Happy 7 Months to my Big Baby Boy!

WOW!  Alexander turned 7 whole months today!  The time has sure flown by!  It seems that time just keeps flying!  Alex sits very well unsupported, but I still keep a hand or pillow close by.  He is indeed my little pumpkin:

 He is my little belly boy and absolutely LOVES being on his belly.  He also sleeps on his belly most of the time!  He rolls onto his stomach the second you put him down on his back and can push up quite far, as well as airplane very well. 

 Holly's friend, Leah, took these beautiful photos while we were recently visiting in VA Beach.  Alex has killer blue eyes and everyone says so.  If I could have a buck for everyone who commented on his eyes, he would have a fat college fund going already.

 He is my little giggly happy boy and loves to smile!  He weighed 23.14 a week ago at the breastfeeding group and has already outgrown his pumpkin seat.  He now is riding in a rear-facing (of course!) convertible seat, which fits his 29 inch, 24 month size-wearing frame much better!

Other things about Alexander at 7 months:

• loves to be tickled and is very ticklish around his neck and will usually giggle when getting undressed/dressed
• has discovered that he is a boy when taking a bath or getting a diaper change 
• LOVES to jump in his jumper
• loves tags/taggie toys and chewing on anything he can get his hands on, esp. paper!
• loves being outside
• loves splashing in the tub
• loves eating foods and has been crazy about everything I've given him!
• favorite foods seem to be peaches, applesauce, and bananas
• absolutely refuses to take a paci and has for a little over the past month (he just wants the real thing!  Momma's pacifiers! LOL!)
• enjoys watching Claire run and play
• I think he likes to be on his belly so he can look around and play
• can scoot/roll pretty good
• is a great sleeper, and still sleeps more than awake, down to about 3 longer naps or 4-5 shorter ones
• will sleep 12 hours, nursing only 2-3 times at night

Little Lion

Alex doing his best Lion impression. GRR! I'm a tough baby!

Little Slugger!

Whenever I try to take pictures of Alexander, Claire likes to get in on the action. So, just for the record, I have many photos like this one:
Oh, this is what I was actually aiming for! Alexander still gets little newborn mittens on his hands, but he is now able to work them off, so we'll probably stop putting them on. I actually sat until he was in a deep sleep with him on my lap and trimmed all his nails for the first time! The problem before was that Claire would somehow manage to wake him up if I didn't move him to his crib/pack and play or bouncy seat high up on the counter...argh. If I had a buck for each time she has woken him up, I would have myself a nice collection of singles for garage sales ;) I hate sports and baseball in general, but you have to admit, this is a cute outfit! Ok, I don't hate sports, I just don't have the time or interest to follow them!

Aww...what a cutie pie!

A Great Time To Have a Baby!

I can't tell you how many people would comment, "What a great time of year to have a baby!" When I told them I was due in April. I guess it is nice not having to bundle up my little bundle...but we haven't really been anywhere other than back to the hospital for a PKU test and to the peds office for his one week appointment, where he had gained back 8 oz. from when he had his PKU test.
Me on my phone...typical!

Aww...they grow so fast!

Claire loves holding her baby brother!

Snuggle Wrap

Check out this cute snuggle wrap that my sister Holly made. Claire has a matching big blankie as well as a dollie blankie and pillow!

Post-Partum Supply List

Post-Partum Supply List:

My list assumes birthing vaginally and exclusively ecologically nursing (no artificial bottle nipples or pacis) planned:

Stocked freezer with meals

Stocked household with groceries and household supplies and newborn essentials (clothes, blankets, diapers, wipes, burp rags, etc. These are more obvious.)

Umbilical stump stuff (cotton balls, Q-tips, rubbing alcohol by your changing station) Some opt not to clean them, but I've seen an infected one on a friends' baby, and therefore will be using alcohol again!

Nursing pads

Nipple Cream

Nursing Bras (Ha...I don't think I have any regular ones anymore!)

Numbers of a LLL leader and/or friend/relative who have nursed

Sitz Bath

Sitz Bath Soak

Bleach (to clean sitz bath between uses)

Hydrogen peroxide (to get blood out of clothing, etc)

Witch Hazel and Tucks Pads for cleansing down there

Maximum flow/overnight maxi pads for the first week postpartum, then lighter flow pads and pantiliners for after that. Remember, no tampons, as the placenta wound is an internal "open" wound!

Ibuprofen for reducing swelling

Ice, ice, ice for making packs for any sore areas!

Ziploc bags to make icepacks. Then wrap in a clean kitchen towel.

Prep.-H or Tucks or similar cream. I don't know of anyone who doesn't get "roids" from pushing out a baby. Anyone who says they didn't...LIARS!)

Peri Bottle

Numbing Spray

Stool softener caplets, milk of mag, or something more natural like prunes, prune juice, dried apricots, raisin bran, bran muffins, etc.

Underpads or chuck pads

Bag of DEPENDS or similar adult diaper...yes, hopefully not needed for incontinence but easier to have on hand...also great instead of dealing with pads and leaks. Even with a C-section, one can have problems with incontinence for a few days after delivery. See here.

Waterproof mattress pad...put this on your bed at about 36 weeks if you don't already have one in case your water breaks in bed! (like mine did with Claire!) Also, you really need two for each bed if you have kids ;) Saves mattresses!

A sling for babywearing

A bed rail for safe bedsharing

What am I forgetting???

Playpens?

Whatever happened to playpens? http://www.slate.com/id/2224431/?GT1=38001 Good question!

Want your wallet returned?

If you ever are afraid you might lose your wallet, then keep a big picture of a baby in the front: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article6681923.ece Then it will be more likely to be returned. Check it out!

Claire at 3 and 4 Weeks old

Here is a video of Claire only about 3 weeks old. Holly stayed with us from the time Claire was 3-4 weeks old for 2 weeks. I wasn't taking very many pictures at the time, so I'm glad that my mom and Holly were there to take them! :) Claire had very very bad infant acne peaking right about the time of this video. It went away as fast as it popped up.

16 months already!

Here's a quick look back to last year at this time! Claire was at her chubby stage!!! She was 19 lbs. by 4 months. No wonder she fell off the chart at her 15 month appt!!!

It's hard to believe that Claire and Chloe are now both walking...running and saying words when last year at this time, tummy time was an issue for them! :)

Claire also had her first swim last year in the pool!

First trip to the beach...etc...you can always go back to clairejoystarr.com for more fun review pictures!

And now we have some never before seen footage!!! I actually have a lot of footage I have never posted!

So last year at this time, we were in Florida at Glama Lynn's and Grandpa Jason's famous Christmas House for Thanksgiving. The warmth and swimming pool were glorious!

At least tomorrow is supposed to get up to 50 here in Indy....not too bad!

Why CIO is sooo wrong...

I have stumbled amongst some other great blogs. This is one of them: http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/no-cry-it-out/ Here she talks about why CIO is wrong. (Cry it out)