Baby boo-boos

Cole is sick again. He has a cold, as do I. Again. This has got to be my 39th cold of the season. I had the flu shot, so thank God for that. How does Cole get these colds? Well, I'll tell you. Everywhere. We cannot stop it. He goes to day care where he puts his mouth on everything. And he isn't the only one who puts his mouth on everything. There are lots of other babies with  mucus dripping from their noses who put their mouths on everything. Then there are the day care teachers who kiss the babies. I know that this cannot be helped. Cole is too cute. You can't not kiss him. I guess the other babies are cute too but, seriously, none are cuter than my baby.

Then, at home, or when we take him out, Cole continues to put his mouth on everything. EVERYTHING! We went to Kharma Road yesterday to get a light vegan lunch (yummy on the creative cuisine sans dairy AND soy!!!) and he put his mouth all along the high chair. We came prepared though. We brought Wet Ones to clean off the high chair before we placed him in it. Because God knows how many OTHER babies put their mouths on that thing. Then he also is guilty of the biggest offender - putting his hands into his mouth no matter where his hand has just been. And lately he has had an affinity for putting his hands into our mouths and noses. I know that putting everything into his mouth is a teething thing and it is very cute when he's sitting there with half of his hand lodged into his mouth, but still, the germs. Oh the germs.

I learned today that my cold came from a co-worker. She described her cold and it was EXACTLY like mine, to the T (is that the saying?) It's funny because I came into the office and she and another co-worker were complaining that they were sick. One had obvious sniffles and the other sounded nasally. Then I left and came back and one of the co-workers came back in from a meeting and handed me my only red pen and said, "I borrowed this for a minute. Thanks." And I was all, Gee thanks for asking. And then I tried not to touch it. But then it was 8th period and I was a zombie and by the end of the period, and at the sound of the bell, I picked up the pen and ran to class. Then later on in 9th period I was all grossed out again because I discovered the pen on the desk in my classroom (yes I am truly in that much of a fog sometimes). So I was all over my hand sanitizer.

Then when I got sick last week I thought that naturally it was from the contaminated red pen. But no, it dawned on me today that the OTHER teacher, the one who sounded worse and who also was out sick on Tuesday, teaches Study Hall in my room. Which means her hands were all over the computer mouse, the keyboard, you name it. And I had forgotten that small little fact. And so I was all scared about a stupid little pen when everything I touched for an entire afternoon had already been contaminated.

So here I am. Sick. And don't forget sleep deprived. Cole is still getting up 4-5 times a night and we are at our wits end. We are going for a sleep session with Donna B. tomorrow night. She's the local La Leche League leader and she also runs the baby/mommy group I went to during the summer. I sincerely hope we leave there with some useful tips.

We should be afraid

....very afraid.

Six Months behind us, a lifetime ahead

When I was 11 years old, I suffered from seizures that almost took my life. Fortunately, when it happened I was in the home of my aunt, who is an LPN. She gave me CPR and essentially, saved my life. That and the charcoal they pumped into me at the hospital as well as the phenobarbital they later gave me. The neurologist I saw could never pinpoint what had actually caused the seizures. I didn't have epilepsy and never had another seizure after that. She surmised that I might have had viral encephalitis. Whatever the medical cause, my 11-year-old mind and spirit was mystified. I wanted to make some religious connection or give it some philosophical reason. I felt as though I was given a second chance at life, but I didn't know why.

I know I've said it here before, but I don't care. I now know why I was given that second chance. Because some higher power wanted me to experience love. It's funny that having a child is what helped me to realize that love is what this life is all about. Although I tend to sometimes focus on the negative, I know I am surrounded by people who love me. I feel very lucky to have fallen in love with such a good man and to have created such an amazing human being as a result of our love.

Six months. If you have a child then you know how much fun this age is. He's all smiles, except when we're trying to get him to go to sleep or except when he is about to eat. These are two times when he fusses. Other than that, he is a lovely baby who is thrilled to be living life. We don't have a well-baby visit until he is 7 months, so I can't tell you how much he weighs or how tall he is. I do know he's much heavier this week than he was last week or the week before. By my estimation, he's probably around -or more than - 17 pounds.
I've already written about how he's starting to learn how to crawl and how we're feeding him "real" solids, so I don't need to go into that.

