C's 15mo Review

C had his 15mo check up this week. Here are his latest stats:

• Weight 28lbs 1oz - 90th percentile
• Length 32 1/4 inches - 80th percentile
• Head circum. 49 1/2 cm - 95th percentile

So it seems that he is slipping towards "average" in terms of length and his weight gain has definitively slowed down. His head is still huge, but I am assured by everyone I ask that he does not look like a bobble-head baby.

C also has 12 teeth, and as you would expect eats almost everything. I say almost because he does not like green olives!

The past week we have seen a big jump in vocabulary too. He can say, "Mama" "Dada" "Daddy" "ball" "light" "what's that" "ow" "uh-oh" and "dog."

C is Walking

I've been a bit behind in my posts. My laptop got that evil virus that masquerades as Windows Security. It took a long time to get rid of and during the process I didn't trust uploading any media from my camera or video recorder. All this to say, I finally am posting a video of C walking.

Photo Shoot with Uncle B

Saturday we all dressed up in coordinating outfits and did a little photo shoot with Z's brother Uncle B. Uncle B is very talented, which given the fact that C was hungry, sleepy, and hot and we still managed to get some cute pictures attests to his talent. The pictures are taken at various spots at the Botanical Gardens. We will probably try to do another photo shoot in the near future where I make sure that C is happy so that we can get some pictures of his lovely smile.

The Power of Blankie

Back-to-back posts! Yes loyal readers, it is your lucky day.

C's Grandma discovered that if C is sleepy and has access to his blankie he will lay down with it wherever the blankie may be. This has become a really cute method for us to use to tell how sleepy he is at night. I know that if he is really ready for bed he will curl up with blankie, start sucking his thumb, and be still for a bit. I say "a bit" because unless he is in the crib, there are still way too many distractions around him to entice him from sleep.

Update and New Cedric Video

Wow I can't believe it has been practically a month since my last post! In that month we sold our home on Sims Ave, moved to Shaw Blvd, and are knee deep in boxes and renovations. There have been a lot of changes happening and so far C seems to be taking them in stride. He is sleeping better at the new home then he did at our old one. Pictures of the new house are forthcoming but I'm making you wait until the kitchen is closer to complete. Right now there are only base cabinets and misc appliances.

I have been saving this video to share here for...well for almost a month. I have no idea why C thinks the box full of board games in the corner is so funny, but he does. I was actually in another room and could hear him laughing like this and when I went to find out what was so funny, I found him looking at the box. Holding his tooth brush of course. He is rarely without a tooth brush these days - I guess it feels pretty good when you're teething.

Climbing Stairs

There are some days where being a stay-at-home mom can be very productive. Laundry, dishes, running errands, walking the dog, doing school work, making dinner all activities that are not just accomplished but accomplished well. Then there are other days when getting your teeth brushed and a clean shirt on is all the accomplishment you can hope for.

Whew, this is one of those days! C slept in until 8:00 am, that NEVER happens. I think he was just making sure I was well rested for his day. He has been into everything today. He is Mr Curiosity. What's in the trash can? What's under the toilet lid? What happens when I sit under the end table? I mostly find his curiosity amusing but sometimes his capabilities catch me off guard. Like when I look over from the laptop to where I think he is playing with some toys to see him climbing the stairs!

The Birthday Party

My Dissertation Chair (Prof B) and family were kind enough to host C's 1st Birthday. Since our house is on the market we have limited seating and are constantly trying to keep it show ready, which makes it not the best place to have a birthday party. I have been watching my Prof B's 2 girls for the past 5 years. They threw a very nice birthday party complete with balloons, presents, C's very own birthday cake, and party hats. The girls helped decorate C's birthday cake and it was adorable. C cried when everyone clapped after we blew out the candle and then he cried again when everyone laughed when he went face first into the birthday cake. He is a sensitive little man! Here are a few pictures. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Cedric!

I can't believe it - my baby has turned 1. It seemed like this day would never come and also like it came too soon. And he is hardly a baby any more, its more accurate to call him a little boy. He has slimmed down, hardly wants baby food anymore, jabbers like crazy (most of it Dada oriented) very curious about the world around him and most shocking of all; looks nothing like a baby anymore. Just compare these two pictures:

This one from the day he was born (my apologies to future C when he finds out there was a naked picture of him posted on the internet).

And this other picture taken last week when I was styling my hair. How could I resist giving him a Mohawk?

