Cinnamon Apples Yummm

Peel 4 apples and diced them.

Put in a pot with a little water, a bit of cinnamon and cover.

Cook for 1/2 hour on low, or till they're super soft.

Cool Down and put in blender with all the juice they looked in. You can add water or BM, I didn't add anything this time.

Beautiful Applesauce!

Picture after he ate his applesauce, I think he loved it!

Look who's sitting :-)

Wed. Jan 13th, 2009

Sweet Potato and/or Yams Baby Food

Here's the recipe!

-Set Oven to 375 degrees

-Wash really good. I scrubbed mine.

You can either cover in a dish, cover individually, or poke and throw on a dish.

Cook for 1 hour, poke to make sure they're done.

Cool off. Peel off skin.

Blend with Breastmilk or Formula to a smooth texture.

Freeze in containers or ice cube tray.

To defrost: Just take out the night before and let it thaw out in the refrig.

Feed Starving Baby! (P.S. Ignore oven in my dining room! it's not connected, LOL)

I think he liked this one too :-)

Diaper Review

UPDATE: I had checked on costco.com for their Kirkland diapers and they were 49.99 a box and the same thing with the store. I had to do a double check b/c that seemed outrageous to me! Well yesterday when I went to Costco they were 39.99! Now, I don't know what happened here but I'm assuming the price went up and now it's back down b/c even the website said $49.99, anyway, at 39.99 YOU'VE GOT URSELF A NEW CUSTOMER :-)

P.S. I just looked HERE and it says they're $45.99, make up your D### mind! is it 39, 45, 0r 49?? I guess you've gotta see in your own costco for yourself...GGGRRRR

HUGGIES GENTLE CARE: I LOVED these newborn kind the best! I used them for Bubbs and Audrey so I just had to get the same ones. In the hospital I had Pampers and they were just as good but not as cute!

PROS: no leaks, CUTE

CONS: Pricey

$10 for a 36 pack=0.28 cents each

HUGGIES SNUG & DRY: My best friend Erin bought Nathaniel some of these so I had a chance to use them when he was a size 1

PROS: no leaks, cheaper than swaddlers (Pampers)

CONS: not as cute as supreme (red bag HUGGIES)

$10 for a 50 pack--SIZE 1=0.20 cents each

PAMPERS SWADDLERS: I used these in the hospital and they were awesome however, once I went to size 1 they leaked, I felt like 1/2 the time his pee found a way out, no matter what I did so, these didn't work too good for us.

PROS: cost

CONS: leaked

$10 for 40 Size 1 Diapers=0.25 cents each

LUVS: These were an emergency purchase one night that we were at the market (don't ever buy diapers in a grocery store!! PRICEY). They were the cheapest ones so I took them and LOVED them!

PROS: Cheap!, no leaks, smell so good, cute

CONS: I got jacked in a grocery store, blah!

$7 for a 50 pack--Size 1=0.14 cents each!

TARGET UP & UP: I remember using these diapers for Audrey when she was small but they've changed alot in the past 6 years, I remember Target's diapers being almost like Huggies, now they're no where near that. What happened to the old ones? Anyway, they're great for the price but be prepared to have leaks at night

PROS: Cheap, ok pattern

CONS: leaked at night, urine smells bad in the diaper

$6.50 for a 50 pack--Size 1=0.13 cents each

HUGGIES SUPREME LITTLE MOVERS: I really love these! I'd say they're my favorite and the best out there. These puppies can hold loads of pee (overnight) and are cute, don't make the urine stink bad and are just the BEST OVERALL. I ONLY buy these with coupons.

PRO: no leaks!, cute!, BEST OVERALL

CONS: pricey

$10 for 31--SIZE 2=0.32 cents each

PARENTS CHOICE: (FOUND this picture on ebay) These diapers are really great, they're not cute or prefect like Huggies but they do the job and I never had a problem with them. I also used these with Audrey and would stock up on them all the time.

