8 months

ian turned 8 months old on monday, september 20.  crazy.  here are the haps for month 8.

still no sign of teeth breaking through.  lots of drool, lots of biting, lots of crying.  no teeth.

still not sitting up.  he will sit really good in front of you, and can sit for a few seconds unassisted if he wants to, but other than that, if you sit him up, he's going to flop over.

however, he is CRAWLING!  about 3 weeks ago, after a feeding, we put him on the bed, and he just started scooting across the bed.  now he's everywhere.  it's more of the army crawl, but it's still a crawl!  i can't believe that he's mobile! 

he's still eating really well!  we've added carrots, green beans, nectarines, and pumpkin to the menu, and adding more every few days!

he's still a little guy- we took him to the dr. because he had been acting kinda weird (they chalked it up to teething) and he weighed in at 15 lbs, 14oz.  only in the 3rd percentile for weight, but growing steadily, so no cause for concern.  he's wearing anything from 3 month clothes to 6-9 month clothes.

fall wish list- coats/outerwear

because as my husband says, "you only have 7 coats, do you really need another?"  what do you think?

i could only fit into 3 of those coats while pregnant, and i'm guessing the same outcome for this winter.  so it may be time to part ways with some of those coats, and make way for some new ones... and it's now really appropriate for me to have so many coats seeing that illinois is like the arctic.  i may have made it through my pregnancy last winter with only wearing gloves and a hat most days- but i had body heat for 2.  not so much this time around.  i'm going to be cold.

here's what made my wish list!

clifton coat - bbdakota

romaine coat - jack bbdakota

tuileries garden coat - modcloth

first brass coat - modcloth

big city blues coat - modcloth

wear the heart is jacket - modcloth

women's wool-blend peacoat in golden gate - old navy

cute as a button coat - ruche

evelyn military dress coat - delias

i have to say i have really been looking for coats in gray or navy because i pretty much have them in all the other colors that i've spotted online, but didn't find a gray or navy that i just have to have.  the delias coat is closest to gray, but i'm not sure i love it.  the clifton coat is close to navy, but maybe not as deep of a blue as i desire.  i also just realized that the clifton coat and the big city blues coat are the same coat...  the orange old navy coat- i just love the color- it just makes me dream of pumpkin bars and pumpkin spice lattes and changing leaves- and i got my first peacoat from old navy over 10 years ago- and it is still going strong!  the wear the heart is jacket is more cute than warmth.  (btw, modcloth has a coat warmth scale- how awesome is that)?!  the white coats are probably my favorite- i just see them with a peek of skirt and colorful tights sticking out.

dreaming of coats... but not the weather that would necessitate one...

mommy reads- say you're one of them

 

i finally finished reading say you're one of them (it took me forever).  i thought i was going to just breeze through this book, partially b\c i read it to be 5 short stories- and i just thought, "i'll read one a day."  riiiight.  when one of the short stories is 100+ pages, and took me 2 months alone to read... well.

this book had rave reviews- it was part of oprah's bookclub (which doesn't make a lick of difference to me, b\c i couldn't care less about her).  i wish i could also give it a rave review- but it left me so depressed, i'm not sure i'll ever read again.

syoot is 5 short stories set in 5 different african nations.  each story is told from the point of view of a child- and although the stories are fictional in and of themselves, the horrors of what happened in the stories are real in africa.  uwem akpan is a wonderful writer- and he told the stories from a child's advantage so well- but i don't know if i cracked a smile once while reading the book.  in fact, it just kept getting more and more depressing the deeper into it i got.  while i understand why the book got such wonderful reviews, as it was very well written.  it was just a giant depress-fest to me though.  i definitely need something more uplifting the next 10 books i read to make up for this one.

i definitely recommend this book if you would like a worldview into what's going on in africa's war-torn nations- and what children in africa are going through on a daily basis.  if you like happy books though- stay away.

