Thirteen Months

When I posted the twelve month post, Ryan said something about not having to do the monthly posts anymore. He was wrong that I would stop there. But I have no idea how long it will go on. For now, he's still growing and changing and learning so much each month that I feel I need to document it. It's just as much for my own records as it is for sharing with loved ones. I'll continue to do them as long as I feel it's worth it, I suppose. Funny thing - my friend, Becky, does monthly posts for her little guy, Colin, who is just about a month older than Aiden. Shortly after Ryan and I talked about this, she posted a similar statement about doing Colin's monthly posts. Great minds and all, right? ;)

So....here goes Aiden's thirteen months post (almost a week late - seems to be the trend, so why change that, right?)

Favorite Things:

• His little farmer guy. Someone gave Aiden a megabloks tractor that has a little farmer to go with it. He LOVES that thing. He'll walk around with it, "talking" to it. The funniest part is how he talks to it. He does this "sssshhhhsshhhssssshh" sound that sounds kind of like he's whispering (and almost kind of spitting b/c you can hear where saliva is on his tongue while he makes the noise). It's really hard to explain. He has never made this noise before and only does it when he has this little farmer toy! (Actually, recently he had one of Camden's lego people and was doing the same noise, so...I guess it's his noise for talking with those types of toys. Very cute and humorous!)

Aiden with his little farmer toy

• Bunny. The attachment to Bunny only grows. Now, when he wakes up from a nap and I pick him up, he turns to indicate he wants Bunny... Where before he would want him and then put him back, he now wants to take him with us. He will carry him all over the place. Anytime we leave to go out, I am sure to bring Bunny along. Some people might not like a child getting so attached to a lovey like this, but it's actually a great thing! Very healthy for kids, so we are encouraging it. (And hoping to maybe find a second one to have in case we need to wash this one or it gets lost...)

Aiden loving on Bunny

• Signing. He knows he can tell us what he wants and doesn't want. It's a great thing!
• The refrigerator or pantry door opening. He can be on the other side of the house, and if you open either of those, he is there in an instant! And he gets himself right in there so you can't shut the door...while he attempts to get the small bottles and jars out of the fridge door or anything he can reach from the pantry.
• Trying to stand as much as possible when in the bath tub. Dropping toys over the side of the tub.
• Toilet paper. If you visit our house, you might discover an empty roll of toilet paper on the holder - and the actual roll of tp behind the seat. This is because Aiden will unroll it if given the chance...and then tear the paper into the tiniest pieces possible. So we leave the empty one on the roll and the one we're using out of reach. That way if he gets the roll off the holder, he's just as happy to play with it, sans mess.
• Nursing. When he is teething, he wants that pretty much around the clock!
• His red wagon.
• Balls.
• Music. He is constantly signing to have music! He'll go stand by the tv set (because we use the dvd player to play the cds) and sign for it and just wait for me to put the music in, grinning the whole time.
• Camden's room, and specifically, Camden's legos. If you set him down in his own room, he toddles as quickly as he can right into big brother's room, heading straight to the legos on the shelf. He's actually really gentle with them and just likes to pick up the little lego people.
• Undoing the velcro tabs on his gdiapers.
  
• Putting on (and taking off, and putting on, and taking off...) his hats.
• Laughing at himself or at nothing - completely out of the blue! He'll just laugh to hear himself sometimes, I think. And they're big, belly laughs, too. He'll make the funniest face when doing them.
• The dishwasher. This ranks right up there with the open refrigerator. He goes right for the utensils in the basket - and puts them on the floor one by one. His way of helping, I suppose.

Least Favorite Things:

• Finger prick to check for iron. They call this a finger "prick," but it's so much more than that.. They squeeze the crap out of their fingers to get the blood out. Meanwhile, the baby is fighting to get that finger back and is screaming at the top of his lungs. Not fun.
• Eggs. Now that we know that's what caused the allergic reaction. (Surprise, surprise. Really - it was.)
• Rice milk. We were told to wait on cow's milk b/c of the egg allergy, and rice milk was suggested instead. (Soy is another big allergen, so we're not going that route.) A couple times he's drank it ok, but usually he turns his nose up at it. Good thing I'm still nursing.
• Mommy leaving the room, even for just a second. Not always a big fan.
• Molars. Those suckers are MEAN. Just mean. When Aiden teethes with these molars, he gets no sleep and has diaper rashes. It seems to come in spurts. A couple weeks ago we had a rough week, and then this week, it all came up again. Luckily, we only had one really rough night with no sleep, but the rash lasted a few days. He never gets rashes, but these things cause a bad one, for some reason. We had to go from our cloth inserts in the gdiapers to using the flushable inserts so we could use the good ointment to clear him up. Poor thing. :( Good news is that one molar came through on the day he turned 13 months. It's all the way through now, and one other molar has barely broken through. Things have been much better the last few days because of that! (But we still have the top two to go.....)
• Having something forced from his tight little grip. This kid is strong!
• Soap bubbles. I'm not sure why they suddenly bother him, but they do. He sits in the front of the tub when I shower, and when the bubbles from my soap run down to where he is, he tries to push them off and looks at them with disgust. Then he does the same thing when he is being washed. I try to act excited and show him he can play with them. He just wants them OFF. He does seem to be getting better about them but still isn't crazy about it.

