Family Time

Conor is just 4 days shy of being 5 months old.  I seem to say it a lot but I truly can't believe how quickly time is flying by.  While I intend to continue to supply most of Conor's nutrition it is time to start introducing him to the wonderful world of food.  In order to do that I had to do some thinking about how we would go about this. 

Growing up we always ate dinner as a family at the table.  It was a time to reflect on the day that had passed and talk about things that were coming up.  While there are certain memories of the dinner table that are not fond (like sitting at the table until bedtime because I refused to eat my meatloaf), most of my family dinner memories are good ones.  I specifically remember when Danielle was little and she would sit in her high chair eating while we ate and she just talked and talked as she tried to be apart of our conversations about math class, hockey practice, and reading circles.  Dinner was simply a time when the TV was turned off and we just focused on each other.

I very much want this same experience for Conor.  Currently Josh and I do not sit down at the table and eat together (we usually eat in the living room while working or watching a show).  But, in order to give Conor the best that we can, this habit must change.  But first, Conor needs a place to sit!

I had originally wanted a booster type high chair but after playing around with it a little a realized it is not what I wanted and therefore I returned it and now searching for just the right highchair to meet our needs.  I would like a chair that allows Conor to be apart of our dinner experience and one that will be easily cleaned (so many of the plastic ones have too many places for food to hide!).  I have been looking at wooden high chairs that will be able to grow with Conor as he gets older but is still too small to sit in a regular chair as it is important that Conor always feel apart of dinner time.  I have my eye on a few and can't wait to make the final decision.

Once I do then it will be time to reveal our new dinning room and prepare for Conor's FIRST family dinner!

xoxo
Erin

Portland Children's Museum

Conor,

Today we went to the Portland Children's Museum with some of your friends from Tuesday Group.  We had never been before and were a little nervous about whether it would be appropriate for you since your not walking or even crawling.  But - it was awesome!  Daddy came with us too and this was his first playdate!

The museum has a toddler section like the New Hampshire Museum.  It was located in the middle of the museum floor and you could see many of the other exhibits from this spot.  There were so many things for you to do.

There as a round padded circle that babies could sit in - you enjoyed it so much you invited your friends in to play.

First came H.  You guys are just learning to reach for each other and you ended up holding hands.

Hi Dad!  Did you get a picture of me and H?

I should have known you would :)

This is a great photo of part of the area - its set up like a tree house/club house and a fountain.  There is air keeping the beach ball in the air!

Playing in the circle with H and A

After playing in the circle you decided to play in the tube.  There was only standing room and you stood in the tube for a while and everyone was amazed at how long you were able to stand.

You stood in there for so long that your friend B came to try to help him out - but you weren't so sure you wanted help getting out.

Nope - I'm loving this thing - Daddy will you buy me one?

This special area was just for 'infants' or non-crawlers and Conor had fun hanging out in here for a bit.

You even invited Daddy into the treehouse to play!

After the treehouse we went to play with the air fountain.  You loved standing and holding onto the cone and watching the scarfs fly into the air.

Getting ready to let it go.....

WOW - look how high it went!

Conor's turn!  Just Kidding - you didn't fly in the air but you made some funny faces when I held you over the air tube.

Reaching for your friend Q and telling her a story.

Posing under the Rainbow for Daddy.

And peeking through the cloud in the rainbow!

Two leprechauns over the rainbow!

Where's Conor?  (You loved that tube!)

Baby Stew - playing with your friends just before it was time to go (Q, A & C).

We checked out the rest of the museum and there is so much to do that we will have lots of fun here for years to come!  This is the reading nook in the camping section - its a little log cabin.

Your Daddy and I had so much fun playing with you and your friends at the museum. Your Daddy was the only Daddy that was able to go and he wanted me to make sure that I wrote that he had an 'awesome' time. There is a whale exhibit and the whale was supposed to be lowered at 3pm - we waited around to see it happen but it didn't lower so we left and went to Whole Foods.

You were so tired after all that playtime that you were asleep before we even left the parking spot and when I took you out of your carseat at Whole Foods you didn't even wake up. I wondered why everyone was smiling at your Daddy and I while we were shopping and when I caught you in the mirror asleep on my shoulder I knew why.

When we got home we gave you some naked time - which you loved.  You enjoy naked time and Daddy even gave you a lotion massage to calm you after your very busy day.

And a little naked time when we got home to help unwind from such a busy afternoon!  You rolled over twice today but I wasn't able to catch it on camera.

I am so glad that we are able to take you on these little adventures and I hope that you love them as much as we love bringing you on them.

xoxo
Mom & Dad

Oh What a Night!