3 stars out of 5 (only for the writing)

next up- it's back to a parenting/baby book.

borrrrrrrrrring

is what my blog design has been as of late.  i've exhausted just about all the blogger designs i like, and i can't really find any free backgrounds that i love.  do people pay to have a blog design created for them?  would it be worth it?  i'm definitely not enjoying anything i'm picking from blogger. 

my time in atlanta is going by fast, but has been enjoyable.  too bad we miss daddy like crazy!  i'm looking forward to being back & having a nice family weekend with him, but alas, our friend is getting married on friday, and 2 of my friends from college (dave's study abroad friends- ie: the ones who set us up) are flying in for the wedding.  it's looking to be a busy 4 days as we spend time with him, and leave ian overnight for the first time (aaahh). 

speaking of which, 3 dresses have arrived at my mom & dad's and i am 0 for 3.  as expected.  the last 2 dresses are arriving tomorrow- and one of them is a size small, so you can already count that out from the way the other dresses are going.  seriously, i need to stop eating because i see where this is headed...

hope everyone is enjoying their week!!

Guest Post- Teaching Your First Baby Signs

working my way through my 30 before thirty- #15 - teach ian sign language.  more on my experiences later!

Teaching Your First Baby Signs

Baby sign language is a way of teaching your baby to communicate by way of simple hand gestures. Based on ASL (American Sign Language), it is a simplified version especially for babies and children. Baby Sign Language is fun, free and it really works – you can start to sign from birth. Read on to find out how to teach your first Baby Signs.

How To Start

It’s best to begin with signs you can use on a daily basis, such as Mommy, Daddy, Milk and More. More is (probably not surprisingly) often the first sign a baby learns. Signs that represent something exciting to your baby will be easier for him or her to learn. Here is how to make these first signs:

* To sign Mommy extend and spread apart your fingers. With your pinkie facing forward, tap your thumb on your chin.

* To sign Daddy, extend and spread out your five fingers on your right hand. Tap your hand on your forehead. Done right you will look like a turkey.

* The sign for Milk is a lot like milking a cow, but without the vertical motion – you are just squeezing the udder. Take both hands, make them into a fist, relax, and repeat.

* To make the sign for More, flatten out your hands then bring your thumbs under to make an O shape. Then, bring your hands together and separate them repeatedly. Baby will often simplify More by clapping their fists together. As they get older and more proficient you may want to encourage the more correct sign of flattening out their hands and creating the O shape with their thumbs as a fun way to help them develop fine motor skills.

Teaching Signs

To successfully teach these signs, you need to make the sign every time you say the relevant word to your baby. Say the word that goes with the sign clearly, with good eye contact, while pointing to the thing or person you are describing. Be sure to sign when your baby is alert and not fussing or tired, using an object which is exciting to him, such as Milk or Mummy. Practice the signs beforehand so you feel confident and clear about what you are doing. It’s important to repeat the sign as often as possible – make the sign and say the word every time you do an action or use an object. Babies learn through repetition, so try to make signing a fun part of your day.

Be Patient

Don’t expect too much too soon. Your baby is unlikely to be signing for more milk if he is only 4 months old and you’ve been signing to him for a week! Research by Dr. Joseph Garcia, one of the founders of Baby Sign Language , found that a typical baby who starts learning signs at seven months old needs about two months of repetition and exposure to a sign to start using it.

have baby, will travel

today i take off for atlanta with ian.  it should be interesting.  we've done a lot of driving with him, but this will be the first flight.  here are some tips/information i've received regarding traveling with your infant.  we'll see how this compares to the reality after i've arrived at my final destination.

i will be flying american airlines to atlanta, and delta airlines back to chicago.  most of my information was taken from the american airlines website.  

mother's are apparently allowed to be really annoying with an overabundance of stuff.  according to american you are allowed a stroller, an infant seat (you can use the seat on the plane for your child w\o paying for a ticket only if there are empty seats at take off- otherwise, they have to sit in your lap). You can also have your carry on, personal item and an diaper bag for the baby.  if you buy a ticket for your child (they don't need one if they're under 2), they are also allowed a carry on and personal item.  while umbrella strollers are prefered, you can bring any size stroller, but airlines are not responsible for damages.  imagine that.  

formula, food and breastmilk are allowed (breastmilk is allowed whether you are flying with an infant or not)- although they may do a "paper" test with them- have you remove the lid and swirl the bottle so release vapors onto a paper above the bottle).  although i have heard of some places making your "sample" what you are carrying.  you just take them out when going through security as you would with the rest of your liquids. 

you can wear your baby while going through security as long as there isn't any metal on them.  thank goodness, because it's already enough of a pain having to take of my shoes and belt every time i fly. 

