Picture Time!

Here are a few recent pictures of my little boy... He is already growing up too fast!

Wish us luck.. Caden is moving to his OWN room!

We finally got an alarm system put in yesterday, which means we will start our attempts to get Caden sleeping in his OWN room and OWN crib! I'm a little nervous, but excited at the same time. I am really hoping this means the start of getting more sleep. I know he will probably still wake up at least once a night to eat, which I am okay with. With him sleeping in his own room, I shouldn't hear every peep or movement and hopefully if he wakes up he'll soothe himself back to sleep. I did get his room ready last weekend. I had to buy a pillow wedge to go under his mattress to elevate him when he sleeps. He gets so congested if he is not elevated and that is always a guarantee that he'll wake up. I also bought a mirror and a rainforest soother to put in his crib. The soother was about $40 and the mirror was less than $15. Of course, he LOVES his mirror. The other day he was in his crib laying on his side looking in his mirror. He was also sucking on this little rubber toy that hangs off the mirror. I walked past his room and saw a couple toes peeking over the side of the crib. I tried to get my camera, but I wasn't quick enough. Wish us luck tonight!

My mom will be flying up in a couple weeks to visit again. I'm SO excited! Hopefully I'll be able to get a nap in and maybe go out to lunch with Ryan. We haven't had a "date night" since before Caden was born. We are so overdue. Caden will be turning 4 months when my mom is in town. We are going to celebrate by trying rice cereal with Caden. I hope this helps with him sleeping through the night, but I was told not to get my hopes up - that it doesn't always work. (Fingers crossed!) I can't wait to see the look on his face when we first try it. I'm sure he barely swallow any of it at first. Soon after we can start trying fruits and veggies. His 4 month appointment is on August 20th, so I want to discuss with the pediatrician in regards to what we should try first.

I'm starting to wonder if Caden might be teething. I know babies can teeth for quite a while before a tooth actually comes through. He is seriously obsessed with chewing on his fingers or anything you put by his mouth for that matter. Even when he is being fed by a bottle he is trying to stick his fingers in his mouth. He has been a little more fussy than normal and is drooling like crazy. Just when he starts to get out of his crying and fussy stage... it's back from teething or so I believe. I know he had a rough day this morning with Tammy. She thought between his gas and possibly teething he was just not a happy camper. Poor peanut!

More updates to come on Caden sleeping in his own room!

Caden had two shots today...

Caden had his appointment to get two shots today. These are two that he should have received on his 2 month visit, but I delayed them a little longer. He screamed as any baby would, but he did recover fairly quickly.

HOWEVER, a couple hours later after he woke up from a nap he took a different turn. His poor chubby leg was a little swollen and bright red. He was screaming in pain for over an hour. He was crying harder than I've ever seen before. It was the most heartbreaking hour of my life. We gave him some baby Tylenol and put an ice pack on his leg. Thankfully this seemed to work as the swelling went down and the redness is gone (for now anyway). He finally stopped crying and ate a little and now he is taking a nap. I have a feeling it will be a long nap due to all his crying.

Last time he did not have any reaction to the vaccines. I don't want him to go through this again and he has to get a serious of these shots at all his visits. ==> Sobbing <=== Why do they have to get the same shot over and over again? Ugh!

I'm off for a nap now too. I'm exhausted!

Caden and his thumb....

Caden has been obsessed with his thumb and fingers. He is CONSTANTLY sucking on them like they are the best thing since sliced bread. I caught him on camera with his thumb and talking away to his friends on his mobile.

Too cute for words...

3 Months Cont..

Isn't this just the cutest? A friend on one of my on-line forums made this. Thanks, Christa!!



We were supposed to get Caden's 3 month pictures taken today, but it was an unsuccessful attempt. He was hungry and ready for nap by the time his appointment came around. He was crying and turning beat red. Poor guy! Needless to say, we cancelled. I won't be taking him back until he is 6 months. Hopefully it will be easier then.

Happy 3 Months by Sweet Boy!

Happy 3 months Caden!!! I can't believe just 3 months ago you were born. It was the happiest day of my life. It was so hard to leave you and come to work today. I just wanted to stay home and celebrate your 3 month birthday with lots of cuddles and kisses. You fell asleep in your swing this morning sucking your thumb. You looked absolutely precious. I couldn't get a picture fast enough before you let go of your thumb. I hope you have a fun day at Miss Tammy's today. I'll be thinking of you all day (but that is not different than any other day).

Love you always,
Mommy

"This is MY toy!"

"I almost got it Mom!"



"What is that bright light and why is it always in my face?"