I'm taking a page from Randalin and will list Cole's likes and dislikes.

Likes: sparkly, shiny things; jumping; to see what's behind him; touching the cats; looking at himself in the mirror; to catch someone's eye and smile at them; being flung through the air by daddy; music (Beatles, Bob Marley); dancing with Mommy or Daddy

Dislikes: going to sleep; being on his back; things on his head and neck; waiting to eat; not being able to see us

Honestly, it's hard to believe he went from this....

to this in a matter of six months...

Lucky us

I am thankful for everything and everyone that is good in my life.  I look at my husband and my baby and I know we are both lucky to have each other and have this wonderful gift of life. Today is our first real family holiday together. Lucky us.

Rosendale Rocks (literally!)

I don't think I've written about my love for pickles. If there's any food I am thankful for, it is most certainly pickles. Eat them whole, cut them up, place them in sandwiches, eat them as snacks.... Half sours, bread and butter, kosher dills are among my favorites.  My love for them has grown over the years. I didn't love them any more or less when I was pregnant.  We almost always have a jar of them in our refrigerator. During the summer, when the vegetable garden is brimming with cucumbers, I make bread and butter pickles from a recipe I found one year in Cooking Light magazine. They are delicious and last about two weeks. 

So it is with great joy that I get to go to the pickle festival. This year, however, it was huge. It seemed like thousands of people were there. The tents were packed and we moved at a crawl. By the time we reached the actual pickle tent Cole had had enough. He began to cry, so I placed him back to facing me and he fell asleep in about five minutes. 

Aside from his little (and understandable) meltdown it was nice to see lots of familiar faces and catch up with people we hadn't seen in a while. This is what I like about living in a small town. Having grown up in a city filled with anonymous faces, I realize just how important community is.  In a small town like ours, you are never just an anonymous face. And what is great about Rosendale is that there is about one festival a month (all different themes) where you have the chance to catch up with people. Granted, we don't go to every festival, but it's nice to know that we can and will see people we know if we do go.

As promised: Pics from the festival.

Mommy and Cole in his new pumpkin hat (courtesy of Grandma Carolyn)

Outside the Rosendale Community Center

Inside the Pickle Fest tent with a sleeping Cole

Bananas over baby-and-mommy-time

This morning I let Cole play with the jar of bananas and then the little bowl from which I was going to use to feed him. When I took out the spoon his eyes lit up and he connected the dots - I'm getting bananas! It was the cutest smile of anticipation. I fed him about 1/4 of the jar and he was very intent on holding the spoon himself, so it was quite a struggle.

Baby versus mommy over the Gerber spoon. Dhun Dhun Dhuuuun

Now he's in his jumparoo burning off some energy. I wish every day could be like this: just Cole and I hanging out in the living room in our jammies.

Like I promised...here are some pics of the visit to my dad's house on Saturday.

Cole getting super excited over meeting Buddy (the cocker spaniel you can't see)

Hi Great Grandma!

Cole and Papa Joe

Air guitar!

Baby and great grandma converse

There were so many cute pics to choose from but I thought these best showed the kick these two got out of each other.  What do you think of my choices?

Coming soon... a few cute pics of our outing with Grandma Carolyn to the 13th annual Rosendale Pickle Festival.

What I would've said

I recently read a blog post in which the author wrote a letter to her past pregnant self. It was a reaction to an awesome video floating around you tube about what a mother would say to herself or to other mothers if she knew then what she knows now. If I had the time I'd link to all of these things but Cole is napping and I want to write so google it if you want to see it.

Here's what I would tell myself:
1) You think bed rest is hard? Try motherhood.
2) Research the pump more. It's something you're going to put on your boobs twice a day for the next year.
3) The breastfeeding will fall into place, as will the boobs.
4) You can be a good mother, even if you didn't have a good one yourself.
5) Forget what the books say -- do what you think is right for your child.

There's so much more, but those to me are the most important and the advice I keep thinking to myself time and again.