At our 12 month doctors visit, C's growth has slowed and he has actually slipped some in percentiles, falling from 97th to 95th. Here are his latest stats:

Weight: 27lbs 7oz (95th percentile)
Height: 31 1/2 inches (95th percentile)
Head Circumference: 48 1/4 cm (95th percentile)

Overall Dr M seemed quite pleased with C's growth and development. C does babble a lot and says "Mama," "Dada," and "dog." Although Z disputes whether or not C understands what he is saying - I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Also of note, he has been congested and not sleeping too well at night and after getting 3 shots today, I found out for sure why. When he opened his mouth to cry I could see that he is cutting 3 teeth at once! I suspected he was teething but wow, 3 at one go, that's rough.

We are having a proper birthday party for C Saturday and I will post pictures and perhaps video of the event.

Pictures from July

A big congratulations to Stephanie and Peter who welcome into the world their baby girl, Eden Adelei weighing 8lbs 13oz, 22 1/4" born on 1 August 2008.



Some of my favorite pictures of C from the month of July. C is getting quite skilled at many things, brushing his teeth, sweeping the floor, eating new and interesting foods and of course, crawling around everywhere!

Begrudingly So Big

Just a little video of C's latest skill. Now when you ask him, "How big is baby?" He will raise his hands up and babble something. Then I say, "That's right! SO BIG!" Of course we had already done this a number of times before I decided to get the video camera. He is done eating and ready to get down but a very persistent mommy gets him to do the trick one more time.

Perfect Timing

Yesterday while Cedric was napping, I decided to do some weeding in the front yard. The weather was beautiful, there was a gentle breeze, and I had my ipod set to shuffle for Joshua James; I was good to go. Normally I don't mind tasks like weeding. Its so satisfying to me to see my progress as I work. But I hadn't been at it very long and my mind began to wander. I started having one of those moments where I feel outside of myself. I thought about how there were moms who laid their children down for naps in places that are not safe and not clean. I thought about the men and women fighting in Iraq and how young they are. All of these things seemed so far away though, like they happen on a different planet. I wished that I could prevent anything hard or painful from happening to Cedric but remembered that living a life with no pain is not really a full life. It made me feel very small. Needless to say by the time I was finished weeding I felt pretty down. I was inside sitting on the coach, spacing out, looking out of the window when a beautiful bouquet of flowers was set on my lap. Zach had bought me flowers out of the blue, for no reason. I was stunned. Speechless.I remembered that I don't believe in coincidence. I remembered that I am loved not only by a wonderful husband, but by an all powerful God, who is slow to anger quick to love. I felt abundant life, a phrase I hardly understand but always know when its happened.

1st Zoo Trip

This Memorial Day weekend we had the delight of spending time with our good friends RC, Kassy and their 1 year old Kaden. We have known each other a long time, since before we had babies, before weddings and engagements. From a time when a great meal was pizza and soda from the CCH pop-fridge and Friday nights were set aside for swing dance lessons and Sunday nights were for X-Files. But I digress...


During their visit we went to the St Louis Zoo. Between thunderstorms we had a great time showing our sons the wonders of God's creature creations. C was mildly amused by the animals. What he could not get enough of was the foliage! Touching leaves, branches, flowers, etc was amazing to him. He could really have cared less about the animals. He was enthralled by the plant life. Perhaps we have a future botanist on our hands...

Scooting Forward

Its not pretty but C can now move in a forward direction! We met friends for Ted Drew's this afternoon and C got his first taste of frozen custard. He loved it of course! Even Ari got a doggie custard. Since we were in Uncle B and Aunt S's neighborhood I decided to pop in on them. I put C down so they could see how he can get up on his hands and toes and the next thing I know he is scooting across the floor towards a ball. For a split second I was just stunned. It was one of those moments when you are like, "Is this really happening? Is he really moving forward?" Then I grabbed the video camera and now you can see it in action.




In other news, while at Ted Drew's we spotted former Attorney General John Ashcroft and Catherine Hanaway enjoying some frozen custard deliciousness.

9 Month Profile

We had our 9-month well-baby checkup this Saturday. Everything went well and even though C is HUGE he is developing normally. He babbles, squeals and screams, grunts and growls. He is very social and will go to anyone who smiles at him. He has not shown any stranger/separation anxiety. He still can not crawl but somehow he manages to get around a bit. He loves blond hair, chocolate teddy grahams, my spatula, going on walks or rides in the car and playing peek-a-boo. Last night we started weaning him from the night time feedings. Physically he doesn't need them and I would love to get a regular night's sleep. Last night Z got up with him and C was back asleep after less than 10 minutes of fussing.