I just think this picture is funny.
He was standing up, stiff as he could be,
leaning back against the chair.
Just looked funny.
I don't think he was really in the mood for pictures...

New developments this month:

• Walking!!! He started walking almost right after his birthday. He's almost running now! Crazy how quickly they master a skill. He didn't actually WANT to walk when he did. He had the ability, but just wasn't interested. We knew he would be motivated to come after his sunscreen bottle, though. He loves any kind of lotion/shampoo/soap bottle, and this is his favorite. So, he managed those steps to get the bottle, protesting all the way. After a couple times, he realized he could move just fine on his own. And he hasn't stopped since.

See him going after that small orange bottle?
THAT was his motivation for walking!

• Kicking off his pants. When I'm undressing him or taking his pants off for a diaper change, I'll pull the pants down off his waist, hold him up, and say "kick, kick, kick" - and he kicks until his pants fall all the way off. He thinks it's so funny and is quite proud of his accomplishment.
• Signing!! Man, babies are incredibly smart. He already knows so many more signs. He received Baby Signing Time videos/cds for his birthday. They arrived on Thursday, and by Sunday (when he turned 13 months old), he had already learned a handful of new signs! (And we had only watched a few times. But the songs are incredibly addictive, so Mommy sings them all the time...)

My cutie pie

The Lawn Dog

Now that we own a house instead of living in an apartment...we have our OWN yard, which means that other people letting their dogs go #2 on our lawn is even MORE annoying than it was when we "shared" the lawn area outside our apartment door. Our yard is where our kids play, and I would much prefer not to have to worry about them falling in dog poop...or getting it in someone's mouth (remember...one of those children just turned one and still puts everything in his mouth!). We actually see dog poop IN our yard, not just on the edge. Seriously, do people just let their dogs run off without a leash - or do they have them on a leash that is really that long and let them go into the middle of other people's yards?? We are not very happy about this, as you could imagine. And it seems like so many people around us has dogs... That's fine. I just don't want to have to deal with the poop.

The other day, Aiden and I were taking our morning stroll and saw this in a neighbor's yard.

It's a small stand that goes into the ground. Flat, small (12x12), gets the point across in a tactful way (especially compared to some other signs I've seen...).

What do you think? Any dog owners out there? If you saw this posted next to a tree on the edge of our yard, would you be more or less likely to let your dog do its business on our lawn? Would you be offended?

I certainly don't want to make matters worse. But I would love to make them better! Do share your thoughts...

The Great Thing About Parenting... REAR-FACING CAR SEATS

Ok - back to the car seat discussion... Last week, I posted about booster seats - the law (in NC), when to know your child really can fit in the car with just a seat belt and no booster, lots-o-links to check out, etc, etc. Here's the link for that discussion, if you missed it. This time, I'm addressing the whole rear-facing versus forward-facing issue. This has come up a lot more lately, and I am so glad it has! This is a huge safety issue, making it very important in my mind. This post is especially important if you have a child that is under three years of age (or possibly even older!), if you are pregnant, or if you will be pregnant in the future, or if you know someone that falls into one of those categories....I would say that is a good number of you, right?

So, if you have had a baby turn one recently (or just about anytime ever), you might have been told by your pediatrician that it's safe to turn that baby around and put the car seat forward-facing. You can more easily see your baby, he/she can see you and everything else around, blah, blah. If you're doctor has RECENTLY said this, your doctor is not up-to-date on the latest and safest. My advice is to read around, study the information that is available, and make a decision that is best for your family and your child. I would think most would agree that keeping a child rear-facing as long as possible is the safest way to go, especially after seeing what research shows us. Did you know that children in Sweden often sit rear-facing until they are much older, sometimes up to six years of age? In fact, rear-facing is not just the safest way for small children to ride in vehicles; it is the safest way for ANYONE to ride. It's just not feasible for some of us...I think you can see why. But it IS feasible for younger children.

But don't just take my word for it....

What does the AAP say about this topic? Here is an exerpt directly from the AAP website:
See last line of #1 in the AAP Recommendations.
Children should face the rear of the vehicle until they are at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 lb to decrease the risk of cervical spine injury in the event of a crash. Infants who weigh 20 lb before 1 year of age should ride rear facing in a convertible seat or infant seat approved for higher weights until at least 1 year of age.^3,4 If a car safety seat accommodates children rear facing to higher weights, for optimal protection, the child should remain rear facing until reaching the maximum weight for the car safety seat, as long as the top of the head is below the top of the seat back.³

Did you catch that? The MINIMUM for turning your child around is 1 year and 20lbs (not one OR the other - BOTH), but what SHOULD happen, according to the AAP, is leaving a child rear-facing until reaching the MAXIMUM WEIGHT FOR THE CAR SEAT, also following directions for fit based on height. Check your child's convertible seat...I would bet that it will hold your child rear-facing past whatever they weigh at one year. In fact, most would hold a child up to two years, and many are now using much higher limits, up to 35-40lbs. One will be coming out this month and will hold a child up to 45lbs rear-facing! That should be well past two years, even up to three or more.

Here is a video that I really urge you to see. I am a highly visual person. I need to SEE things in action. What I want you to do here is to visualize YOUR child in the place of the crash test dummy in each clip.


