

Lay the blue wipe flat.
Lay the yellow wipe on top, overlapping halfway. 
Fold the blue wipe over the yellow wipe. Then lay the gray wipe on top of the folded-over blue wipe.
Fold the yellow wipe over the gray wipe. Then lay the pink wipe on top of the folded-over yellow wipe.
(I wish I had chosen different colored wipes but I just grabbed what was handy. I hope the picture helps!)

Wipes solution

This is so easy. I take a Mason jar (any container will work, but I recommend glass since this recipe includes baby oil) and I put the following in it:

1 cup warm water
1 "pump" Johnson & Johnson Head to Toe wash (equivalent to 1 or 2 tsp, maybe?)
1 small squirt of baby oil

I lay my folded wipes in the wipes box and pour this solution directly over them. Replace with fresh wipes and solution every 2 days or they will start to smell mildewy. (My friend makes up extra solution and keeps it in a bottle near her changing station so she can easily make up a new box of wipes.)

Washing your diapers

The first couple of times I washed my diapers I was nervous that I would do something wrong. People talk about being so meticulous with their washing. I found a really easy routine. (We have a top loading washing machine.) Do NOT use regular laundry soap with cloth diapers. It will create awful buildup and cause your diapers to not work effectively.

1. I start my washer on a COLD rinse cycle (no soap). I dump the contents of my wet bags (diapers, inserts, wipes) into the washer and drop the wet bag in right after them.

2. Once the cold rinse cycle is finished, I add 1/4 of vinegar to the "additive" section of my washing machine. I start a HOT/COLD wash cycle (hot wash, cold rinse).
I add a tablespoon of diaper soap, which I pour directly under the hot water so it will dissolve. The amount of soap will depend on how many diapers you are washing (I am usually washing about 14 at a time). I recommend following the directions on the back of your soap package. (I use Rockin Green diaper soap but as soon as I run out of this I plan to make my own.)
I select the "extra rinse" option for this cycle of washing.
(Note: For front loading washing machines you will always want to select the Extra Water option to wash cloth diapers.)

3. Once the hot/cold cycle and extra rinse are finished, I run a second COLD wash and rinse cycle (using the "extra rinse" option again).

As far as drying your diapers, most people (and probably diaper companies) will say it's best to hang dry your diaper shells. I agree, this is probably best for your diapers. However, for the sake of time, I dry mine in the dryer. I put the heat setting extremely low (almost as low as it will go). Don't use fabric softener or dryer sheets - this will cause buildup. In the summer time, drying your diapers outside can accomplish drying and sunning at the same time! (I sometimes hang dry my wet bags and sometimes dry them with the diapers.)

On the go

I find that cloth diapering on the go is just as easy as cloth diapering at home (for me, anyway). The only downside I find is that cloth diapers take up more space so my diaper bag can feel really full! :)

I pack enough diapers for the amount of time we will be gone and I always make sure we have a wet bag. (I keep a wet bag in our diaper bag even if it's a "disposable day" for soiled clothes, etc. They come in very handy!) I also have a small spray bottle (the kind you might use for a throat spray) with wipe solution in it. I have a travel wipes container with cloth wipes folded inside. I take out a wipe, spray it with the solution and I'm ready to change a diaper. Other than that, I follow the exact same process as at home. (In a pinch you could also just wet a cloth wipe with water.)

 Visiting relatives

Homemade diaper soap

** I have not tried this recipe **

I found this recipe on the blog of a woman whose baby had sensitive skin. She has a disclaimer right in her post that she is no scientist and has been using this recipe for 5 months, so she also can't vouch for the long-term use of this soap on your diapers. I will update this post once I've tried the recipe, but I don't anticipate running out of Rockin Green soap for awhile so don't hold your breath. :)

Equal parts of:
*Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
*Oxygen cleaner, like Sun Oxygen (sodium carbonate, sodium carbonate peroxide - these should be the only ingredients in the oxygen cleaner you choose)
*Washing soda (sodium carbonate)

Use 1 Tbs per load of cloth diapers.
(For a small load, use a little less than 1 Tbs. For a large load, do not exceed 2 Tbs.)


I hope this information is helpful! :)

Five months

Dear Peyton,

You are 5 months old and time is flying by!

One of your favorite things this month is the time you spend with Mama in the rocking chair. After we finish nursing (which you do every 2 or 2.5 hours) we will sit and play and smile and laugh with each other. You like to grab my face or lean back really far or make silly noises.

You absolutely adore your daddy and he usually gets a HUGE smile when he comes home from work! You think it's funny when he kisses you and will try to grab his cheeks.

Nana is the person who can make you laugh the most. You think she is SO funny and you love going to her house to play. You used to be afraid of Grandpa and Papa but you are getting used to them now and don't cry when they hold you.

You are not a fan of sleep and you try to fight it when we lay you in your crib for naps or bedtime. You still fall asleep easily in the car and sometimes Daddy will take you on a "country drive" to put you to sleep in your carseat.