Here are his latest stats:

• weight: 26lbs (97th percentile)
• length: 30.5 inches (97th percentile)
• head circumference: 47.5 cm (95th percentile)

C also got his inactivated polio vaccine and I was so impressed, he hardly even noticed the shot. Dr M gave him a tongue depressor to play with and C was fascinated the whole time.

Peek-A-Boo

One of C's favorite games is peek-a-boo. I put a burp cloth over his head and say "Where's the baby?" several times and then pull it away and exclaim, "There he is!" This is then followed by hugs and kisses. The other day he caught the curtain, which was blowing in the breeze and started playing peek-a-boo with me. He would cover his face with the curtain and then pull it away and smile. When I realized what he was doing I got the video camera so you could enjoy his cuteness.

First Taste of Chocolate

It comes as no surprise that C's first taste of chocolate would be something fun. Both his Dad and Grandma have a sweet tooth for two things ice cream and chocolate. I was using almond bark for a dessert I made for a friend's baby shower and let C play with the spatula. When he discovered that there was chocolate on it he loved it! But he was very sad when the chocolate was gone and I took the spatula away. Here it is played out in pictures.

Scrunchy Face

Over the weekend C started making a new face that cracks Z and I up! He scrunches up his nose and breathes hard through it.


I tried capturing the expression with the camera, but really, nothing does it justice except video.

Almost Crawling and Playdate

C is getting so close to crawling! He can scoot very well on his belly and he has found that there are a wealth of things he can get to and put in his mouth. He can get up on his knees and he lunges for things in front of him, but so far is hasn't put all the actions together. But I suspect I'll be posting a crawling video here before to long.

Wednesday (16 April 2008) was a beautiful, windy day in the city. C and I met a few other moms at the Botanical Gardens for a play date. On Wednesday admission is free for city/county residents and the kids had a great time exploring the new exhibit and the recently completed children's playground. I have to admit that the longer I live in St Louis, the more it grows on me and I look forward to taking C to these places again and again.

Swimming

Cedric and I are taking swim classes together at the Clayton Center. We are just over the half-way mark in our 8 week session and so far it has been a great experience. The cost was very reasonable, a little more than $5 a session and there are a plethora of benefits;

• potential to increase intelligence, concentration, and alertness
• improved social, emotional, and physical development
• children with disabilities, in particular autism have shown remarkable benefits from a nurturing swimming experience.
• Parent/Infant-Toddler swim time can be an engaging, calming and positive tactile environment for developing, interacting and growing together.
• longer naps after swim class (we have definitely seen this in our house!)
• interact with other children their age.

Here are a few pictures that Cedric's Grandma took of us during their last visit.

Swish and Flick

My friends Rebecca, Elisa and Kassy are three moms whose opinions I trust and whose experiences I glean as much as I can from - especially about babies. And based off of their experiences I have decided to give cloth diapers a whirl. My own experiences have been mixed - but I think I'm going to stick with it. Now before you think that I do everything just because my friends are all doing it, I did my homework on cloth diapers and found out that it saves my household a bundle of money over time and the thought of those non-biodegradable diapers sitting in a landfill somewhere does make me feel guilty. I freely admit that doing things to lesson my carbon footprint makes me feel good.

I decided to try a sample pack from Cotton Babies - a local baby store and cloth diaper boutique, seriously half the store is dedicated to diapers. The diapers were beautiful! The feel of them compared to a disposable was amazing in the difference. I felt newly guilty for putting such cheap, scratchy material on my precious baby's body. What I was not prepared for was having to wash and dry them 5-6 times before I could even use them. Then there is the great detergent debate. Mercy! There are entire forums dedicated to educating you about the dangers and evils that some detergents can have on your diapers, and after paying between $10 and $17 a diaper I can understand why. But after some reading, I use either Tide Free or Planet. Though in my opinion having soft water makes a huge difference. All in all, not so bad at this point. Minimal leaks, poop was not really an issue (very easy to flick in the toilet), and they seemed much more comfortable than disposable. Plus I had a clear eco-conscience. I decided to get another couple days worth. I purchased a combination of BumGenius all in ones, BumGenius one-size, and Happy Heiny pocket diapers.

Then Cedric's front teeth starting growing again. This meant that he had poop that resembled melted peanut butter but sadly did not smell like it. It also meant that just flicking it into the toilet was not going to happen. It meant I had to "swish and flick." Swishing and flicking happens to combine all of my worst sanitary fears into one activity. Toilets, poop, and hands are not a good combination in any scenario. I thought this would be the end of my cloth diapering experience. But I mustered my strength by thinking of my friends and trying to push down the inventory of infectious diseases contracted by contact with feces. As far as I knew, they had not gotten sick from swishing and flicking. The first time though was rough - toilet water touched my hands and I felt like they would never be clean again. I wished I could scour a few layers of skin off of them. Thankfully its gotten better. There happens to be an art to the swish and flick and I really have not had to do it that often.

