Starting solids

Sol is 6 months!!  28 weeks to be exact.  Our little guy has started doing so many new things that it's hard to keep up with all of them.  The one I've been able to benefit the most from is introducing him to solids!  It gives me a breastfeeding break and I'm learning how to prepare baby food!

It wasn't easy at first.  I introduced him to carrots, avocados, and oatmeal after he turned 5 months.  He was ok with oatmeal, but he only ate it once and seemed really interested.  He didn't like carrots or avocados.  At around 26 weeks, he reached out for some asparagus that David and I were eating.

While we were in Puerto Rico*, he began reaching for our sweet bread pastry.  We weren't about to make it a regular food item, but I didn't feel right denying him a taste!

I especially love this video since I CLEARLY had no idea David was recording us!  I know that ALL of his grandparents AND Pat Pat will be spoiling him with treats as he grows up.

Since we've returned home, we aren't indulging in pastries.  I opened up the baby cookbook "Top 100 Baby Purees" and started cooking!  I've been really pleased with Sol's response, even though he still makes the occasional 'yucky' face.

He loved pears.  Mommy loved that 30 minute Winnie-the-Pooh shows were on, but Daddy has suggested we not use the tv as a distraction.  Spending so much time together at home, I sometimes leave the tv on for background noise; but seeing Pooh made me really want to watch tv.  I don't mind that David reminded me--because I don't want that to be a dependency for Sol when eating or being fussy.

I reintroduced avocado and he's taken to it well!  We've also done banana and sweet potato and they've been regulars for us this week.

Can you guess what he was eating this PM?  Beets!  I've enjoyed giving them to him this week, but I'm going to stop now after reading that they are high in nitrates and can cause anemia if eaten before 8 months :(  Only 2 months away and I can go at it again!

Last night, Sol had his first sleepover at Bubbe's house!!  We left him with (what I thought was) plenty of food, but Bubs says he was hankering for more when he cleared the bottle.  SO, I will see how he does when I increase his milk and solid servings because I certainly don't want a fussy, hungry boy.

Speaking of bottles, I have to applaud Sol for improving in holding up his bottle while eating!  He still doesn't completely understand that he needs to hold it up to get the milk out, but at least he enjoys attempting to hold it himself.  So proud of my boo!

*post coming soon about our family getaway to Puerto Rico!

You're calling me a rabbit? I'll take it!

After gaining my "freshman 15" in college, I realized that I really needed to start paying better attention to my choices.  I was drawn to the University of Alabama Recreational Center for exercise, but ultimately I needed to take a look at the food pyramid more closely.  The all-you-can-eat campus buffets meant pizza, hamburger, french fries, chinese, italian, and you can't forget a bowl of ranch on the side of everything!  Yup, I knew I had to change.

Fast forward to now, I can proudly say that I often times look forward to a good salad!  Why is that?  Well, let me share a quick story before I tell you the secret to how I enjoy my salads.

During the summer as a teenager, Mom used to drop me off at the LJCC pretty frequently.  I'm proud to say that I was a J "brat"--I would hang out at the pool, gym, or lobby with friends until the day was over.  I enjoyed it, but sometimes being a J "brat" meant hanging out with kids who were so bored that they would get into trouble.  Hence where the brat title came from.  Mom and I came up with a plan to keep me occupied and out of Ms. Betty's office.  I could invite a friend to come with me and (with her parent's permission) we could walk to Bruno's (just over a mile away), get a salad from the salad bar, and then walk back.  Don't ask me why--but I have very fond memories of doing this--and I'm sure mom only let me do it a few times.

Do you ever get a giddy feeling inside when you get to a salad bar?  My brain screams "look at all these awesome toppings you can put on your greens!!"  I know some of you must be able to relate to me.  Am I going to put sliced eggs, nuts, mushrooms, tomatoes, olives, baby corns, beets, or cottage cheese on my salad today?  Whatever you want is what my body gives me permission to do.  Of course, I realize that everything in moderation is what I have to decide.  Especially when it comes to dressing.  If I'm going to glop a lot of ranch or blue cheese on my salad, then my healthy choices are shot--but if I can decorate my greens with other things that I love the taste of....well, I love the taste of them!  Why do I need salad dressing?

