The Napping Situation

Jack was a 30 minute napper.  Well, technically 28 minutes.  You could set your watch by it.  I decided this had to stop.  Why?  Because when your kid only naps for 28 minutes you get NOTHING accomplished.  Those dumb moms who have kids that take 3 hour naps don't know how good they have it.  They can do whatever they want for 3 WHOLE HOURS, I on the other hand get Jack to sleep, and slooooooooooooowly and gently place him in his crib and tiptoe out of his room.  And then I make a mad dash around the house.  Scrubbing any dishes and putting them in the dishwasher, starting laundry, maybe if I'm lucky a shower.  It's my own personal 28 minute marathon.  Oh, and I'm working during this too, so I have to check in there and do that since I need to bring home the dough.

So, I decided to "fix" the situation.  And we started by getting on a schedule, don't judge me... Jack has the luxury of eating/sleeping/playing when he wants since I work from home, a schedule wasn't really anything we felt we needed.  Well, now we need it.  So I started by putting him down for a nap 2 hours after he got up.  This was exhausting, because now we are taking 4 naps, and it takes me 30 minutes to get him to take a (28 minute) nap.  So I get the genius idea that maybe if I lay with him, he'll sleep longer.  It works in the mornings, when he wakes up at 5 and I bring him to the bed and feed him and then he sleeps for another 3 hours.

You see where this is going?  Good news, we nap now.  For 1.5 to 2 hours at a time!!!  Happy dance!  I get work done, and don't have to get back on late at night to finish stuff up.  Bad news, the nap occurs in our bed.  I know, I KNOW, I KNOOOOOOOW.  I'm just creating a problem down the road.  But you know what, right now it works, and I don't care.

Who wouldn't want to snuggle with this anyways?

6 Months

Technically he was 6 months on the 15th, I waited to post our pictures because I wanted to get his stats from the doctor.

Stats:
Height: 28 1/4" (95%)
Weight: 18lbs 10oz (75%)
Head: 44cm (75%)

For those of you following along, that was a jump in the noggin size and the weight percentiles.  He's HEAVY, I quit carrying him around in his car seat, because I simply can not do it.  It's too much.  So now he gets carried around, he thinks this is pretty awesome.  He flirts with everyone and will stare people down, getting them to act like fools to get him to smile, then he'll flash a smile and bury his head in my shoulder and play bashful.  This is almost always followed by a squeal from the stranger he's flirting with.  He totally knows what he is doing, he's a ham.

This time we got our 4 vaccines, plus the 1st of the two-part flu shot.  I have 6 month pictures at Sears tomorrow, and we start swim lessons tonight... maybe this wasn't a great idea.

Glad I got pictures the morning he turned 6 months.

He's started sitting up on his own for 30-60 seconds at a time this past week.

Pee, Poop, & Puke

Yesterday was an eventful day, and I seriously considered having a drink or two before 5pm even rolled around...

3am - Jack is up, I go in, he has peed through his diaper, sleeper, sleepsack, the sheet, and soaked the mattress pad.  I strip him, change him, and dress him.  And begin my wrestling match with the mattress to change the pad and sheet.

7am - Jack is up, I go in, he has peed through his diaper, sleeper, sleepsack, the sheet, and soaked the second mattress pad.  I strip him, change him, and dress him.  And begin round two with the mattress.

10:30am - while in his bouncer he manages to $hit to the point it is halfway up his back.  It's green and vile smelling, I'm gagging.  I haul him upstairs to try to strip him down.  It was everywhere, to the point where I opted to cut off the onesie and throw it away.  He still manages to get a handful of poop and smear it through his hair.  So I put him in the tub and rinse him off and then give him a bath.

Noon - I give each dog a rib bone.  Marley DOESN'T EVEN CHEW IT, he swallows the damn thing whole.  Panic sets in, I call the vet and explain what just happened.  Our conversation went like this:
Me - OH MY GOD, my dog, Marley, the big dumb one, just swallowed a rib bone WHOLE.
Vet - how big was the rib bone?
Me - it was a rib bone, I don't know a standard rib bone... maybe 4 inches long
Vet - how wide?
Me - I have no idea, maybe an inch in diameter, what does it matter, he swallowed a WHOLE RIB BONE
Vet - you'll need to make him throw it up
Me - how do I do that?  stick my hand down his throat?
Vet - give him peroxide
Me - like hydrogen peroxide, or some kind of special peroxide?
Vet - hydrogen peroxide, give him 1 tablespoon every 10 minutes until he throws up, or up to 3 times.
Me - ok... do I soak bread in it or something?  Despite how dumb my dog is, I don't see him willingly swallow this
Vet - do you have a syringe?
Me - I have one I give my baby tylenol with
Vet - use that, call me back

So, for 45 minutes I chase Marley around the back yard, sitting on him, forcing him to swallow a tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide at a time.  He is UN-PHASED, he thinks this is a game.  After 4 tablespoons (I know she said 3, but I decided to give it one more shot).  He throws up, and then tries to eat it.  So now I have to pick up dog vomit.  Vomit makes me want to vomit.  I'm gagging.

I call the vet back, the vet informs me not to give dogs rib bones.  I hang my head in shame and say "Yes, ma'am"

7pm - I load Jack in the car and we go to Wal-Mart.  I drive all the way there, get him unloaded and walk into the store, and realize I have forgotten my wallet on the counter at home.  We go back, I leave Jack with Craig and run back to Wal-Mart.