On the whole, I think cloth diapering is the way to go and I'm going to stick with it. I'm still experimenting with inserts and such to find the right combination to fit my needs, but I feel good about the situation. I'm still having to use disposables at night but I'm hoping to find a diaper that can handle a baby that nurses multiple times in the night and thus wets frequently. I think I have a good chance with these.
I'll close this quite candid post with a picture of Cedric sporting a cloth diaper while playing with an XBox controller, he wants to be just like his Daddy already.

Fun in Pasadena

It is true that LA is not one of my favorite cities - I much prefer London or New York - but the city of Pasadena is not without its charms. So far Cedric and I have been to the Public Library (where Stephanie works), City Hall, Maranatha Campus (where Peter works), and Old Town. Some of the places we have eaten are Pinkberry and Jones Coffee. Here are a few pictures..

Peter and Stephanie's apartment has a fabulous double sink in which Cedric has enjoyed a few baths.

It’s Not Winter Here!

Hello from Pasadena California! Yes Cedric and I have made it safe and sound and I will never travel solo with him again. Not that he wasn't terrific, earache and all. I feed him puffs when we took off and during landing and he hardly seemed to notice changes in air pressure. What makes traveling hard is schleping through the airport with the insane amount of stuff I felt was necessary to bring; car seat, stroller, diaper bag, ergo baby carrier, not to mention a decent supply of baby food, pumped breast milk (for making cereal in CA), amoxicilin, and baby tylenol, oh and don't forget Cedric! If it were not for the kindness of strangers and answered prayer I don't know how I would have made it.

The first flight (yes there were 2 to get to Pasadena) we sat next to someone who was not a kid person. She tried very hard to just ignore us, which is fine I know there are people out there who are not comfortable with babies. But when we got to Chicago I prayed that we could sit next to a grandma on the 5 hour flight to LA. Sure enough we were next to Swedish Grandparents who were delightful. They loved Cedric and Swedish Grandma held him, let me go to the restroom alone, and entertained him when he got bored. She was also very pleasant company, amazing since they were traveling to Fresno, CA to visit their pregnant daughter and had been traveling for over 20 hours.

Before I go I must also send a shout out to Scott, Captain of our United Flight 945 to LA. After our plane landed and everyone had disembarked, I was still waiting for the stroller to be brought up and there I stood right outside the door of the plane, waiting and waiting. Scott wandered out of the cockpit and asked if I was waiting for a stroller and then went to locate it. He couldn't find it and we both assumed it was buried in a mountain of luggage and would show up in the baggage claim. However as I was greeting Peter and Stephanie, here comes Scott carrying the stroller! That's going to extra mile. Fly the plane and then find the stroller. Way to go Scott.

OK Steph just woke up and we're going to get ready...pictures will be forthcoming

Two Firsts

Today marks two milestones in Cedric's life, the first time he successfully fed himself and his first earache. Not all firsts are fun.

I have been giving Cedric puffs for almost a week now as a new food texture to explore. He is pretty good about chewing them and not swallowing them whole, but he is also quite skilled at dissolving teething tablets in him mouth so I suspected that the puffs would be no big deal. He has been trying to feed himself puffs for a few days and this morning, sweet success! Here is a video of his new found skill.

Sadly, I've had suspicions that he might be ill for a few days. A little cough in his sleep, runny nose and moodiness but all these things are symptoms of teething for him as well. Thirty minutes after he went down for an afternoon nap he woke up crying and was basically inconsolable. Plus he was starting to pull at his ear. So off to the Children's Clinic we went. Let me tell you it is no easy feat to try to keep a grumpy, crying baby still so that the doctor can look in his ears. It took three hands to hold him still. I had a classic *mom moment* too. While leaning over Cedric towards the doctor, I noticed that I was sweating probably from a combination of exerted effort, worry and a warm examining room and the thought went through my mind "Do I stink? Did I put on deodorant? Umm not since early this morning so I probably stink. I wish I had at least put on a clean shirt." I compromised by leaning slightly away from the doctor. Anyway, Cedric has a double ear infection and is on a 10 day dose of amoxicillin.

Flirting with Spring

Sunday was an amazing, beautiful day here in St Louis, MO. The sun was shining, the birds were singing and the temp was around 75 degrees. It was a day that makes you feel happy just to be alive. I took Cedric and Ari to the park and Cedric loved swinging in the toddler swing. I really need to get video of this because it is really cute.