"I love my Daddy"





By 3 Months -

Most babies should be able to . . .

Hold up head at 45 degree angle while on stomach - Yes.
Hold head steady when upright - Yes, but we still have to be careful as his head is a little wobbly
Laugh and smile - Yes
Recognize your face – YES :)
Open and shut hands – He just started doing this last week
Kick legs – Like a maniac!

Some babies will probably be able to . . .

Recognize your voice - Yes!!
Hold up head at 90 degree angle while on stomach - No
Bring both hands together - Yes
Squeal and coo in delight – Yes – it’s the cutest thing ever!
Do small mini pushups - No

Some babies could possibly be able to . . .

Bear weight on both legs – All the time!
Bat at toys – No, but he does grab them all on his own
Reach for toys and objects – Yes, only the toys that hang from his bouncer
Roll over Turn to familiar voices – He has only rolled over once, but rolls over to side more and more each day
Make a razzing sound – Not really sure what this is?

Milestones, Milestones, Milestones

Caden continues to hit more and more milestones every week. He makes us so proud and brings us so much joy. Last Sunday he rolled over completely for the first time! I had him on the couch while I was talking and playing with him and he rolled over all the way on his tummy. Then he saw the TV and thought he would stay put on his tummy and watch the news. I am not even sure he realized what he did because I can't get him to roll over again just yet. He is a TV junkie. I have to turn off the TV, so he'll pay attention to me - silly guy.

Yesterday marks the first day where he grabbed his toy hanging from his bouncer and brought it straight to the mouth. Daddy and Mommy both got to witness this. I know this is just the first of many things Caden will put in his mouth. He is also talking to his toys. I'm so used to when he starts getting chatty to attending to him immediately or he'll start crying. Now he can just be content a little longer talking to his toys. I often wonder what is going on in that noggin of his and what he is trying to say. He started making these shrieking noises yesterday evening. It was actually rather cute. I just cannot believe how much he continues to change. I absolutely love this stage in his life (although I could do without the crying). I am looking forward to when he can express himself in other ways rather than crying for everything.

Being home with him 3 days a week is such a blessing. I learn more and more about him and HIS schedule. He can only take about 1 1/2 - 2 hours of wake time before he needs his nap. I did so well last weekend that we only had a few minor crying fits. Sunday night we had such a perfect bedtime routine. I gave him a bath, let him play for 10 minutes or so in his bouncer and then brought him upstairs. We laid in bed for a bit and played without too much stimulation. He was all smiles and talking to his Mommy. After I fed him I swaddled him up and we shared some cuddle time. He was very relaxed and fell asleep without complaint. It was perfect. He is back to his old schedule during the night of waking up around 1:30-2am and then I wake him up to eat around 4ish when I have to get up for work. Although I'm looking forward to when he sleeps the whole night through, I do enjoy our 2am feeding. It's 15 minutes of when we are both sleepy and relaxed where we can really bond with each other.

Stay tuned for Caden's upcoming 3 month birthday :)

Little Man..

I'll start with sleep. Haha! What is that?

Good morning Mommy!!


I do have to say that Caden had a better night last night. From what I remember he did not wake me up at 11:30pm. He slept from 9ish to 2:30am!! This was his normal sleep schedule. I fed him, but he did wake up again around 4am and finally at 6:45am. I'm still tired, but I don't feel like I was hit by a semi truck today. Last week was rough and I'm sure it won't be the last difficult week to get through.

Caden is 12 weeks!! Next Thursday is the big 3 months. I took him to the doctors yesterday because I thought he had a rash on his arm. Wouldn't know you - when I got to the doctors it was gone. I guess it was a patch of dry skin. I also talked to the doctor about his gas issues. He always has gas, but there are times where you just feel so bad because it is evident of how painful it can be for him. I have done a lot of research and talk to enough moms that have had babies and have babies Caden's age that are going through the same thing. It is completely normal. The doctor said he should grow out of it within the next month. TG!! I've been reading this book by Dr. Karp called The Happiest Baby on the Block. Dr. Karp explains that the first 3 months of an infants life are like a "4th trimester". He says that babies really should have this 4th trimester in the womb. Unfortunately, they could not fit through the birth canal (nor would any woman want an extra 3 months of pregnancy), so our bodies evict them too soon. He also talks about how their digestive tracks are immature and take the extra trimester to delvelop. He also talks about calming techniques for colicy babies. I definitely recommend this book for any mother with an infant. I wish I would have read it before Caden was born.

Caden weighed 13lbs 7oz! He gained 1lb 3oz in 30 days. The doctor seemed impressed with his gain and said he seems perfectly healthy. Go Caden!