you MUST go to the ticket counter to check in. I have saved myself a little trouble by already contacting both airlines and notified them that i am traveling with an infant- they asked for his full name and age. You MUST BRING THEIR BIRTH CERTIFICATE. you may not have to show it, but some airlines do ask. the baby may need a boarding pass. with the birth certificate, they are checking to see if the infant is under 2 (quite obvious in our case). 

my plan is to take the stroller and leave the carseat (my parents have one from a friend). I will probably wheel ian through and keep him in the stroller so that he'll have time to play, and so i can feed him.  when it's time to board, then i will put him in the moby and gate check the stroller. i believe traveling with an infant grants you priority boarding (they should also grant priority boarding to pregnant women, but don't get me started).

my friend says ear popping tends to be worse on landing rather than take-off- a pacifier, sippy cup, or just your good ol' boob tends to be the best remedy. luckily, i can discreetly nurse ian while inside the moby.  my friend also gives a light dose of tylenol before take-off so that it may relieve any pain caused by the popping.

My hope is to fit all of our stuff in the suitcase (i am bringing his cloth diapers- and that's my worry), put my stuff in a backpack (maybe a book) and then carry his diaper bag. of course, holding him, i may not need a backpack, so i may carry his diapers that way.

I am going to my parents house, but we are visiting some family in nashville after i get there, and will be staying in a hotel. the hampton inn has pretty nice cribs- (we had to use one labor day wknd when my husband's gma died and we also stayed @ a hampton). both of these hamptons happen to be brand-news, so the cribs should be nice enough. i just bring MY own sheets for it. Note- our crib sheet wouldn't fit, we had to use the pack n play sheet. the hotel also has high chairs in their dining area, but  we also have a "portable" high chair.

You may or may not be able to have your spouse or another family member accompany you to the gate. i won't know this until check in.  luckily for me, when I leave atlanta, my brother is flying to denver at the same time. although we are in different terminals, i will have him to help me at least get into the airport. when husband picks me up, he will probably be picking up our friends who are in town for the wedding.  there will be plenty of help.

most planes have a changing table in the bathroom- for long flights, or if your baby needs a quick change.  just be sure to ask which bathroom it's in- my friend katie, who has flown multiple times with her son says he HATES it b\c the bathroom is REALLY loud. I don't know what's worse though- because changing them in the airport bathroom means you have to take ALL your luggage with you. ugh.  i haven't decided whether i want to carry on everything or not.  i think it's a crime to charge $15+ to check a bag.  highway robbery.  

so, hopefully the trip will go smoothly for the two of us!  i will definitely update you on the joys of traveling with your wee one, once we're on the ground!

updating

a few updates on my recent posts

wedding guest dress - i couldn't decide.  plus, half the dresses went into "out of stock" or "size 2 available mode.  and since most forays into the dressing room for me have a 17% success rate i decided this:  purchase 7 dresses that i liked best ie: were most affordable, try them all on, and send back the 6 losers, hopefully keeping 1 very awesome winner.  my husband frowned upon this idea, wanting me to purchase 2  instead and choose from those.  next time, you can have the baby and jack your body up.


ditch the shampoo - this got worse before it got better.  not only are my grays sticking out and holding up little "look at me" signs; i was wanting to shave my head and vomit every time i saw my hair, which stayed perfectly placed in a ponytail every time i removed my hair band.  gag.  when i was begging for my shampoo, husband suggested i follow the baking soda wash- it made a major improvement to my hair from first wash, and my hair is gradually starting to look cleaner.  i'm hoping that holds up, because it's time to color it... AGAIN. 


shredding - ugh.  epic fail.  i got through 10 days, then hubby's gma died and we were out of town for the long weekend, and it was just so difficult to get back into it.  i may start up again, but for now husband has a big plan for us that i'm keeping to myself for a while.  good news is while i didn't lose any weight, i haven't gained any since then either...

ian and i are flying to the atl tomorrow.  i'm so excited.  i need some south in my life.  we are flying, and did i mention it's just going to be the two of us?  after we get to atlanta, we'll be driving to nashville for the weekend for a family reunion (a little counter-productive) and then it's loads of fun in c-town.  this will be the first time husband has been away from ian- and he's a little bummed (so are we).  thank God for skype.  i'll be sure to include a post on traveling with baby. 

i won't be posting much during my vacay, but i do have some guest posts lined up- so keep checking in!!