If you have already turned your child around to be forward-facing and the seat will still hold them REAR-facing - you CAN turn them back around. :) Many people have done this once learning how much safer it is. If you don't have a seat that holds them rear-facing at a higher weight, I can give some recommendations, too.

Ok, I know some of you are thinking...but my child's legs/feet will hit the seat. They can't be comfortable or safe like that? How will they sit? Where will their legs go?? Well, that's not too difficult to answer. Notice how young children naturally sit. They cross their legs, they bend them. They are quite flexible, much more than us adults!! It does not cause them discomfort to sit like this. AND there are no documented accounts of children breaking their legs because they sat rear-facing in a car seat and were in an accident. Most accidents actually push the seat towards the front of the car, which would take the feet away from the back, not push them into the seat. BUT if my child were to be faced with this situation, I would much rather have to deal with a broken leg than any of the possible consequences from being forward-facing in that accident: broken neck, brain damage, the head actually separating from the spine (yes, it can and has happened), or death. Broken legs heal.

Someone actually sent me a handful of links based on the type of reader you are, so...check this out. There's something for everyone (or read them all!):

For the newspaper-style readers:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9916868//
For the research-based readers that want the statistics and facts laid out in writing, charts and graphs:
http://fcs.tamu.edu/safety/passenger_safety/certified-tech/rear-facing2.pdf
Three links for the people that like to gather info from medical associations:
http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics%3b109/3/550
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/121/3/619
http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/30/4/12-a
Two safety organizations explain why extended RFCSs are safest:
http://www.carseatsite.com/rear-face_article.htm
http://www.car-safety.org/rearface.html

Even More Links:
AAP Policy Recommendations: Selecting and Using the Most Appropriate Car Safety Seats for Growing Children: Guidelines for Counseling Parents (See last line of #1 in the AAP Recommendations)
CPSafety.com - Why RFing is safest, crash test footage, information on different types of crashes (frontal, side, etc)
CPSafety.com - RFing Basics checklist; How to be sure the seat fits the car properly, your child fits in the seat properly, and when to move to a different seat or forward-facing
Car-Seat.org - A forum with tons of information on car seats, safety, and just about anything related
Car-Seat.org - New information on the new seat that will fit up to 45lbs rear-facing. (We have the current model of this seat, which goes up to 40lbs, and love it! Highly recommend this seat; I'm only bummed it's coming out with a higher weight limit AFTER we bought and used ours.)
CarSafety4Kids.com - Rear-facing facts, including myths and misconceptions
Car-Safety.org - Lots of great facts about rear-facing car seats, use, and safety

Have other great ones? I can't get them all, I'm sure, so feel free to comment with links, and I'll add them!

Ultimately, you have to decide for yourself what is best for your child. My hope is that you will take the topic seriously and will read up on it for yourself. Don't just take my word for it. I'm not an expert, just someone who is passionate about this topic. Do your own research. I trust that all of us (well, most, at least) put our child's best interest as a top priority. It is up to you to determine what that means for your child and your family.

Comment away. Remember to be polite. This is not a debate; we're simply sharing information and how we do things. If you're reading this in facebook or via email subscription, please comment in blogger so all responses are in one place. If you have done the research and have opposing thoughts with this topic, I would love to hear them. All opinions welcome, as long as there is tact involved. :)

I will put up a post soon sharing what car seat we use with Aiden and why. We put a lot of thought and research into it, and some people have shown interest in wanting to know more, so we will get to that next time.

gDIAPERS Giveaway!!

Giveaway time is here!

The giveaway item is.....gdiapers! (In case you didn't notice what the title of this post was., you know.) Wait, what? Didn't gflappers (just barely) win, based on the poll? Well, technically, yes, though gdiapers was ahead for most of the time. BUT there was recently a giveaway on another blog with gflappers, and with some thinking and taking the poll into consideration, we decided to go with gdiapers THIS TIME around. (We're working on getting a giveaway for the gflapper inserts sometime soon...so stick around!) So, if you're new to the idea of something other than typical disposables or want to use something more environmentally friendly and baby friendly on your little one's tush, this is the way to go. Or if you use other cloth diapers - try this out, too! You can use cloth inserts in them; we do! Or if you know of someone that might be interested or is a user already, and you need a great gift for them... OR if you just love gdiapers and can't get enough... OR you have just started out and want to grow your stash - for free!.......you get the point. Enter this giveaway!

Never heard of gdiapers? I have other posts about them. Check those out HERE. In short, they're a whole other way of diapering. There is an outer gpant that is cloth, into which a waterproof, snap-in liner attaches. Inside that, you can use the gdiaper flushable inserts (yes, flushable! or compostable. or throw them away...they break down in a mere couple months. Disposables?? Take over 500 years!). They are plastic-, chlorine-, and chemical-free. And they are CUTE! You can take it one step farther and use cloth inserts in them, as well. gDiapers makes them, and so does Sharni (the lady doing the giveaway!). Hers are called gflappers, and that is where we get ALL of our cloth inserts. (They're fabulous.)

You have two weeks before the giveaway closes. Winner will be chosen by random (using random.org). If you want to up your odds, though...there are TEN ways to enter! Do them all at once or spread them out. Whatever floats your boat. Just be sure to do it before time is up. TWO winners will be selected, each receiving one gdiaper - size and color of your choice.