Have you figured out my secret yet?

I keep the tasty ingredients in my fridge that I love to decorate my salad with!  As long as I'm going to make myself a healthy lunch, I might as well enjoy it.  I like to keep jarred marinated veggies such as kalamata olives, green olives, hearts of palm, and banana peppers,  Fresh veggies often include tomatoes, avocados, cucumbers, peppers, and onions.  Each have such distinctive tastes and I really enjoy savoring them with the spinach/spring mix that I want to get into my system.

If I can plan ahead, I try to have a protein with it: grilled chicken, chicken salad, pimiento cheese, cottage cheese, or eggs.

On my way home from Parent & Baby Yoga, I realized I had lots of tasty toppings ready to eat today.  Once Sol was down for a nap, I put my delicious salad together.  I added a small amount of flax seeds and hemp oil to the top and voila--a filling lunch!  If people think I'm a 'nutty rabbit' because of this, I'll take it!  I feel good about myself and in return that makes me happy.  Win-win for Caleigh!

What tasty toppings do you like to put on your salad?? 

Don't think you have time to put together your salad?  My co-blogger Brittany has another great suggestion to eating healthy--Salad In a Jar!

Bedtime Fun

Tonight is a bath night for Mr. Sol!  When he isn't exhausted, he really enjoys being in the warm water.   David and I rotate bath night responsibilities so that we each get one-on-one time with him.  We bathe him every other night because we understand doing it every night will dry out his skin.  Plus, the child isn't active enough to need to be bathed every night!!  

One evening, recently, we enjoyed sitting on the front porch before beginning the bedtime rituals.

Have I mentioned how much Sol loves his Azaria?!?  She brings such happiness to him!  Whenever she is close by, he reaches out to touch her.  I'm working on showing him how to rub and pat her instead of grabbing at her fur.  He gets it sometimes, but other times he just wants to grab on and give her a big hug!  It really is precious.  I need to snap a picture of how big he smiles when she is around.

While we've been able to let Sol sit in his bathtub for a few months, sans the insert, I may be putting it back in this evening.  The past couple of baths, he has been trying to push himself out of the seat--and I don't want for him to go under water unexpectedly!!  We cover him with a wet rag to keep him from getting cold.  He has started sucking the water out of it recently, so I've pulled out some of his bath toys to distract him.  He loves being able to put the foam letters in his mouth!!  I didn't do a lot of research, but was given an Aveeno Bath Basket before Sol was born.  We've really enjoyed using the Aveeno Body Wash!

We snuggle him up in his towel and take him in for a more thorough drying on his changing table.  His Baby Einstein toy is a great distraction at the changing table.  It also encourages Sol's fun parents to let loose and sing and dance with the music!!  We always apply lotion.  Our favorite is the Stress Relief Lotion that is part of the gift set.  We also like the Calming Comfort Lotion and the Daily Moisture Lotion.

Can't forget his diaper!!  We were gifted a supply of bumGenius diapers from Sol's buddy, Daniel.  We have really enjoyed them!  I highly recommend them, but will leave the details for another post.

You know we have a growing boy who needs to eat!  We give Sol a 4-oz bottle of breastmilk every night before bedtime.  As I've mentioned in a previous post, I think it's better to make sure Sol gets 4-oz and doesn't have to work for it either.  Giving him the bottle also gives Daddy a chance to feed him every other night!  We love our one-on-one time with Sol and are happy to share responsibilities.

Bedtime wouldn't be any fun without a book!  When he isn't fussy, we enjoy reading to him and showing him the pictures.  We zip him up in a SleepSack as it is highly recommended that you not put blankets in the bed with infants.  It's helpful having a couple.  Some are heavier than others, so we are trying to keep him in the lighter one these days.

  When I put him to bed, I have three prayers and four lullabies that I sing to him.  By the time I get to the last lullaby, he has usually found his thumb (amen!) and is happily going to sleep.  Love our bedtime rituals.  Good night Sol!!

Many thanks to Sol for playing and chatting on his mat while I blogged.  Oh, and Azaria for keeping an eye on him!