So in 4 days my son will be six months old. It really has been a wild and crazy ride, but one that happened in the blink of an eye. I can still remember the moment he was born like it was last night. But the real last night seems kind of fuzzy to me. That's what motherhood and sleep deprivation have done to me, I guess.

Cole has been waking up every hour and a half every night for the past week and a half. It has been exhausting. Because I was fighting a clogged duct this weekend, we had to forego the middle of the night bottle Keith had been giving him, so I have gotten much less sleep as a result. I feel as though I am truly starting to look my age. On a lighter note, when I have time over the next few days I will be posting pictures of our visit to Long Island to see my grandmother, who - I realized - I hadn't seen for almost a year -what with bed rest and then the baby being born.  It was a fun visit and my grandmother was all smiles practically the whole time we were there. If you know my grandmother, you know that getting her to stay smiling is no easy feat.

My mini holiday vacation begins tonight. God knows I need it.

9 ounces.....

Pumped! In one session! This is definitely a record for me.

Perspective

Being a mother has changed my entire perspective on life. That includes my job as a teacher. Students are no longer just students. They are someone else's kids. I look into the future and wonder, how will my son be treated when he is in middle school? What kind of person will he be when he is 12 years old? Will he be rambunctious and rowdy? Attentive and quiet? Will he have a personality like one of my students? Will he like to read? How will his teachers talk to him? Will a teacher say something that will make him feel bad? Would he tell me? With these thoughts in mind, I am more careful with what I say and how I say it. With these thoughts in mind, I am more patient with them. Even though I always knew it, I never truly believed that what I say could have such an influence on their young hearts and minds. Half the time it feels like some of them aren't listening to me. Now I know. And not because I said something to a student that hurt his feelings. I know it because I am a mother now, and I know how my feelings, my actions, and my words can affect my child.

Deadlines

In order to get my grades done in time, I spent the better part of Veterans Day grading. Cole got a booster shot and then he spent 4 hours at day care while I graded at a local coffee shop. Of course I felt bad sending him there when I technically had the day off, but it's work and I had a deadline to meet.
It's my job to get it done. When you hear someone comment that teachers have it easy, please set them straight.
Then I spent all of Sunday grading while Keith took care of Cole. Grades were due today at noon. Yesterday when I finished my grades, I breathed a sigh of relief.
This weekend we'll be going to visit my father and grandmother. I'm excited for a weekend in which all the pressure is off and I can just enjoy being with my husband and son. I am also excited for my grandmother to meet Cole. I think he is too squirmy for her to hold him ( we call him "squirmy worm") but hopefully we can get him close enough where he doesn't try to pull in her face or ear her chin - yes he seriously does these things!

Then on Sunday Cole will get to see grandma Carolyn again! She's coming for lunch and an outing to the annual pickle festival. Pickles are my favorite snack, so this is going to be a yummy experience.
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Daily Cuteness: Little Shakester

Eating the anthology: His first Shakespeare experience

Beautiful Day

Back in October we had an Indian Summer (although we've even had a bit of that in November). So one Saturday, when Keith decided to close the pool, Cole and I sat outside on this awesome blanket given to us by Keith's aunt Ellen and cousin Katelyn. Perfect time for pictures. Can you tell I love to post pictures of this cutie?

Another growth spurt

Mommy pillow

So yeah, grading is done (I will be posting about that tomorrow), and just in time too, because Cole just started another feeding frenzy, the one where he eats every hour-and-a-half when he's home. I am imagining (but hoping I am wrong) that this is going to be the beginning of yet another two-week long growth spurt.  I can already see his skull is getting bigger and it's obvious he's getting longer since he's outgrown sleepers that once fit him nicely. So maybe he's done the growing and now he needs to do the eating or as I write this he's growing and that's why he needs the food so desperately when he wakes up from a nap. Whatever the case may be - let the booby nosedives begin! Did I mention how he's moved on from grunting to screeching when he doesn't get his milk quick enough? Fun times. No seriously, I loved being screeched at as I furiously try to unhook my nursing bra. That's me: Moo.