Dear Conor,

Today you are 4.75 months old and I can't believe how much you have grown and how many firsts we have experienced together.  Well, last night was yet another first.

As I have written before - your sleep has not been great since you turned 3 months old.  You have fought to stay asleep during the night and when you woke the only thing that would soothe you back to sleep was nursing.  But, with me working full time you were making me a very tired Mommy.

But your Daddy and I figured that you would sleep on your own when you were ready and we were not going to push you and fight what you weren't ready for.  Well, about a week ago you started wanting to go to bed earlier than your Daddy and I were ready for.  So, I started putting you to bed in your crib.  You would sleep until 11pm or so and then we would move you into our room for the remainder of the night.

Well, this past Monday night you had a terrible night and I noticed that your hands kept going to your face and that after a few minutes of this was when you woke up.  So, I decided that while you were teething (which you are now - I can see the little white bumps again) you would be back in a swaddle.  Therefore, Tuesday night (your Grandma Mary's brithday) I nursed you, took you upstairs to change your diaper, swaddled you, nursed you for a few more minutes and then put you in your crib propped on the Boppy pillow (you still need the incline due to reflux).  I had also bought you a sound machine/projector to help drown out the noises downstairs and those we made coming up to bed.  I put you down drowsy and went downstairs.

You fussed a few times before falling asleep but you did not need much comforting (just a binky re-insert) before you were out cold.  When we came upstairs at 11pm you did not wake up and so I left you to sleep in your crib.  You slept until 3:30am!!!!  At that time I brought you into our room and nursed you before putting you back down in the co-sleeper where you fussed a bit and then fell asleep until 6:30am.  I then pulled you into bed for snuggles and you fell asleep again!

Knowing this last night I made some changes to your room yesterday afternoon in preparation for last night.  I moved your rocker into your bedroom and took your activity mat and put it in our room (you will eventually have a little play corner in there for when we shower since it's further from the stairs than your room).  The rocker doesn't leave much space in your room for any playing so its a good thing that Mom and Dad have a space in their room for you!  Here are the new pictures of your room.

The big boy bed in your room with Mom's Cabbage Patch Kid - Clinton saving you a spot.

See your new shelf?  There is one on each side of the window!

And here is your rocker in your room with your quilt on the back.  Your camera and sound machine live on this shelf.  When you get a little bigger I will have to adhere the cables to the wall so that you can't pull on them.

Because we moved your rocker into your room - Hunter's bed got moved to the other side of your crib.  See him sleeping there?

This side hasn't really changed other than we are using your bassinet to hold your large stuffed animal collection.  Pretty soon we won't have room for anymore!

You went to bed last night at 8:00pm.  We went upstairs and I changed your diaper, swaddled you and then we rocked in your chair and I nursed you.  Then I put you to sleep and turned on your sound machine/projector (last night it was sea animals) and left you to fully fall asleep on your own.  You did fuss a few times but you were fast asleep by 8:30pm.  And you slept until 3:30am again!  I heard you over the ipad and so I came into your room, picked you up, nursed you in your rocking chair and put you back to sleep in your crib.  I had to stay with you for a few minutes with my hand on your chest but after a littlr fart you went to sleep and I was able to go back to bed too.  You woke up again at 6:30am and I brought you into our room to nurse where you slept until 7:30am.

I am so proud of you my little man for spending your first full night in your room.  While I am proud of you it also is sad because it means that you are growing bigger and soon you wil be off to college (well - not really but that's how Mommies feel sometimes!).

I love you little man.

xoxo
Mom

Your first Boo-Boo

Dear Conor,
While the Trayner family went to Florida we agreed to watch the BoBo bird.  We had done a great job taking care of him while his Mary was away.

We cleaned his cage, we gave him lots of good food to eat - I even let him ride on my shoulder!

Bobo getting ready to take flight and follow Dad into the kitchen

Chilling on Mom's shoulder.

When Grandma Mary got back she drove up to pick up her dear Bobo.  She visited with him first and then she came over to visit with you.  Well, Bobo didn't like that she had stopped paying attention to him and he jumped on her shoulder and ran over to the other shoulder where your hand was and bit your finger twice.

At first you were shocked and then you got scared and probably felt a bit of pain and you started screaming and crying.  You had a tough time calming down and you cried for about 5 minutes and tehn fussed for a bit and finally calmed down after nursing.  Grandma felt terrible about her Bobo hurting you and she pushed him into his cage and told him he was a bad boy.