A couple of nights ago I brought Caden upstairs to see his Daddy in bed. We all spent a good 1/2 hour with each other. Caden was being absolutely precious! All smiles for his Daddy. He even rolled over to him. He only made it on one side and then rolled back.

Did I mention Caden LOVES Baby Einstein videos? He sits in his bouncer just kicking, wiggling and laughing away. He also drools a lot when watches these. He gets upset when I turn it off though. I ordered two videos the other day that I'm waiting for. One is called Start Smart that a friend of mine recommend. I also ordered Baby Signing Times. We are going to teach Caden a few words in sign language, so he can communicate with us before he is able to talk. I've heard great reviews on this DVD. We are going to teach him the basics like milk, more, all done, help, mommy, daddy, ect.

Look at me playing with my keys!

Last night....

Caden had a better night than Mommy last night. He went to bed at his normal 8pm bedtime. He did wake up around 10pm, but I gave him his binkie and rocked him back to sleep. He woke up again around 11:30pm. I fed him this time around because the binkie just wasn't cutting it. He ate really good and fell back asleep just before midnight. I woke up around 2am for no apparent reason other than I was getting used to waking up every 2-3 hours (thanks to my darling son). I kept thinking that he would probably wake up, and I only have 2 more hours until my alarm goes off. Well, as I lay there tossing and turning he finally wakes up at 3:45am. I fed him and got up to start my day....

Oy vey!

Sleep

Caden thought it would be fun for his Mommy if he reverted back to being a newborn. The past 3 nights remind me of when we first brought him home. He has been waking up every 2-3 hours and I'm now running on pure exhaustion again. I pray to the light above he does not wake up like that tonight as I have to work. Last night was the worst out of the past 3 nights. He went to bed around 8pm, which is his normal bedtime. He usually wakes up at 2am for a feeding and then back to bed until 4-5am. Last night he woke up at 10pm, 1:15a, 3:45am, 5:15am, and 7am. I also woke up around 11:30pm from some really weird dreams.

Ryan took Caden over to his mom's house for the afternoon, so I could take a nap. Unfortunately, I still had things that I needed to get done before the work week that I couldn't do earlier in the weekend. I ended up taking an hour or so nap. It felt good, but I'm still exhausted.

We were out and about all weekend, so maybe he was restless from too much stimulation. He could also be going through a growth spurt. I can't believe he will be 12 weeks on Thursday. He is almost 3 months old!

Caden sleeps in his playard in our room at night. It's been easier tending to him at night since his bedroom is downstairs. My goal is to start putting him in his crib next week - starting Thursday. Knowing me I'll probably sleep on the couch until I'm comfortable with him downstairs in his own room. A friend of mine told me her little girl started sleeping through the night when she was finally in her own room. She said it took a few nights, but that was it. Wish me luck is all I can say!

Before I was a Mom...

Someone posted this in my on-line forum.. How true is this?!

Before I was a Mom
I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom
I had never been puked on. Pooped on. Chewed on. Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom
I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests. Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put him/her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment, or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

Dear Caden

Dear Caden,

I'm so happy to be home with you for an extended weekend. We have lots of friends and family to visit, but hopefully we can still sneak in some cuddle time. The best thing in the whole world is snuggling with you. We visited Auntie Nines and her mom. You were so good and all smiles for everyone. I'm sorry I kept you up all morning. You are pretty tuckered this evening, so I'm letting you sleep. You'll probably want to stay up past your bedtime tonight. Auntie Nines is pregnant and you'll have a new friend to play with. Nina and I are already assuming that she is having a girl and we are planning your wedding ;) Auntie Nines sang you a song today "You are my Sunshine" and you smiled at her. Every time I sing - you cry. I would probably cry too.

You are holding your head up so much better during tummy time. You are doing it for longer and longer each day. Not that I want to wish time to go by any faster, but I can't wait for you to hold your head up on your own. Sometimes you bump your nose on our shoulders when you head gets to heavy. Depending on your mood you either brush it off or cry. Your almost laughing now. Sometimes when Mommy and Daddy are making funny faces you smile and let out a half laugh. You make me so proud when you reach new milestones, but it also makes me a little sad that you are already growing up. I can't believe you will be 3 months soon.

Daddy has been working really hard and soon he'll be working more hours. You will get to see him on Wednesday when he takes care of you, but most of the time it will just be me and you kiddo. He wants to work harder, so that we can save money for you in the future. Your Daddy loves you very much and Mommy loves you too. You are a little piece of heaven that I just adore.

Love,

Mommy