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Happy 6-Month Birthday, Baby Caris!

Our baby girl is 6 months old today!  We’ve been so busy that we haven’t even started her on solids.  We pulled out the feeding table about 5 minutes ago.  Our goal is to start her on her first rice cereal tomorrow morning!

I’ve also realized that I’ve neglected to blog on Caris’ milestones.  It’s really much harder to keep up with all this stuff with your second child. 

I started to worry a little about Caris around when she was 3.5 months old since she was only just turning from side to side (versus full rolling like Caleb did at 3.5 months).  A month later she was rolling.  Rarely does she stay on her back for long now.  Even when she sleeps, she likes to roll onto her belly (even though she’s still swaddled!)

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Caris has been doing this interesting (but effective) back scoot since she was about 3 months old.  That was her first method of getting to the toys behind her on the changing pad.

She sits really well too…. except when distracted by a toy.

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Now, she’s actually starting to crawl!!! (not real crawling on hands and knees, but she can get what she wants several inches in front of her with the propelling force of her knees and feet).  I certainly don’t have to worry about Caris being too laidback to move anywhere.  She’s got spunk, and she does try to get what she wants.

 

Some cute pics:

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Toothless Grin No More

So, I thought Caris was going to get her first teeth a while back when she started drooling at 3 months.  She decided to take her time.  But, they’re here now!  Her first 2 bottom teeth pushed their way into mouth world on Thursday.  You still can’t really see them well…   Honestly, I’m going to miss her big toothless grin.  I feel like Caris is growing up so fast.  Caleb’s first year didn’t feel like it went by this fast.  Caris will soon be 6 months.  Oh my.

I took some pictures to commemorate our daughter’s beautiful toothless smile.

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I’ve got to include some of these other pictures.  Caris is so cute.

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Caleb in his new bed

Caleb has done really well in his big boy bed.  He still doesn’t just lay in bed waiting to get tucked in at night (like what you see of kids in the illustrations of bedtime books).  We have to leave, he has to get upset, and then he gets into bed on his own.  Tonight, he didn’t cry or fuss getting into bed.  Yay!  That was a nice present for me since Chris was busy running a youth missions night at church.

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Caleb…. where he’s not supposed to be…. in Caris’ bassinet (the one that Caris has outgrown and we haven’t had the time to take apart to store).

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Big Boy Bed

Caleb’s officially in a big boy bed!  We’ve kept the door to his crib (yes, his crib had a door in the gate) open for the past 3.5 weeks since Caleb fell on his face climbing out of his crib and announced that he was scared.  He’s done really well so far for his nap and bedtime.  He hasn’t even fallen out of the bed yet… and he keeps readjusting himself so that his head is on the pillow.  Very cute.  He’s still says he’s scared.  We have to have a night light on and keep his door open.  But at least he’s sleeping. 

Pray that this transition goes well! 

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Sigh of Relief

Unlike her brother, Caris has liked being swaddled.  So, we swaddled her.  About a week ago, she started breaking through the swaddle… first with just her left arm, then with both arms.  Sometimes, she could only get a hand out (versus her whole arm).  I noticed she was starting to get angry when her arm-freeing attempts failed.  So, the smart mom I am figured it must be time to unswaddle Caris.  That’s what I did 2 nights ago.  One sleepless night later along with the multiple early night awakenings tonight prompted my much smarter hubby to look online for ideas to help newly unswaddled babies sleep.  He learned that cold turkey unswaddling is not a good idea.  Way to go, Mommy…. Take away your daughter’s sleep association. 

Caris just woke up again.  This time, I went in and swaddled her back up with just her left arm out.  She settled immediately.  I put her in the crib.  She started to fight for about 2 seconds, and then she sighed…  not a sigh of frustration due to loss of freedom, but of relief… finally.  She was asleep before I could step away from the crib. 

I guess that means we need to take the 2+ weeks people recommend for getting our daughter used to being unswaddled.  And I thought we could do it overnight. 

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G.H.E.T.T.O. Part II

For the uninitiated, the title is a reference to this song.  As for the initiated, we all know that part 2 is better for than part 1.  This post may not be better than than part I, but it aspires to be.

I hate fireworks.  Yes, I do.  I hate fireworks.  How ‘bout you?