I'm gonna pump you up...thanks to Medela pumping products!!

To breastfeed or to not breastfeed?  That's a daunting question many new mothers face.   I knew from the start that I wanted to breastfeed my baby and I'm very lucky it has worked out well.  Not only is it cheaper, but it also encourages mother-child bonding.  I'm not going to lie, that first month was a you-know-what.  There were a few times that I questioned why my boobs hurt.  That only created stress since breast cancer is genetically linked to me.  Stress aside, I adjusted to my girls' new purpose and found that this bond even creates an endorphin high for me.

I've found a handful of breastfeeding mothers who choose not to pump.  I am definitely not one of them.  While I love that time with Sol, I also like that I can get out every now and again and not worry about feeding him--just leave a bottle of breast milk! 

I like to keep at least four 4oz bottles in the fridge.  We feed him one each night for his last feeding.  I keep the extras handy in case there is ever a day that I get sick and need not feed him until I'm well again.

Then there's my freezer stock!  I use these whenever I take Sol to the JCC babysitting.  In the back right, you can see there are a few of the Medela freezer bottles--but I learned very quickly that I prefer the Lansinoh bags.  They offer more space AND they're cheaper, too!  I know that when Sol starts full time daycare, I'll be rotating these into his schedule and then restocking with new, fresh breastmilk.

A tip for all my mommy friends who are pumping:

Just do it!

I heard of gals' making their own pump bras , but it took me a little while to join the bandwagon.  I went back and forth between do I purchase a special bra or just use one of my old ones?  I don't need to shed a lot of light on it--just tell you, it's easy if you have an old sports bra you don't have to use anymore.  Cut the slits and have at it!

On Saturday, I received my first testing product to review!  So excited!!

Thank you, Medela, for providing me with the Quick Clean Breastmilk Removal Soap!  The following remains my opinion:

Our pediatrician told me that he and his wife cleaned their bottles very similarly to how they clean their regular dishes.  While I've kept my pumping and bottle products separate from our other dishes, I've done the same.  When I received this item from Medela, I got excited at the opportunity to not need to scrub bottles and pump products anymore!

 The instructions say to rinse off the items and then put them in the sink with lukewarm water and three squirts (to every gallon) of water that it takes to cover the items.  Soak for 5 minutes and then put on rack to dry.  Easy enough!

Well.....once the items were dry, I noticed there was still residual breastmilk spots and lines on the inside of the bottles :(  SOOOOOO...no big deal, BUT I will continue to use my scrub brush.  I would love to just throw the items in the sink and not do much more, especially once we start full time daycare, but I can't swear by this product.  So, I'll enjoy this product until we run out; but Sol hasn't had any reactions to my using our regular dish soap, so I'll keep with that.

One Medela product I do so appreciate is my breastpump!  Thanks to my both of my sister in laws, I am well taken care of...

Today, all of the lactation specialists claim that just about all women will get a free breastpump because of OBAMACARE.  Not!  I won't go into those details, but I know I (along with a few other women) did not have that success.  So,  I ordered all new parts to go with my Pump-N-Go and have found that the used pump works just fine!  I do prefer knowing who has used them, though.  Probably would not have bought a used one online, even though the milk should never technically go through the pump.

What breastpump items do you find are a must for new mommy's?

So thankful for my Daddy

While Sol took a little catnap this morning, I started to blog about why today is important to me.

 Today would have been my Dad's 63rd birthday! 

It was 10 years ago today that we took this picture together while celebrating his last birthday.

My day started with a lot of thoughts and emotions...

I miss his laugh.

I miss the way he enjoyed challenging me when we were listening to music, "Caleigh, can you tell me who sings this song?"

I miss his voice.

I miss seeing him mow the yard in the strategic patterns that he felt were so important for good lawn care.

I miss his snoring.

I miss him encouraging me to kick, overhead throw, or catch the soccer ball (prevent a goal!).

I miss the way he walked through the house.

I miss him sharing historical events that I really didn't care about, but he found profound and wanted me to know about.

I miss his British (or is it Tennessee-an, as someone once asked!) accent.

I miss hiking, camping, and vacationing with him.