PROS: super cheap! no leaks

CONS: super ugly ;-)

$5--can't find info but I know I pay no more than $6 and they're at about 0.11 cents each

KIRKLAND COSTCO: WOW! almost like Huggies but not too much less in price, I really thought they'd be alot cheaper. But work great.

PROS: almost identical to Huggies Supreme, no leaks not even overnight!

CONS: still pricey, I want a better deal!

$50 for 208--size 3= 0.24 cents each

CLOTH DIAPERS: Last but not least, cloth diapers, I loved all the cute designs and how they are GREEN and so on but really, are they? I was constantly washing (using up gas, electricity and water) and he would go through them and it was just harder on me. Nate was already high maintance and this just added to the stress. Also, after doing the math, I spent more on these diapers (not includ. water, gas, elect.) then I would on disposibles. I was upset to find that out but live and learn, thats what I say. I know people that are pros at this and would rather spend more and save the planet, well more power to you and I thank you for that! I did use them till he grew out of them though so I didn't let them just sit there and waste, I did it mostly to save some money on disposibles and to try to get my money back that I spent on these. I haven't given up on them though, I still want to try a bumgenius out and see, they're just so expensive to start...

$9 each--bought about 9 but the good ones cost alot more

Yayy for Cereal!

Nate w/a pic of his first box of Cereal

Audrey feeding him

You think he liked it?

MMMmmmmm can I have some more?

I've been reading lots of different things on starting one solid at a time, then starting many at once so I went with the middle again and decided to do 2 today. I'll wait 3 days and start sweet potatoes. He obviously loved it, actually more than the Avocado which I thought was going to be the other way around. Anyway! stay tuned....

Recipe I used: 1 TBLS. of Cereal mixed with 4 tsp. of Breastmilk

Avocado Time!

Nate and his Avocado

Nate had some great tasting Avocado mixed with Breastmilk and he loved it! here's the recipe:

1/8 of an Avocado

Add 2 tsp. of BreastMilk

Mix Really well, smashing every solid piece. Make sure to take any black rotted pieces out--I was so excited that I didn't even think about it and when I mixed it you could see it.

Feed Baby in laundry room :-) He likes it!

oooohhhh Get in my Belly!

Ok, I had enough

He really enjoyed the Avocado but only ate about 5 small spoons so there was a lot left over so you might want to start with even a smaller portion and work your way up to 1/8....live and learn!

5 Months :)

You see my mistake in the 1st pic? on the sign, LOL I wrote 2009 but I had already decorated and everything so I was NOT going to start all over......oh well :-)

My chubby bear is 5 months! and is the light of our lives, we love this little guy so much. Again, I can't thank God enough for such a wonderful gift, our children are our biggest blessings on earth and I've been blessed 4x--3 great kids and 1 wonderful husband.

So, Nate had his sleep all messed up, I can say since he was born cause he hardly slept but it really got bad when we went on vacation. The whole time he was acting up and wanting to nurse all night and thats when it all began, it just got worse and worse then good for a time and then bad again. I know I talked about this already but I'm just thrilled to have sleep, who wouldn't be? I'm a much better mommy when I get my Z's.

At Nate's last appt. he was weight 16 lbs. 5 oz. but I'm pretty sure he hit the 17 mark by now. I know he's chubby and all that great stuff but he was in the 70's for growth/weight/head so he's slightly above average so not bad, I know once he starts walking and crawling he'll stop gaining so fast but meanwhile he's one healthy guy. ok onto updates....

At 5 Months YOU:

-wear a size 3 diaper

-wear a size 6-9 months

-nurse about every 2-3 hours

-are finally sleeping at night!

-are finally taking naps!

-are loving your new walker

-are still loving those baths.

-cry when I leave the room or get excited when you see me.

-get mad when someone sits down when they're holding you.

-sit assisted

-have a hysterical laugh

-ate avocado for the first time on 1/5/10

-ate banana out of your munchkin meshy on 1/3/10

-can belly crawl and worm all over the floor

-like stroller rides for the first 10 minutes

-love to go outside!