It's officially official... He's on solids

So I know that rice cereal counts as a solid, but in my mind it's hard to come to terms with that when we give it to him solely in a bottle. That being said we started him this weekend on "real" (or what I would call real) solids. I know it's still kind of early, but since he started the rice cereal a month ago, I figured this was right on time. I also think he's ready. He takes food off our plates constantly and is interested in every beverage we drink. So Keith fed him pureed bananas with his finger Saturday evening. Cole squinted his eyes and wrinkled his nose at the first taste, but then ate a few more fingertipfulls as he got used to it. Sunday night I fed him with the same technique and he was ready and waiting. He did not wrinkle his nose and sucked my finger as if to say he liked it. He opened his mouth for more and even licked his lips after I finished feeding him.

All in all, a success.

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The things we do

Cole does raspberries while nursing.  He still sticks his thumb in there as well and when he gets distracted while nursing (which is often), he takes me with him. Ouch... to say the least.

Cole now will not stay on his back for anything or anyone. As I've mentioned before, this also happens when changing him. We've learned to change him while he's on his belly. If it's really important that he stay on his back for say a poopy diaper, we come in like a medical team and change his diaper so quickly, he doesn't even know what hit him. (Only he does because he's been screaming at us the whole time to let him turn over). The other night Cole actually tried to crawl on the changing table. He got on his hands and then his knees and propelled himself forward. He got as far as the end piece of the changing table and whacked his head. He cried, and even though he had a big red mark on forehead, he refused a towel with ice. I then gave him a bath, and it was like it never happened.

Cole nosedives my boobs when he's hungry. And it doesn't matter where we are.

Cole loves to pet Clem and Kiwi.  He laughs a deep hearty laugh when he pets them and tries to catch their tails.  It really is the sweetest thing. They grin and bear it and when it becomes too much, they just run away. Also, he tries to put Kiwi and Clem in his mouth, including their tails.

Cole can mostly pull himself up into a sitting a position. He can sit unsupported for a short period of time before flopping forward.

When Cole is hysterical Keith beatboxes and Cole is mesmerized and calms down. It's amazing to watch. Keith showed Cole Biz Markie (the ultimate beatboxer) on you tube and Cole was enthralled. Then again, he was also enthralled by the dancing Brazilian baby on youtube as well.

Sometimes though, Cole is inconsolable and just wants his mommy.

Public places in which hunger calls:
Numerous restaurants: Applebee's, Rolling Rock Cafe, P&G's, Rosendale Cafe, High Falls Cafe, Jack and Luna's
A restaurant in NJ where Lori had her baby shower
Courthouse (I never posted about that one, even though I really wanted to, but that was quite an experience!)
Rail trail
Outdoor mall
Motherhood changing rooms

Daily cuteness: Look ma, no hands!

Baby Growth

Jump up Jump up and get down! Jump around!

I love my Baby Einstein

Look Mom, it's what I do to your nipple!

I can hold my own!

Petting Clem..he loves her even with her lampshade on.

Pre-crawling stance. He can get on his knees now, I just haven't been able to capture it on film.

I'm trying to move here, can't you see?

Cole reaching for the camera. He thinks all cameras are teethers.

Routines

This post took me several days to write. I hope you enjoy it....
Our weekdays are mostly very similar, although everything always depends on Cole. We have our regular routine with Cole and he has a pretty regular routine at day care.
It starts like this:
I wake up and most of the time I nurse Cole if he's hungry.
I get out of bed and Keith puts Cole on his chest if Cole is fussy. Cole almost always falls back to sleep in Daddy's arms.
After making breakfast and lunch for Keith, pumping, showering and such, I wake Keith up if he's not already awake.
I leave for work and Keith eats breakfast while Cole plays with his toys in the high chair. If Cole is hungry Keith will feed him what I've pumped.
Keith changes and dresses Cole and then puts him down for a nap while he gets ready for work.

Cole's day at daycare usually includes the following: 2 short naps and one longish nap. The naps more and more are happening in the crib because we requested that and also because Cole is trying to roll over in the swing or rocker. He usually has 3 or 4 feedings.
The day care teacher says she now usually gives Cole a bottle while he sits in the bouncy seat. She says he helps to hold the bottle while she sits next to him helping him with the bottle. He also has tummy time and plays in the Baby Einstein. Other teachers come in and also hold him. I know this because I picked him up the other day and found him in the arms of a toddler teacher who does not hide her adoration for him.