I miss being able to call him or see him whenever I want.

Life isn't the same without him.

I will forever cherish the 21 years I did have with him.  The memories that were made, the tendencies that were developed (don't tell me your driving route is faster, because my dad tested it and gosh golly darn shucks, it makes me think of him by going that way), and the relationships that I have with his family and friends.

 

Dad would have enjoyed watching the US World Cup game if he had been here today.

While you watch the game, I hope you'll take a minute to think of him and of the good times you shared!

4 month update

It's summa time and the weather WAS fine! :)  Hard to believe June is almost over and Sol is 4 months old!!  We've had a great few weeks and I can't keep apologizing for not updating more often.  I'm living in the moment spending time with my baby and I just don't have enough hours in the day to do everything :)  Ready for an overload??

We visited the beach earlier this month.  Much needed-- we haven't been since 2012!!!!  My mom invited us to join her and my grandmother.  Then she invited Nana and Lito to come too!  David and I had a date night (I can't believe we didn't take a picture!) and, best of all, enjoyed sharing our days with Sol's biggest fan club.

We lucked out with great weather!  Unfortunately, we heard it was storming a lot in Birmingham.  We had threats of showers, but only experienced one overnight.  Each morning, I would come out and set Sol up in his innertube along with all of his toys.  When he wasn't being loved and hugged, he would spend some QT with his Sophie, as pictured above!

 

This was Sol's first time out in the sand.  I think his daddy has the pictures from when he first dipped his feet in both the sand and the ocean.  He enjoyed it ;)  We will wait til he is bigger before we make him into a sandman ;)

 

Because Sol was sleeping in the master bathroom connected to our room, we got thrown off a bit with his sleeping patterns.  I didn't feel comfortable for the first few nights closing the door, even though there were multiple AC vents.  I could hear everything he did and I imagine he heard us too--we snorers aren't the best at being quiet ;)  So, we had a couple of very early wake ups where Sol would feed and then fall back asleep.

One of the mornings, we decided to take advantage and get out before the sun was entirely up.  We had a nice family walk...where Sol fell asleep...

 And then we set up our family size umbrella and hung out on the beach for a little while.

 Bubbe had a chance to join us after she woke up!

 I understand Pat Pat became quite attached to seeing Sol every morning.  I've had a number of her friends come up to me and say "Pat raves about how great it was being with that baby...she loves him to bits!"

 

 Visiting the beach means dipping in the pool, too!  Sol enjoyed being in the water a couple of times.  I was pleased to be able to use one of his cloth diapers, rather than purchasing a swim diaper.  I know we'll have to do that eventually, but for this visit it worked out great, especially since he didn't go to the bathroom anyway!!

 

Lito's been doing 16 burpees everyday--and it shows!  The Alevy clan enjoyed some relaxing time in the pool that afternoon.  Wish we had done it more often!

 Here's our little munchkin after our date night!  All of his grandparents did a great job of splitting up the bedtime rituals.  The best part was watching Nana read to him...and put Pat Pat to sleep!

 Many thanks to Judy and Claude for joining us to take photos one afternoon.

 When it was time to go home, Sol wasn't too impressed.

JK!  He loved being at the beach and couldn't wait to get home to his ZsaZsa!!

When we did return home, Azaria greeted us with lots of barking which prompted Sol to have his first giggle fit!  It was adorable!!  It appeared to frighten him, but then he would just laugh and laugh and laugh :)  My heart melts seeing them become friends!!

Hope to have another update in the near future!

Traveling with baby!

A few weeks ago, David found out his company wanted him to attend a conference. When he mentioned it to me, I didn't realize it was in a week and a half...and in Orlando!  We have a Southwest companion pass through the end of the year, so why not use it and join him??  Sounded exciting--until the next morning!

It hit me--oh my, I have to pack for an 11-week-old for 5 nights?  But we won't have a swing or vibrating chair for him to sit in!  What about packing enough sets of clothes without being able to do laundry??  Oddly enough, I wasn't worried about the flying part. It was being in another town, maybe without a car, and only me to hold him for at least three days (while D was in his conference) that worried me. 

But it was great!  Just needed to think through and pack well.  Here are my tips: