Tuesdays with Bear

Today was Bear's 4 month check up. He is average on height and weight. His weight was taken wrong at the last appointment so this time he weighs 14 lbs and he's 26 in. long- which puts in 50 percentile in both categories. We asked about teething and this is what the Doctor said:
DR- "You see these tiny little indention's in his gums?"
ME- "Yep"
DR- "Well those are his teeth but he is not teething."
ME- "Oh so you can see his teeth but he's not teething?"
DR- "Yep"

So I am just going to assume he is teething. Which has not been bad if he is teething. He just wants to chew on everything. He is also starting to grab at everything. Plants, food, whatever is on the shelves, cats and dogs. How did you deal with animals and a crawling baby?
He started his day with a bang and now currently is in the state of boom....It's been awhile since he had a manic episode. That is what I call them. Just pissed, and I have no idea why. So gave much love and bit of alone time and now he is passed out. I love the cry decipher charts they have in all the baby books. He has a new cry of lately its this low horse throaty cry. Very soft. KB and I both feel horrible because so many times we laugh when he cries- not in a mean way. For one his mad raisin face is adorable and there is almost never any tears, just this red little faced mini-us. So we figure he got KB's awesome quiet person and he got my attitude....Great.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56gdg2ntfwM&feature=player_embedded

Bonus

 Zombie Walk

 Fashion Show....

 The Diaper and The Baby disagree...

Day 3 out of 30

 WHAT!!! It's a picture of ME! You will notice once Bear was born pictures of me became nonexistent. Not that I mind. So for our Day 3 of 30 days of Newness we went to North Hollywood Food Truck Festival. It was a really good time and really good food! Bear of course did amazing! We were able to walk from our place. The music was super loud and hot out, but it never phased him.

30 Days of Newness

I feel bored so Bear must be bored. Wake Eat Activity Sleep. A basic but really good schedule he is on. Now that he is getting older and looking deeply at things I wanted to start adding some fun activities in even if he does not quite grasp it all yet. So instead of just going to the library and thrifting or grocery shopping we are off to new adventures. So my challenge to myself is 30 days of Newness for me and him. I want to get him out on more hikes, he has only been to Runyon Canyon. Get him to start embracing nature and outdoor activity. It's not only good for him but for me.

 He stayed in his jammies because he was so fussy. He would cry every time I put him down.

I have given myself a ton of new incentives. So for my 30 days I have been juicing. Fresh juice with a variety of vegetables and fruits. Bear's 30 days is the great outdoors. I started this several days ago. We first went to Huntington Library (photos will come later). Bear did amazing for such a long period of time. He really stared at the cactus and several of the paintings- Pinkie and Little Boy Blue. The colors are really attractive to him. Yesterday I took him to the park. He had been quite fussy all day because of his teething. I laid a blanket on a soft bed of clovers. As soon as he was down he was cooing. He snuggled his face into the soft blanket and sank into the cloves. We had a surprise visit from KB too!

Toys for my Tot

 Pants from Babies R Us, Onesie from Baby Gap

Attacking Ralphie aka Crinkle Monster

Bear loves his tummy time. We decided not to go for an activity mat and make one of our own. We have a lot of toys and a car mirror he loves. He sees himself in it and attacks it.

One thing that he really really loves are Ring-A-Links.  I would have never bought because they seem simple. My friend had gifted us with these wonderfully simple toys. We attached some on his stroller, our bedroom, his pack n play, and anywhere else he may go. He can chew and pull on them. We link them to his car seat with his pacifier attached to it. So when he tosses it we still keep it. Bear even likes to hold one around his knuckles.

This is the first swing we started off with as the Bright Stars portable swing. Bear could not quite keep his head up yet, and with his acid reflux had a bit of trouble using it at first. Now that his head is strong he loves this swing. We put on some music and a light that changes color to let him chill. He can also sit and watch me cook in the kitchen or relax in the bathtub. The swing he has loved from the beginning is the Fisher-Price Papasan cradle swing. It cradles as oppose to sitting straight up. It has dangling stars and moons, and a mirror to check himself out. Bear takes a nap in it sometimes. It was great when he was fussy from reflux to put him in it. It calmed him almost immediately. He does not lay flat but at an angle which they suggest for reflux. 

You can change the swing to 3 different directions. He loves the side to side rocking.

Good Morning Good Morning it's Time to Rise n Shine

 Partied himself out during tummy time...

 Good Morning to my men, I am off to work. Kisses

 Someone just woke up...A little feisty!

O Love...

The Grillz

 The name pacifier is silly so KB and I have changed it to his Grillz.
Define: caps or fitting worn over ones teeth, either on top, bottom, or both. To be mostly made out of gold, silver, diamond, or platinum.


Ex."Woah! I carry around some extra grillz in my fanny pack, yo!"


I am sure there are people who do not agree with the need for a pacifier or thumb sucking out of fear for addiction to such an object, or messing up your teeth. Well not me.
 
"Hello my name is Whitney and I am a former addict of thumb sucking. I have successfully been free from such things since childhood."
 
I loved sucking my thumb as a kid. I can completely recall it. My family tried everything to get me to stop. My Grandma threw away my favorite pillow I like to hold while thumb'n it. They tried Tabasco, soap, and any other foul tasting item they could think of. It never worked. I started second grade and there was a girl Lisa who sucked her thumb- in public. At least I was a closet case. My sister was strung out on a pacifier for years. Either way she and I grew out of it. Our teeth were not crooked because of it. My thumb was always there for me. Bear sucks his thumb or at least tries to. Usually the whole side of his hand if not his entire hand. We do not use it all the time just here and there. I have learned there are different kinds and brands. The older they get the sizing changes. I hope he transfers over to his thumb, but we will wait and see.

Sandman is Come'n

Somebody is getting sleepy. Not me...While I was pregnant everyone who was a parent or thought they new about parenting gave me their advice of sleep while you can. There are days I get to sleep till 9:30 or sometimes just 8:00. I can honestly say I get more sleep now then when I was pregnant. Being so round really makes sleeping difficult. The first 4 months I was busy puking from morning sickness, then I could not sleep on my stomach. Thank goodness for the body pillow KB got me. The last few months I was waking with crazy dreams or just because. Bear is a steady napper through out the day. I can run errands and give him his pacifier which makes it easier. More on the pacifier later. He starts dwindling down around 6:30 pm and then out by 10:30 pm. Wakes for maybe one night feeding but because we co-sleep I don't have to do much there. I may be one of the few who are lucky, but I am sure there are babies that sleep even better than him. So for all those who are scared of the loss of sleep perhaps that comes when you have a second baby. I just savor the moments I have alone. That is what the bath tub is for!

2 Month Check Up

Today we went to our two month check up. There was a baby in the office who was so tiny and chubby. I thought for sure he was 1 month old, at the most! He was the same age as Bear! Well my boy weighs 15 lbs. even and 23 1/2 inches long.  He is wearing size 6-9 clothing, slightly loose. He is up to date on the coo's, the poo's, the grins and the head holding. Yeah! He did so good, and gave Dr. Hottie smiles and couple of clicks. He also made Kenneth's day by saying he starting to look like him.