When Grandma and the bad Bobo left we took you for a walk and saw the damage to your finger.  As you can see he got your knuckle and the small joint at the beginning of your pointer finger. 

While you and Bobo might not be best friends right now - he did sent you an apology via text later that night.

xoxo
Mom

Portsmouth Children's Museum

Dear Conor,

You have had a lot of playdates this past month but on April 26, 2012 we drove to Portsmouth, New Hampshire so that we could play with the Fillip family.  We met them at the Portsmouth Children's Museum.

The Museum has so many fun things to do that I can see us visiting there for many years to come!  You and Ryan spent some time in the baby/toddler section where there were mirrors on the walls and soft pillows and foam shapes for you to lean against.  There were also things hanging from the ceiling for you to look at.

Butterflys on the ceiling and mirrors on the wall!

Practicing sitting on the foam supports

Whoa Mom - this is FUN!

Ryan trying to get my camera

Playing with the GIANT pin-thing.  Ryan - Sophie - Conor butt prints.

 After we played for a little while we went to eat some pizza (where you fell asleep while we were eating). After pizza and your nap we went back to the museum and through the tunnel to the playground/park out back. Sophie played on the playground while you and Ryan hung out on a blanket and we took some pictures.

Two boys (Conor 4.5 months - Ryan 1 year)

All three kids - someday we will get a good photo! (Conor 4.5 months, Ryan 1 year, Sophie 3 years)

We had so much fun with the Fillip family and hopefully we will get to see them again soon!

xoxo
Mom

Showering Auntie Lindsay

Dear Conor,

You have now attended your first official baby shower.  On Sunday, April 22, 2012 we drove down to Massachusetts to attend Aunt Lindsay's shower for your (currently name unknown) cousin.  Your Grandma Janet drove with us to Somerville where we picked up Auntie Cathlin and then we all drove together to the shower.

There were many friends and family at the shower and your new cousin got so many things that he will need.

Look at all the presents for your cousin!

Auntie Lindsay and Uncle Sean opening the first gift

And more present opening!  Uncle Sean didn't try to guess anything.

You got sleepy during presents and rested for a while in my lap

But then Auntie Cathlin made you smile and laugh

Auntie Lindsay opening your gift - newborn overalls for cousin

Opening presents took a long time and you needed to rest so you took a snooze in your stroller

And you slept through all these presents!

Your cousin is a lucky little boy and he got so many nice things.  The shower was a lot of fun and was decorated beautifully.  There were mason jars with flowers on each table and little pails of chocolates with blackboard signs that said "Baby O'Reilly" and other cute sayings.

We also played a game where you had to guess what baby food you were tasting - the baby food was gross and I promise to never feed you spaghetti and cheese baby food (YUCK!).

You had a tough time in the car on the way home but it had been a long long day and so it was understood.  When we got home we gave you a nice warm bath, you nursed, and then you went to sleep. 

Conor you have had so many adventures and you are still not even 1/2 a year old!  Your cousin is due only a few days before you turn 6 months so we shall see if you are a cousin before or after your 1/2 birthday!

xoxo
Mom

4 Month Well-Baby Visit

Dear Conor,

Today you had your 4 month well-baby visit with your pediatrician.  You did really well when all your stats were being taken.  Here is the run down:

Weight: 16.8lbs (77%)   [2 months - 12.9lbs; 75%]
Height: 24.5 inches (27%) [2 months - 23.5 inches; 75%]
Head Cir.: 42.75cm (60%) [2 months - 41cm; 75%]

We are not yet concerned about any of your measurements because babies often grow out before they grow up.  However, your current imbalance does create a clothing predicament because you need 6 months size clothing for your little bum and shoulders but your cute little legs and arms are too short! 

Your next visit is in July so we shall see how you measure up then!

Today you were also scheduled for 2 shots and the roto-virus drink.  However, they were out of the combination shot which meant that you had to get 4 shots (2 in each thigh) and the drink.  The office took a long time getting your shots together so between visiting with the Doc and the shots you had nursed and fallen asleep.  We had to wake you up which is something we NEVER do.  You did well during your shots (or as well as can be expected) and you nursed right after which did help you.

But, today you have been a bit 'off' and both your Daddy and I believe its due to the fact that we had to wake you up.  When you sleep we have learned that it means you really need sleep (you crash hard) and we do everything in our power to not wake you up (you had even missed playdates because I won't wake you up).

You fell asleep tonight at 7:30pm and it is my hope that you sleep long and hard tonight to give your body the best chance at making up for what you missed today and help you recover from the stress of inoculations!

Thankfully at your 6 month visit you don't get any shots (so we were told).

xoxo
Mom