Ways to win... You need to leave a SEPARATE comment on this post for EACH way; the comment is your *ticket* into the giveaway! Winners comments (did you follow/tweet/subscribe/fan/etc?) will be verified before announced. :)

• Visit The Nappy Shoppe website - comment and share what your favorite item is, if you have ordered anything there in the past, or what you would want to get if you had your choice

• Subscribe to Sharni's blog - here (click on "rss feed" in the left corner; leave a comment saying you did so)

• Fan The Nappy Shoppe on Facebook - here (leave a comment saying you did so)

• Follow The Nappy Shoppe on Twitter - here (leave a comment saying you did so)

• Tweet the giveaway (leave a comment saying you did so)

• Link the giveaway on facebook (leave a comment saying you did so)

• Blog about this giveaway on your own blog and link back to this post in your own (leave a comment and link to your blog on here)

• Email about this giveaway to your friends, linking to this post in your email (cc me in the email - daisyryan.adkins(at)gmail(dot)com and leave a comment here, as well)

• Subscribe to my blog via email or reader (leave a comment saying you did so)

• Follow my blog (see column on right to click to follow)
  

Count that...TEN ways to enter the giveaway!! Remember to leave a separate comment for each way to enter. Also, be sure to leave your email address in the comment so we can reach you.

Contest ends Sunday, Sept 20th. Winners announced shortly after that (once verified).

Spread the word!!

Giveaway Poll...

If you haven't voted on the giveaway poll (to the right, in blogger), then do it now! The poll closes on Friday, and the giveaway will begin soon after that. Right now it is extremely close!! There are five votes each for the gflappers and wet bags and six votes for gdiapers. Vote and enter the giveaway even if you don't cloth diaper or don't use gdiapers...it's a great opportunity to try something for free!

You can try the gdiapers if you have been wondering what they're all about. You can try the gflapper in just about any pocket cloth diaper or the gdiapers... And wet bags are handy whether you use them for diapers or anything else that could get wet (and you want to keep separate from other dry things...).

Just vote soon. Like now.

Another Allergy Update

I realize I haven't posted the latest on Aiden's newly discovered food allergy, so here it is.

Apparently there is a wide range of egg allergies and reactions. We still don't know what Aiden's is but hope to find out before long. He has eaten baked goods with eggs in them and seemed to be fine. If you think about it, you eat very little egg when consuming baked goods... For example, my banana bread (that he recently ate) is made with two eggs; the recipe makes two loaves. Aiden eats half of a slice (and I do not slice thickly). So...it's very minimal.

Now, he has had scrambled eggs, but only a couple times because we just don't eat that very often. We never noticed a reaction before (but we also weren't looking for it), BUT...looking back at the last time he ate them, we now know he DID have a reaction. He was eating other breakfast foods, including fruit, and he got red around his lips and on his chin. We just assumed it was from the fruit juice irritating his sensitive skin and brushed off any serious concern. This has happened a couple times, too, and it seemed minimal enough to not worry - so we don't even remember what foods he was eating at the time, and it's likely we attributed it to something else that seemed to make sense (and could have been wrong). In this case, we know he was also eating eggs at the same time. And he's since eaten this same fruit - a lot - without any reaction. Had to be the eggs then.

We also found out that the egg whites in Aiden's birthday cake icing were cooked - at 200 degrees. The egg whites that caused the nasty hives that let us know he was clearly allergic. So, they weren't raw, but we're not sure at what point he may be ok to eat eggs...if they're cooked to a certain point, etc.

We went back to the other doctor (the ENT/allergist) on Monday and were expecting to do blood work to find out more. That's what the nurse had told us, at least. But the doctor did not plan on that... I think it has more to do with his specialty and that he is not a pediatric allergist. He does not do skin pricks on children this young, and the blood test he can do takes a good amount of blood, which requires a child to sit still for a while (which is pretty hard with a one-year-old). He kept saying he took 5ccs...but I don't know what that means (EDITED - My friend, Corley, let me know that 5ccs is a teaspoon. Thanks!). He actually asked at one point if either of us were in a field with biology or chemistry because we followed everything he said so well and understood it all. Ha. We explained we do a lot of research on our own. I think sometimes he was just assuming we knew everything he could tell us; good and bad with that because he told us a lot, most of which we actually did understand.

Anyway, his advice was to eliminate the eggs from Aiden's and return in 6-8 months for the testing OR to go to a pediatric allergist and have testing done now. We actually had an appointment with a pediatric allergist at Duke (in case you're wondering why we didn't do that first!), BUT our family doctor's office couldn't get us in until the end of October. So, we were given this appointment with the ENT/allergist because it was much sooner.

We did, however, KEEP that other appointment, just in case. We have spoken with a nurse there, and they will do the skin prick and a blood test. Different people have offered their opinion on whether or not we should go on with the skin prick with Aiden being so young - because a number of allergens will be introduced to his system. We feel that this is the best course of action. Based on what we have been told, the blood test will only tell us that, yes, he is allergic to eggs, but with the skin prick, we can find out more about his reactions (and maybe to the different ways he could be exposed to egg - ?). We will be in an environment that can deal with anything that could come up, though we don't expect problems. This is one reason the first doctor doesn't do these tests with babies, aside from the fact that it's hard to keep them still for so long - the possible reactions, including anaphylaxis. We have been told by others that have had the skin prick that it isn't actually painful, just itchy. Who knows how Aiden will do being still or doing what they need while the test is done, but we'll work through it. We have been put on a list to change our appointment in case some others are canceled, but we're not sure if that will get us in sooner or not. As of now, we will not be there until late October, and I'm not sure if they will do the tests on our first visit or not.

We were still advised to remove cow's milk from Aiden's diet and give him rice milk, which he will drink sometimes but sometimes wants nothing to do with. (He is still nursing fairly often, so we aren't at the point where we rely on other forms of milk completely.) Milk allergies are closely linked with egg allergies, and so this is more of a preventative measure. We'll keep doing this for now and see what the pediatric allergist says after we do further testing.

Thanks for keeping us (especially Aiden!) in your thoughts. We appreciate it! :)

The Great Thing About Parenting... CAR SEATS (BOOSTERS)

I'm a rebel. I break North Carolina's child passenger safety law....

Well, kind of. Maybe not-so-much. According to this law, a child can stop using a booster seat and sit in the car with a seat belt when they are 8 years old or 80 pounds. I say that is wrong and ridiculous. My ten-year-old still uses a booster seat, and I will NOT apologize or be convinced that I am wrong.

So, let's get this discussion going. If you are new to the blog, here is the intro to the "The Great Thing About Parenting..." series. The rules are easy - this is a discussion, not a debate; be nice. This is not about who is right or wrong (I'll try to keep it that way myself with this topic...); this is about sharing what we do, why, etc. Simple enough. If you disagree, I still want you to join in! All opinions welcome. Let's all just remember to show respect.

This is going to be a multi-post topic. I'll be discussing booster seats more in this one, as that's one area we have to consider with our older child. Many people move their children out of booster seats WAY too soon, and some do it because they think they're doing the right thing - following the law. But if you look farther into the matter, I hope you'll see why the laws can be flawed...

If you look beyond this law into why a child needs a car seat or booster, you will quickly learn when it really is appropriate for them to go without and rely only on a seat belt. I wish more people would do this. Or that laws would be changed to instruct people when a child really can safely sit without a booster. If this were the case, my ten-year-old would not be a minority in this case. I know of very few children his age that sit in boosters. In fact, I know of too many children that are way younger and get to sit in the *FRONT SEAT* of a car with only a seat belt. Please don't tell me if you let your young child do this. I don't want to know. Well, I kind of do because I would want to smack you and tell you that you are CRAZY and putting your child in danger. But you probably don't want that, so it might be best to keep it to yourself. (I wouldn't actually do it...just want to.)

Actually, while this is probably one of the parenting topics I am MOST passionate about, it is one that I do not lecture people on. I try not to lecture in general. I have friends that disagree about this topic. We know how each other feels (you know who you are...), and we have simply agreed to disagree. I will say what I think is right and best, but I don't push and lecture and refuse to be friends with someone who feels differently. We each do what we think is right/best for our children; I truly believe that most people base their decisions/actions on doing what they think is best for their children/family. When faced with the information, it all comes down to each parent deciding what is best for their own child. I can't make those decisions for you, just as you can't do that for me.

Here is an excerpt from North Carolina's child passenger safety law:

Restraint Required:
» A properly used child restraint device (CRD) is required if the child is less than 8 years old AND weighs less than 80 pounds. Most parents and other care givers will be able to comply by using belt-positioning booster seats for children between 40 and 80 pounds. The child must be within the weight range for the child restraint/booster seat and it must meet Federal standards in effect at time of manufacture.

» Children may be secured in a properly fitted seat belt at age 8 (regardless of weight) OR at 80 pounds (regardless of age) - whichever comes first. Placing the shoulder belt under a child’s (or adult’s) arm or behind the back is both dangerous and illegal.

» If no seating position equipped with a lap and shoulder belt to properly secure a belt positioning booster seat is available, a child who weighs at least 40 pounds may be restrained by a properly fitted lap belt only. WARNING: Belt-positioning booster seats can only be used with lap and shoulder combination safety belts. Belt-positioning booster seats must NEVER be used with just a lap belt.

(To find the law for your state, simply do a search on "child passenger law" and your state. It should be fairly easy to find.)

So...In my mind, a lot of this is wrong. Age and weight are not the ways to determine if a child fits properly in the seatbelt. It is all about FIT; how do certain points on a child fall on the seat/seat belt? If they do not properly line up, the child needs a booster seat. It's fairly simple. If a child does not fit properly with just a seat belt, that child is not protected as they should be.

I know oftentimes parents are excited when their child(ren) can move to the next level, going from infant carrier to a convertible seat to a booster to just the seat belt. In my opinion, this is NOT something to celebrate. Each move puts your child in a less protected environment. Each time, they are more in danger of being seriously hurt in an accident. And regardless of how safe of a driver YOU are (or think you are), you are one driver out of all the others out there sharing the road with you and your family. Don't think you are safe from an accident.

Want to know WHEN your child IS ready to move to just the seat belt, without a booster? It's an easy test. You simply put them in the seat, buckle the belt, and know what to look for...

This information was taken from the Safe Kids website:

The Safety Belt Fit Test

Use a booster seat with the vehicle lap and shoulder safety belts until your child passes the Safety Belt Fit Test.

