Mommy Survival Skills

I just found that the easiest way to have fresh formula which is also at a temperature that Alex will drink right away.  I've been stashing a small can of powder in my diaper bag and filling up a 16-20 oz bottle of water to bring along. I found that premixing formula wasn't working since I had to keep it cold in a thermos next to an ice pack. Alex won't drink cold formula.  Yesterday, I was desperate to find a way to warm up the formula I had or somehow get new. I stopped in a convenience store, bought a can of powder and non-refrigerated bottled water.  I mixed formula with that warmer water as needed. I wouldn't have to keep the water cold like I would with mixed formula. (Those 2 oz bottle 8 packs are a total rip-off.)

I had Alex in Manhattan yesterday and it was too hot for him to nurse. He hates the heat and won't stay still for it when hot. Sigh, just like his mom. Oh, and about the heat. I cool off his receiving blankets in my diaper bag by inserting a mylar ice pack in the same fold with them. He loves having a cool blanket to lie on.

June 30, 2007

Turning a Sleepy Corner

Alex slept through the night twice!!! Last night - 10:30 PM to 6:30 AM.  Wednesday night - 9:30 PM to 6:30 AM!

And he's mostly BF'ed with only some supplemented formula! WOOT!

June 30, 2007

Diaper Change! Diaper Change! Yay!

Alex goes wild with the giggles and laughs when he knows he's going to be changed. In the middle of the night, it's all my husband can do to tear himself away from playing with him on the changing table because that's when Alex will chat and laugh up a storm.


I know it must feel good to get out of a wet diaper, but cause for glee like this?
 

June 24, 2007

Sniffles in a Little Nose

Alex has sounded like he has a ton of congestion lately.  To aid his sleeping, I tried to create an incline by placing a towel underneath the sleeping surface of his bassinette. He never managed to stay within the incline, but always wound up sliding down, with only his neck propped up at the turn of the incline. I figured that was worse.

Then Dr. Glassman told us that the congestion is normal. Out came the towel. Alex is a lot happier.  He hated that incline.  Good thing he doesn't need it to sleep like other babies do.

June 24, 2007

Moment of the Day

Those big toothless grins are day makers.


My Moment of the Day came when Alex was a little cranky after his dinner. He had been quietly entertaining himself in his bassinette for a long time, but eventually got bored and wanted company. I took him out and placed him on my bed with me.

He chatted up a STORM! He kept cooing, ooohing and cah-ing at all different volume levels. He would smile broadly while we chatted. I played some games with him and he just kept it up.  Then Dan joined us and it still went on while Alex chatted with him too. It took at least 20 minutes before Alex had to retreat from overstimulation.

It was one of the chattiest moments I've had with him yet.
 

June 22, 2007

No Tummy Time!

Alex hates Tummy Time with a passion. He wants to move and roll over when he's in that position. He winds up getting frustrated and crying over it.  A while ago, I was out walking on Mamaroneck Avenue with Alex in the Jeep pocuh, a physical therapist stopped us to see Alex and chat.  She told me that Tummy Time on your chest still serves the same purpose as being on a hard surface. Since he loves that most of the time, we do that a lot. I also tote him around in my Jeep carrier daily and he's gaining a lot of head control that way too.

His head control is really good for his age. He was able to roll over in one direction when he was only days old, but he's since lost interest in doing it now.  He doesn't have good dexterity in pushing himself up with his arms, but he doesn't appear to try very hard either.

Dr. Glassman said that it's not expected at his current age.

June 22, 2007

Chow Hound

Some babies eat tons in one meal, had a few times across a day. Not Alex! He's still eating at least 7-8 times a day.  He won't get on a normal schedule either. He eats roughly at 1, 5, 8, 10, 1, 3, 6, 9 and 11. Unfortunately for us, the meal he seems to be dropping first is the 11 PM one.


Oh well, at least he's happy and thriving.

June 21, 2007