-you respond when someone talks to you

-are sleeping in your bassinett, soon to be crib cause ur growing out of it.

-are the joy of our lives :-)

UPDATE: Sleep Training

Last night was amazing! Nate slept from 9pm-6:30am, that's 9.5 hours of greatness. He's been so much better to handle since sleep training (ST) and he's not cranky anymore and I feel like a brand new person. I can't believe I didn't start this sooner. I always thought co-sleeping was the solution to getting more sleep but that wasn't the case for us. Instead he'd just roll over and start searching for the jackpot, he'd get so upset and start crying b/c he wasn't getting his way. But ever since ST, he's been sleeping in the bassinett and soon he'll be in the crib (I haven't cleaned it out!) I still need alot of practice with Nap Training cause he sometimes just doesn't want to go down and I really haven't let him CIO for a nap, maybe twice but only b/c I knew he was at the point of passing out. I'm just thrilled for sleep!

Let the Sleep Training BEGIN

Last Month I mentioned that Nate was waking up alot but was starting to improve on his sleep, well that went down hill and has gotten worse. It got to the point that he needed to nurse or comfort suck all night to stay asleep. He was waking every hour looking for my nips and wanting to pacify on me. I tried the pacifier and he HATES it now, I tried the bassinett and he SCREAMED for me so instead I was just dealing with it and my arms, shoulder and nips were in pain. So the other day I tried NAP training and that really stressed me out, to the point that I threw in the towel after 1/2 a day, it was very stressful and I couldn't do it. So last night I said, THIS IS IT! I can't do this anymore, I don't sleep, I'm hurting and Nate isn't getting his full rest either so I started sleep training.

Here is what happened
10:30pm He fell asleep in the car and I left him in his carseat cause I was cleaning up and doing things around the house.
12am Decided to go to bed and took him out of his carseat and attempted DF (dream Feeding), its when you feed them in their sleep so they stay asleep longer, well it backfired. He wanted to stay latched on after he was done eating and the drama begins!!

12:15am: he was done but he wanted to keep sucking, I layed him in his bassinett and I offered paci but didn't want it. I walked away and I let him CIO (Cry it Out) for 5 minutes.

12:20am- (PUPD-Pick up, Put Down) Picked him up without talking to him, calmed him down and put him right back in the bassinett. CIO for 5 minutes

12:25am-PUPD, CIO for 6 minutes

12:31am- PUPD, CIO 8 Minutes---here he was already doing the Mantra cry so I knew the end was near, that is why I went longer with the CIO

12:39am-PUPD CIO for 4 minutes before he clonked out.........AAAAAAHHHHHHHH I was hearing the fall asleep cry and I knew this was it! and I'm glad it was

HE SLEPT TILL 6:30AM, I was surprised to see the sun out when he started to cry!!

Like I told Naty, it broke my heart to let him cry but it worked, we both rested and we're both happy today, it's really worth it.

Also, he's napping right now as I type. He's been out since 8:55am and it's 10:26am, it'll be 2 hours soon--

I'm NOT giving up! I already suffered the first night and I'm not going back, I just can't. I've been a walking zombie and its not fair to Bubbs and Audrey either. So, after success I feel like an expert! LOL just wait till he cries for HOURS-----uuuuuhhhhhh, I know it can happen, I just pray it doesn't happen to us.
So tonight he'll be sleeping in his crib for the first time, he was supposed to sleep in it last night but I still hadn't got it ready so I put him in his bassinett. But the bassinett is leaving now and that makes me sad, he's growing so fast :-(

Nate Loves his Walker!

One of my best buddies came over yesterday and dropped off a bunch of baby stuff for Nate. I couldn't wait to get him in the walker and try it out, so last night we popped him in and he loved it! He still can't touch the floor but I give him another 2 weeks and he'll be able to. Today he sat in it for 1 whole amazing hour! can you believe that!??! He sat with Bubbs and Audrey while they played and he kept talking and playing along, Thank you Vanessa!!