Vehicle safety belts are designed to fit an average-sized adult. Children usually need a booster until they are about 4 feet 9 inches tall and weigh between 80 and 100 pounds to get the best protection from a safety belt.

Take the next step to the safety belt when you answer “yes” to these questions:

• Does your child exceed the booster seat’s height or weight limits?

Does your child pass the Safety Belt Fit Test?

1. Have your child sit in a back seat with their bottom and back against the vehicle’s seat back. Do the child’s knees bend at the seat’s edge? If yes, go on. If not, the child must stay in a booster seat.

2. Buckle the seat belt. Does the lap belt stay low on the hips? If yes, go on. If it rests on the stomach, the child must stay in a booster seat.

3. Look at the shoulder belt. Does it lay on the collarbone and shoulder? If yes, go on. If it’s on the face or neck, the child must remain in a booster seat.

• Never put the shoulder belt under the child’s arm or behind the child’s back. Do not allow children to play with the shoulder portion of a seat belt. Treat it like any cord.

4. Can the child maintain the correct seating position with the shoulder belt on the shoulder and the lap belt low across the hips? If yes, the child has passed the Safety Belt Fit Test. If no, the child should return to a booster seat and re-test in a month.

We just did the test on Camden this week. He actually is not even 80lbs - not even 75... His legs are fine (quite long enough), but the seat belt does NOT lay on the shoulder. It pushes into his neck and face, meaning he needs to grow in the torso area before he is ready to go without a booster. He does not argue the fact or tell us it is unfair. He knows many children his age are no longer using booster seats, and he doesn't try to hide the fact that he DOES from any of his friends. He knows the reasoning behind our decision. He knows we are keeping him as safe as we can. I have always explained to him that safety comes before feelings or comfort. In this case, it's not an issue; but if he were to complain or disagree, he would know that since this is a matter of safety, we would not budge.

I really do hope you look into this matter further, even if your child isn't yet ready to move to a booster seat. (Keep them in a convertible with a five-point harness as long as possible!!) It is still worth it to educate yourselves so that you are more aware.

Here are some links that discuss this topic (booster seat safety and moving to a seat belt only). If you have others to share, please do so, and I will add them to the list.

AAP Policy - Selecting and Using the Most Appropriate Car Safety Seats for Growing Children: Guidelines for Counseling Parents (See AAP Recommendations #5)
BuckleUpNC.org - NC Child Passenger Safety Law - G.S. 20-137.1
Safe Kids
CP Safety - Booster seats
CP Safety - Choosing the best booster seat (a comment they make - safety before popularity)
Car-Seat.org
CarSafety4Kids.com - Booster Seat Information
CP Safety - Information on Lap Belts, including a series of pictures showing course of movement during an impact - with a shoulder belt vs lap belt only

Please feel free to share your thoughts and knowledge on this matter. I am by no means an expert. I have read into this, but I know there is a lot of information that I have not covered here on this post. I am simply sharing what I do know and what I do with my older child. Keep in mind the rules for the parenting discussion - be nice and keep it clean. If you're reading via email or facebook, comment on blogger so all comments/discussions will be in one place. Thanks for reading and joining in!

My Love/Hate Relationship with Babies R Us

We've gotten so many things from Babies R Us - it's THE baby place, right? Right. But lately I have found myself not liking the place so much. And then liking them again. Back and forth. But more of the not liking, I think...

The last couple things we have ordered have been on promotion for free shipping, and then we had a coupon code for a discount off. One would think, hey, great! Free shipping and a discount. But if you pay close attention, once you put that coupon code in....your free shipping goes bye-bye. And if you call and ask about it, you're told that they only honor one discount at a time. So, why put the promotion on there for free shipping and then send out coupons for the same item?? How on earth does that make sense?! This has happened a couple times lately, and we have called each time.

And each time...our shipment arrived damaged! The first time, with Aiden's new car seat, it was due to shipping, I am certain. I call to report it, BRU ships out a new one and gives us the same discount, an extra 10% off, and free shipping. We have to deal with returning the first item (at their cost, of course), which is annoying. But hey - we get extra discounts, so it's not so bad. Then we order a new jogging stroller (yes, another stroller). This time the damage is not BRU's fault. The cover on the handle bar is torn in two places - and once that stuff tears, it just keeps going. With the amount we paid for that baby, we had BETTER get one in perfect shape. So....same deal - we get the same discount, an extra 10% off, and free shipping (expedited shipping this time) on the new stroller, and we send back the first one. This time the exchange was a little more annoying because it took an hour (yes, an hour!) to put the stroller together. I didn't notice the tears until I was completely finished because I left the plastic on that part since I had to have the thing upside down for a lot of the putting-together. This meant, we had to take it apart and then put the new one together. But...we got the extra discount, right?

The thing is, while I'm glad for the great service when we had something WRONG with our items and the good discounts then, what is up with BRU putting out two promotions on items and not honoring them both? Why bother? Or do they expect people to not notice when the free shipping is removed right before payment is requested? You really do have to pay attention to realize this, so I can't help but wonder. Now, perhaps I seem like I am expecting a lot here. I am, after all, getting some sort of discount either way. And we do end up buying the item regardless of the rip-off (because with these items in particular, we have not found them at better prices elsewhere, they weren't carried elsewhere, or our store happened to be out of the item at the time). So, do I have the right to complain? In my opinion, I most certainly do. They are putting a free shipping promotion out and then sending me coupons or putting those same items on sale. I just think it is wrong to give out both and then take one away once the item is in your cart. I think it reflects rather poorly against their store. Anyone else agree?