However, things took a dramatic turn Monday evening when it began to sleet and snow. Tuesday it snowed 11.5 inches at our home - some places in the metro area only got 8 inches. There were also confirmed reports of thunder snow, which if you are in the market for a band name or super hero persona, I think Thunder Snow would be a great one. Zach's brother Brad and his wife Sylvia went out to Art Hill to enjoy the festivities. I can't wait for Cedric to be old enough for sledding, what fun times will be had.

6 Months and Growing

Cedric had his 6mo checkup this week and his pediatrician says he is a happy, healthy and growing boy. I could have told him that! He has also been cutting teeth like crazy! He has six already and today I pretty sure he starting cutting another. I keep telling him that he doesn't have to cut them all at once, but I don't think his body is listening. Here are his current measurements:

• Height: 29 inches (97th percentile)

• Weight: 22 lbs 7oz (97th percentile)

• Head Circumference: 45 3/4 cm (90th percentile)

Cedric's current favorite activities include eating, bouncing in the Johnny Jump-Up seat, playing in his excersaucer, putting things in his mouth and being tickled. He is definitely a morning person, just like Mom and is crazy about his Dad, also just like Mom. When Zach gets home from work, Cedric lights up and gets so excited.

Trip to the Butterfly House

Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued is always beyond our grasp, but which if you will sit down quietly may alight upon you. - Nathaniel Hawthorn

Zach was able to get two free passes to the Butterfly House, which is the perfect activity for cold winter days. The butterflies are housed in a climate controlled tropical environment and when its 16 degrees outside, stepping into a room that is 80 degrees and humid feels amazing. My friend Jen and her daughter Abby were able to join us and it was delightful watching Abby discovering the butterflies.

Bouncy Feet

I remembered that we had been given a Johnny Jump Up Seat and so I thought it was time for Cedric to try it out. Good thing I did because the pound limit is 24 lbs and Cedric is over 20 lbs! His bouncing is so cute, I had to share.

Please ignore my dorky–over-excited-Mom voice and focus on the cute baby.

The Joy of Cooking …

…is getting to watch the people you love enjoy eating the food you make. Just some pictures of Cedric eating. I've introduced a cup and he enjoys chewing on the spout. He also really likes eating teething biscuits with the aide of the baby safe feeder. A truly brilliant invention. Cedric's interest in food in general has increased dramatically as well. Last night I made rosemary potatoes (recipe to follow) and when they came of the oven, Zach and I couldn't help but start munching on them. I had Cedric in my arms and after watching me eat a couple, he made a grab for one. I let him have a taste and lets just say he was shocked that it didn't taste like bananas!

First Date

A big thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Wiedlocher who babysat Cedric Saturday afternoon so Zach and I could have a date. Our first one since having Cedric. I was asked if it was hard to leave Cedric and I can honestly say nope, it wasn't hard. I'm sure some of it was knowing that he was left in very capable and loving hands but it was also time to do it. When we got in the car to leave I held up my hands and yelled "Freedom!"

For our date we had lunch at Chilli's and then we went to the movies. I was tempted to see Cloverfield but we ended up seeing 27 Dresses. I love chick flicks. I can't help myself. They always get horrible reviews because the plot is predictable, the characters are stereotypical and the ending is always sappy (whether its happily ever after or tragic). But these are exactly the reasons why I love them! So here is my review of 27 Dresses. Its an adorable movie about a girl who loves weddings and is the proverbial "always a bridesmaid, never a bride." She meets a guy at a wedding who seems to be anti-weddings but really writes the Commitments column for the NY Times. The guy she's been crushing on falls for her sister. Her dad runs a hardware store. In the end there is a wedding on the beach and every conflict is worked out smoothly. Its terribly cliche but leaves you feeling good.

5 Months Already

Cedric is 5 months today and some new pictures are in order. Eating solids is going pretty well. He definitely likes bananas, sweet potato and butternut squash. My attempts to feed him avocado have been just that - attempts. Last night we tried some broccoli and mash potato puree and Cedric wasn't a fan of that either. Cedric has also starting reaching for my face when I hold him facing me, which is so cute and fun. He has also starting pinching, which is not so fun.

I came home from getting my haircut Wednesday evening and Cedric had fallen asleep sitting up next to Zach on the coach. This is how I found him. Zach did not want to disturb him and risk waking him - so just propped him up with a pillow.

In other news I finally was able to try the cupcake bar that recently opened in St Louis. Zach and I each got our own cupcake and they were delicious! If you get a chance you should check it out.