You have favorite toys now and they include rattles (the louder the better), colored rings that snap together and a particular ball with lots of textured nubs that you can chew on.

You roll from your tummy to your back like a pro and will hardly stay on your tummy when we lay you down. You have discovered your toes and spend as much time as possible grabbing them and stuffing your feet in your mouth. You also learned how to replace your own pacifier - a wonderful skill to possess.

You still love baths and naked time and sometimes when you are fussy, just getting you undressed will improve your mood.

This month you got RSV and had a horrible cough, congestion and a little fever. We ended up taking you to Urgent Care and you had a nebulizer treatment and came home with an inhaler.

You tried your first cereal this month! You thought it was just wonderful. Since then you have also tried avocado and sweet potato and you liked both. (You are also much better at taking a bottle now.) Your favorite solid is oatmeal and you say "mmmm" when you take bites.

You wear 3 month clothes now and are just starting to wear some 3-6 month clothes. You made the jump to size 2 diapers this month (cloth are a little less frequent now).

At your 5 month checkup you weighed 13lbs 13oz and were 23" long (I think).

 The necklace you see in these photos is an amber teething necklace.

I swear by ours.

You are just perfect and we love you more every day!

Love,
Mama

Four months

Dear Peyton,

Happy 4 months!

On Christmas Eve (just 3 days after your 4 month birthday) you rolled over from your tummy to your back! It took a looooong time for Daddy to see you do this because you mostly liked to do it during your morning play time on the floor, while he was at work. Then, just a week later, on New Years Day, you rolled from your back to your tummy when nobody was looking!

Watching the snow fall

You are learning to like sitting up and you spend more and more time in your Bumbo chair, getting better at this skill.

Bath time is still your FAVORITE part of the day! Even if you are super fussy, as soon as Mama lays you on the bathroom floor, you get smiley and happy and start kicking your feet. Then once you are in the tub, splash splash splash! This month you went swimming for the first time! Not surprisingly, you LOVED it!

You are starting to nurse a little more frequently, probably because you are growing! You only nurse for about 5 minutes at a time.

You love to hold toys and wave them around. Your big brother enjoys playing on the floor with you and he babysits every day while Mama takes a shower.

You started teething this month, though we haven't seen any teeth yet. When you seem particularly uncomfortable we give you a small dose of Tylenol and that seems to make a big difference. You also like cold teething toys and frozen water-filled pacifiers.

You are still wearing some 0-3 month clothes, but have mostly moved to 3 month outfits. You are still in size 1 diapers and still wearing cloth some of the time.

You are SO wiggly and squirmy and we have to tell people this before they hold you so you don't wiggle right out of their arms! You tried the Johnny Jump-Up for the first time and thought it was SO much fun.

You love making squealing noises and have started making one really funny noise where you suck in air and squeal way back in your throat at the same time. You're such a goober! You make this noise to get attention.

Auntie Kendra captioned this picture,

"Uh... You're home early!"

You really like car rides and are a good little passenger, usually falling asleep fairly quickly.

Christmas came during your 4th month and you were such a little trooper at all of our Christmas parties and events. Your big brother helped you open your presents on Christmas morning.

Visiting Santa at Nana & Grandpa's church

 

 At your 4 month checkup you weighed 12lbs 8oz and were 23.5" long. You absolutely love your doctor and give her lots and lots of smiles!

You bring so much joy to our family, baby P! We love you to the moon and back!

New Year's Eve

Love,

Mama

Three months

Dear Peyton,

You are three months old!

This month you really started smiling and we have so much fun getting smiles out of you! You don't laugh very much yet but when you do it's a breathy little giggle and it's so funny that we try to get you to keep doing it. You especially think your daddy is funny and you laugh the most for him. You also ADORE your Uncle Colby and will just smile and smile at him while he talks to you.

You love your hands! You like to grab things and you especially like to chew on your fingers. You don't wear mittens quite as much anymore because they get wet from all the chewing! You also learned to pull them off and sometimes your first mitten is off before I can get the second one on! Your hands are still cold a lot.

You have started to take an interest in toys and are learning to hold them yourself. Your favorites seem to be rattles. You are getting better at holding your head up! You don't particularly like tummy time but we work on it every day, along with some neck exercises. You seem proud of yourself when you hold your head up high.

You moved to the big bathtub this month - no more baby tub! With all your kicking and splashing you just didn't fit in the baby tub anymore and you are thrilled with your new "freedom" in the big tub. We can tell from all the splashing.

You are wearing 0-3 month clothes and just a few 3 month outfits. You wear size 1 diapers, but still wear cloth diapers often. You like to nurse for 5-10 minutes every 2 1/2 to 3 hours and then you like to make lots of funny faces. In the afternoon you usually take a 3 hour nap.

At an appointment this month you were 12 lbs. You are in the 10th percentile for weight and the 4th percentile for length. You're a tiny little thing but that's ok! Mama says you can stay little as long as you want.

It's hard to imagine our family before you were in it, little bug.

We love you!

Love,
Mama