It's definitely making me look at other vendors more closely. As in...where else can I buy this item? I may look at the reviews at BRU, but I'm starting to look to other places to purchase many other items.

Just a bit of venting. And a warning to pay attention to your cart before checking out at BRU online.

And here's a cutie in his new stroller... We got this stroller so Daddy could go running early on weekends...and Mommy could sleep in. I might eventually join in, but for now, my priority is sleep!

Aiden is checking out the super-large window in the super-large canopy. This stroller really is great. It had the best reviews we could find and all the features we wanted, with some nice bells and whistles, too. Definitely one to look into if you're in the market for a great jogging stroller!

Giveaway coming soon!!

I'm so excited about this giveaway that I get to do soon! Actually, just a few days until I post it! BUT...we're trying to figure out what some of you would like to win the most. My friend, Sharni, makes gflappers - the cloth inserts I use in my gdiapers. I've mentioned them on here a number of times. I also have gotten a custom made blankie for Aiden, some of the softest wipes/cloths you could ever find, and a very cute diaper bag from her website (mine is the very first one you'll see - the one that's sold out because I bought it!). I want to post about some of those items soon because they are wonderful. The blankie is made from organic bamboo velour and is extremely soft. If I lay it in the floor, Aiden will roll all over it, lie his face on it, wrap it around him...you can tell he likes the feel of it! And I like knowing that it is a safe material for him to be rubbing on himself. The diaper bag is the cutest thing ever, and Sharni makes all kinds of diaper bags, custom ordered. You can even pick out the fabric from swatches she has picked out to go together or from websites she can order from.

Anyway, I digress... We want to know if you would rather win one of five all bamboo gflappers (my personal favorite), one of two medium size Nappy Shoppe brand wet bags (great for carrying cloth diapers but also anything else that could get wet, if you don't use cloth diapers - to keep the inside of your diaper bag dry), or one of two gdiaper gpants (that's my baby boy you'll see if you click the link!). Please indicate your choice on the survey on the right-hand side of the blog page. You only have a couple days to vote, so do it now!!

Home Allergy Test Results

So....we put the dye on Aiden last night and left it on for 24 hours (since we were putting it on his back, which is less sensitive - but out of his reach). Tonight, we take off the bandaid, and this is what we see:

The purple is where the dye was. It will take a couple days for all of it to come off. (Looks like some terrible bruise, doesn't it?) But it was very clear to see that he was more red from the bandaid than the dye! He had no reaction to the dye. After that, we ended up putting some on the inside of his elbow because that is more sensitive. No reaction. Even put a dot on his face. No reaction.

The doctor had this crazy idea to also check for egg whites, so we thought we would do that, too. Why was it a crazy idea? Because Aiden has eaten eggs with no problem. So...doesn't make sense that he would have an allergy to them. Right?

Here...his face after a tiny swipe of egg white was applied and wiped off shortly after:

Yep, it's the EGGS, folks. (Imagine this all over his face and much more intense. That would give you an idea what happened from the icing that sat on his face for about five minutes.) Really didn't expect this.

Now, can anyone explain this to us? We're a bit confused. Can you be allergic to egg whites and still be ok eating them? Or has he had some reaction that we're not aware of?? We'll be calling the doctor tomorrow to see what he says. But...confused over here!! It's hard to really know this at this point, but I'm kind of thinking it might have been simpler to be allergic to the dye.

Teething Oil & Other teething solutions

After my post about Aiden's rough week teething last week, a couple people have asked to know more about the teething oil we use with Aiden. We do not use Orajel. Among other things, it has artificial colorings, flavorings, and sweeteners in it. We try to stay away from as much of that stuff as we can. We have been using an herbal oil with Aiden since he started teething - Gum-omile Oil by Herbs for Kids.

Now, you really shouldn't rely on these type of numbing agents much at all - orajels or oils. It is possible to numb the child's tongue or throat (hopefully they do not get enough to swallow it!!) because they could bite their tongue, and other problems have come from the numbing of children's throats due to these types of things. This is not the first thing we reach for. Plus, Aiden isn't crazy about the taste, though I've read reviews where people said their children loved it. It is good for those times when there is a lot of pain and you need something immediate. We used it with the molars a tiny bit last week, mostly when trying to get Aiden down for a nap and the other things we were using hadn't kicked in yet - and he just needed something to help calm him down for a moment to help get to sleep. The last couple times we used this with Aiden, he did not seem to mind the taste at all. Not sure if he is just ok with it now or if he realized that it helped his pain (and therefore the taste didn't factor in).

When you do use it, be sure to shake it well. The first couple times I used it, I didn't and was wondering why it didn't seem to work. (I tried it on myself first - I always do that before giving something to Aiden.) But (thanks to my mom for having common sense and asking...did you shake it?) if you shake it, that stuff does work! Just use a tiny bit on the area that is sore. And remember, it doesn't last long and you shouldn't be using it repeatedly. That's not what it's for.

For the locals, I got a jar of this from the Women's Birth and Wellness Boutique in Chapel Hill. It cost $9.99 for a 1 oz bottle - but baby this stuff goes a long way!