I come home, as I walk in the kitchen door, Craig runs by me.  I see what looks like spit-up on his hand and face... AND MOUTH!  He was apparently holding Jack over his head and Jack threw up in his mouth.  It was exactly what I needed.  I found it absolutely hilarious, Craig does not find this nearly as amusing.

What post would be complete without pictures?  Here is Jack trying his winter hat on after eating breakfast this morning.

Peas please

Peas are disgusting, I truly hate them.  Craig doesn't like them either, so Jack was destined to never eat peas...  Except that I read that just because I don't like something doesn't mean I should not feed it to my baby.  *SIGH*  Not wanting to deprive Jack of the disgustingness that is peas, I bought peas.  I haven't gotten them out yet, because the thought of them makes me gag a little.  Since Grandma was here this weekend, and feeding Jack, I got the peas out (I did in fact GAG when I opened them and sniffed them... this is the one food I fed Jack that I did not and will not try).

Jack is a smart boy, and he finds peas as revolting as I do.

I feel it is important to note, he has not done this with ANY other foods we've tried.  We might try them again, but I seriously doubt it.

Balloon GLOW

Last night Jack, Ali (our neighbor) and I got bundled up and went towards downtown Saint Louis for the Balloon Glow that takes place the night before the Great Forest Park Balloon Race.  After about an hour and a half car ride (it only took us 40 minutes to get home) we parked and walked up to see all the hot air balloons.  They had inflated them and every 2 minutes a horn would sound and all 50 (best guess) balloon pilots would turn the fire that heats up the air on at once.  It was pretty cool.  Jack enjoyed it and Ali and I got our exercise in.

Jack and I with the mini energizer bunny balloon, the real one was like a million feet tall

A photo dump

I found these on my camera, and as always I think he's so cute I need to share.  Since we've done nothing so incredibly exciting I feel I should blog about it, I leave you with pictures...

Bananas

I Love bananas, I think they are my favorite fruit.  I was pretty excited to get Jack on some bananas, so far he's tried oatmeal, green beans, sweet potatoes, peaches, squash, and avocados.  He didn't like the avocados.

Today we started bananas.  The bananas are DELICIOUS (yes, I try all his food... and I don't know why I'm so shocked by this, but it all tastes exactly like the food, IE: green beans taste like green beans, squash like squash).  Jack loved the bananas.  I also happened to be eating a banana for breakfast, so I cut off a little piece smashed it up on my fingers and gave him some... he wasn't a fan of the non-pureed banana.

FINALLY!!!

We're just shy of 6 months and he FINALLY rolled over this morning.  I was honestly starting to wonder if he'd ever roll over.

VOTE FOR JACK

While I may be biased, I do think Jack is freaking cute.  Like I just want to suck those chubby cheeks and squeeze him!  So I entered him in the Gerber Generation Photo Search 2012.

If you have Facebook, (or want to create an account to vote) head on over and "Like" Gerber (yes it says its an app, but nothing really happens with it) and vote for Jack!  You can vote once a day from September 4 thru September 24.  You can search for Jack or click on the link.  His entry id is 370340 or you can search by name and City/State (we are in O'Fallon, MO)

https://apps.facebook.com/gerberps/detail.do?entry_id=370340

Seriously, if that's not a Gerber baby...

Labor Day Weekend in Chicago

... WITHOUT JACK ...

Was I crazy to agree to this?!?!

Craig and I headed to Chicago over Labor Day weekend to cheer on the Hawks at Soldier Field, and go to my first Cubs game.  We left Jack home with Grandpa and Grandma.  To say I had second thoughts about this is the understatement of the year.

I was strong though, and didn't shed a tear... neither did Jack.  Grandpa and Grandma reported that he was an angel for them, never cried, and they played, played, played, played, played.  I'm sure this week will prove to be tough for Jack and I, as I get him used to not being held 24/7 again.

But, lets back up.  I had a couple "firsts" without Jack this weekend.  Thursday night I got to go to the Lion King (broadway show, not the movie) with a couple of friends from the neighborhood.  IT WAS FANTASTIC.  I recommend going to see it, and spending the extra money to get seats on the main floor (close to the aisle if possible).  This meant Jack and Dad's first night alone, all night, without being able to call me.  (Or me to call and check in on them)  I think Craig and I were both a little nervous about it.  But he did wonderful.  Jack and Craig went to Columbia to meet Grandpa Calhoun for dinner, I received this picture... I wasn't exactly thrilled about it.

But a little tea didn't kill him.  He was in bed by the time I got home.  And from what I was told, things went pretty smoothly.

Grandpa and Grandma Gesie came down on Friday.  And we headed to Chicago to stay the weekend with Andrew, Katy and Madelyn.  It was hard to leave.  And I missed Jack like crazy all weekend.  But managed to have a good time.  It was nice to be able to sleep in and not have to worry about Jack.  Since Aunt Niki and Geoff also came to town to help babysit Jack, I got to FaceTime with him both days.  He really missed me too, NOT.  I honestly thought I'd at least get a big grin when I came home on Monday.  He didn't seem to excited to see us.

So I made it through the first time away from Jack.  And he had a blast without Mom and Dad.