During my work day I pump twice a day. I am given only one paid period to pump. I sometimes spend an extra half hour to 45 minutes in my classroom grading.

I get home and nurse Cole right away. Then Keith gets home and starts to make dinner. If I can get Cole down for a nap then I can help Keith. Later, Cole sits in the high chair while we eat and talk. Sometimes he gets cranky and one of us has to hold him. Then we bathe him, sometimes together, sometimes not. Then I nurse him and he generally falls asleep that way. I try to go to sleep too because by that point I'm beyond exhausted. However, this last part- his last feeding before bed is changing somewhat. It's always a work in progress. For instance, last night we fed him mommy's milk with rice cereal and he loved it. Keith bought brown rice cereal from the health food store and I smelled the mixture and it smelled yummy. During the night he wakes up every 2 hours or so to ear. He may have a 3 hour stretch, but that's usually in the beginning of his sleep.
All in all things ( aside from the work I have to do at home ) are getting more manageable. That's not to say we don't have difficult nights....
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Props

I've got to give props to the baby. Cole is a versatile, loving, amazingly affectionate baby. He's also smiley beyond my wildest dreams, and I love him more than life itself.  In the weeks following giving birth to him, I realized my purpose in life. This may sound cheesy or mushy or whatever you think, but it doesn't make it less true. I'd always had this dream of publishing a book. In fact I've been working on a novel for the past few years. I always thought writing was my purpose in life. But then came Cole. And I suddenly realized why my father dropped his dreams to take care of me when my mother wouldn't. I realized why my father worried sick over me when I didn't call or tell him where I was. I realized so many things about being a parent and how the love you have for a child could fill an entire planet.

Props to my husband too for being a good father, a good husband, and for feeding me well. As hard as it is for both of us sometimes - what with the sleep deprivation, illnesses and responsibilities hanging over us - he is there for me and for Cole whenever we need him. Watching him parent our son makes me fall in love all over again.

Props to me too, for being a nurturing mom, despite not getting that nurture from my own mother. I make sure my son gets the love he wants and needs and then some. I let him know he is loved and cared for in so many ways.  And props to me for being an English teacher and a breastfeeding mother at the same time, which, I will tell you, is no easy feat.

Daily Cuteness: My precious baby

This is Cole this morning before I left for work. It's so hard to say good-bye in the mornings because I just want to keep kissing/holding/hugging him. I think it takes me five minutes of good-byes before I actually head out the door. It's a rare day that I leave on time. I'm lucky to leave the house at all. I mean, seriously, who would want to leave this behind?

Daily Cuteness: His new sweater

Here's Cole in his new sweater. Keith has developed an eBay addiction. That's where he got this cute cardigan.

Cole at 5 months: 10 Random facts

1. Cole goes through short phases of "talking." For a few days all he does is raspberries. For a few days after that it's screeching. For a few days after that he babbles. It sometimes sounds like "bla bla bla." Whatever he does, it's amazing to listen to, well, with the exception of the screeching.

2. When he's in a standing position and he's supported by one of us, he bounces on our legs as if he's in the jumparoo. It is THE cutest thing. And he squeals while he's bouncing. So precious.

3. He rolls over onto his tummy the moment he is on his back. He can roll across a room if there's enough space. He can also drag himself or scoot around to reach whatever is near him.

4. Changing his diaper has become a monumental task because he tries to roll over or reach behind him. It's like whatever he can't see, he suddenly wants to see and must get to it immediately.

5. Cole sucks his thumb while nursing. At first this was slightly amusing. Not anymore.

6. Cole sleeps with his hands above or on his head. Kinda like his father.

7. He's finally realized there are TWO black cats in the house and is most interested in their tails. Good cats they are, they also permit him to pet them, and he does so gleefully.

8. Doesn't like going to sleep, but hates waking up even more.

9. Is very close to sitting unsupported, but not quite there. He pushes himself up from a lying position and can get about 1/4 of the way up. Keith says it's like he's doing crunches.

10. Cole is seriously teething. He puts anything in his mouth that he can reach and immediately starts to chew. Instead of sucking on his pacifiers, now he just chews them.

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