Since Tuesday or Wednesday night, we have been hearing fireworks booming away.  For some reason, people are lighting them fireworks up even when it’s not the 4th of July yet.  People!  Stop the stupidity already.  Yes, I know there are a lot of pyromaniacs, but please the save the noise pollution, garbage pollution and hand burns for the actual Independence Day.  You make my blood boil.  You scare my son.  You make me so angry.  Stop before I pop a cap in you (after I do the wind).

Ghetto inhabitants = Ghetto City.

It’s time to write a letter to the city (after I write to them about getting FIOS in the city) about this ridiculous and dangerous tradition with allowing fireworks in the hands of people who have no business handling fire.  We were at one of the mom’s group’s house celebrating July 4th, and do you know how many airborne (i.e. illegal) fireworks we saw fly up in the air in that small area while we were there?  Within a block, there was at least 3 house doing their own airborne fireworks show.  I’m sure the fools firing them off had fun, while risking their limbs and their neighbor’s house.  But who cares about that when I can get a little pathetic boom in the sky.

Ask Caleb what he thinks about fireworks?  “Scared,” as he pats himself.  I had a son who wanted to be “bao bao” much of the time cause of “fun” fireworks. 

It’s past midnight, and the booms still ring out in the background.  I hate fireworks.  I really do.

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Caleb turns 2!!

Oh, my… I can’t believe my son is 2.  Actually, he turned 2 yesterday (sorry Caleb for the late post).  If you ask Caleb, he’ll still say that he’s 1.  Oh well, I guess it’ll take time for him to adjust to his new age.  Caleb went to the water park at Santa Fe Dam today.  We had dinner at Old Spaghetti Factory.  I’ll have to put more pics up when I upload them.

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Right now, Chris & I just watched our son fall out of his crib.  His crib has a door that we now leave open since he’d climb over the crib rails anyways.  He moves so much in his sleep…  and just now, he moved himself right out of the crib… pretty much did a flip out of the cirb.  we heard a groan, but no crying.  Then we saw Caleb roll to the right, out of the video camera’s sight.  I guess he’s still sleeping.  Enjoy the floor, Caleb.

 

A Blast From the Past:

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That’s all for now.  Goodnight world.  Stay asleep, my sweet boy.

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Caris turns 5 months!

Yay, Caris…  You’re 5 months old.  You need to tell big brother Caleb that his crib is not scary… nor are bugs/bees, dogs, bees, fans/air conditioners, fake gravel, mud, etc, etc.  Once Caleb stops screaming every hour or so, I think you’ll start napping/sleeping better again.  I hope so at least.  This mommy loves her sleep.  Sleep lots, little 5-month old!

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Now Scared?

It’s seems that Caleb is now scared of his crib. After months and months of good nights putting him to bed, last night all of the sudden he started wailing and crying when we put him in the crib. He wouldn’t/couldn’t tell us what was wrong, so I eventually just left him there to cry. I didn’t know what he wanted, but he fell asleep after a few minutes of wailing.

Fast forward to tonight, and he does it again. Only this time after leaving, we hear a big thump. Yes, that was Caleb climbing and falling out of the crib. He had a bloody nose and he cut his tongue. We know about these fears sometimes that suddenly occur in toddlers. But what do we do?

When all I can think about is pray, that’s where I’ll start. But someone has to have some idea and wisdom in this area. I certainly don’t. I just don’t want Caleb to die falling out of his crib while we find out what to do.

Yvonne’s sleeping with him now. This can’t become a habit. Caleb needs to figure out how to sleep on his own. Fears go away.

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Train

Caleb, Caris, & I were at Target shopping for a gift for a birthday party we were going to.  We were in the “princess” section.  Caleb starts to “Oo, oo” (in a very loud voice).  What?  Choo-choo.  There are no choo-choo trains in the princess section, Caleb.  “OO-OO” in an even louder voice.  I look over and see a red train, completely out of place on the shelf.  Caleb frantically keeps saying “oo-oo”… essentially communicating his desire to see the train. I hand it over to him to look at and tell him, “I’m just letting you hold and look at the train.  When we leave, we’ll have to put it back.”  I turn back to the princess shelf to look for our gift.  I turn back to find that Caleb has completely ripped open the train package.  Oh no!  Can I nonchalantly leave a half-opened/ripped train package on the shelf?  I don’t think so.  OK, Caleb, you win.  You get the train.   

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The funny thing is this train wasn’t working.  It’s supposed to have a button that let lights and sounds go off.  But, the button wasn’t working.  So I returned the train the next day with its delapidated box.  Haha.  Good thing, Caleb hasn’t noticed its gone.  Mommy wins!