Most of the time, we use Hyland's teething tablets for teething. For those REALLY bad times, we do Motrin (dye-free, of course). I have heard that Hyland's makes a teething gel, but I haven't tried that.

We have a hard time relying on some of the other non-medical methods for teething...though we don't use any of these things unless Aiden really needs it. Of course, the child teeths on everything. But he doesn't like cold things, so (even though we keep trying) giving a frozen piece of fruit, wet/cold or frozen cloth, or something like that is not something he goes for. He doesn't pay any attention to his actual teethers anymore. What he does go for is nursing, though, so we do rely on that some. If he's in pain and that helps, why not?! :) And no, he doesn't bite.

Any of you have some tricks that always work?

Update on Aiden's possible food allergies...

If you haven't read/heard about what happened with Aiden's reaction to his birthday cake icing, check THIS out first.

We went to the ENT today to have Aiden tested. While there, we ran into no needles, were instructed on doing some "testing" at home, and learned lot of other information.

First of all, the allergy part. The dr is pretty sure it was the dye, which would be more of a contact dermatitis issue versus an actual food allergy (I'm still not too sure what the difference would be in this situation, and regardless, if this is it, Aiden is to not eat things with dye in them). That kind of test is more expensive and typically not covered by insurance - and an at home test gives you the same (but immediate and cheap) results, so he recommended just that. Ryan picked up some of the dye from the bakery, and Aiden now has a drop of it on his back, covered by a bandaid (fittingly, a Curious George bandaid). We'll see what it shows tomorrow! (We could have found out sooner, but we would need to put the dye on his face or the inside of his elbow - difficult for a baby to keep a bandaid there for a small amount of time without grabbing at it. So, the other option is to have it on his back - where he can't grab at it - and keep it there longer.) If he has a reaction, the culprit is the dye. What to do then?? Avoid dyes for a full year...and then do the same test over to see if he has outgrown it or not. What if there is no reaction? We go back to the doctor for some blood work. (They do not do the skin pricks for babies this young - just skip to the blood work.)

We'll see tomorrow what his skin shows us...

We also got the chance to chat with our doctor for quite a while! He was very thorough and took the time to explain...well, more than we even needed to know (which I happen to like). One thing we learned is that since Aiden's blood type is A, Ryan and I both have OA blood types (they just usually say O). I know I am O+, but Ryan doesn't know what he is (which I have repeatedly insisted he find out...) - according to this doctor, he HAS to be this other type if Aiden is type A. We KNOW Aiden is type A because we had to have him retested when he was born. (The hospital had two different types written in his hospital paperwork - good thing we read through the whole thing! So, we had to test again to find out which it was.) Interesting... Something else about type A people...they have more digestive issues than others. The doctor said they make up about 15% of the population but over 70% of his patients. Did not know.

Then the doctor talked with me a bit about my own possible food allergies...that I keep saying I need to get tested for but haven't. Long story short, I may have a wheat allergy/intolerance. My symptoms are quite different than what you would expect - joint problems. I always expect people to kind of give me a strange look when they hear that; that is not what you would think would happen because of a food allergy. I've been to so many doctors that never considered food when dealing with my joint problems. Over years, the problems spread from my knees to include my wrists - and I've been diagnosed with so many things and forced to wear wrist guards and do all kinds of exercises... When it spread to my ankles, as well, and I was in excruciating pain just sitting (forget trying to drive long distances or type for more than a minute), I knew it had to be something else. My mom (who has lots of food allergies) suggested food...try taking wheat out and see what happens. The pain went AWAY! The rheumatologist I had been seeing tested me for Celiac, which was negative (both types of tests), but he said...maybe we're onto something here. Anyway, back to today - this doctor went right along with me. Never skipped a beat. He said it's very likely that is the type of reaction I have to an allergy. Has to do with the type of allergy I have and...while I understood all he said, I don't remember all the names/acronyms...something settles into the joints, and after they build up...pain. When you stop consuming the food, the pain will go away fairly quickly. And it will take time for it to build up again once you start eating the foods again. This is quite different than other types of reactions that can take years to stop (or to be able to eat the foods - after which one might have an immediate reaction). Ok - maybe that wasn't quite so short... This doctor had a similar type of reaction to other foods, so he said once it builds back up and my pain is back - come in for the testing. :) I went off wheat right before getting pregnant. Since then I've eaten some, but I had a bread aversion during the pregnancy, so I didn't eat much at all! I eat it now and have been for the past year or more. Thing is...recently I've noticed pain in my wrists and knees more often. Hmmm... I'll wait until it's back more than this, though, because he said there needs to be a good amount built up in order for it to show up in the tests. Might be seeing him again sometime in the next year - and not for Aiden.

So, back to Aiden...we have the dye on there now but won't be looking at it until tomorrow evening. He said to keep it on the back for 24 hours. More news then, I suppose. We'll either be avoiding food dyes or going back for more tests.

The doctor did sing my praises for breastfeeding Aiden (and told me to keep doing it as long as possible - love hearing that!!). Breastfeeding helps to prevent possible allergies. He gave me a detailed explanation (that I have actually read about)...briefly, it has to do with how the digestive system matures, which isn't until the child is older (about 3 or so). And then we've been making Aiden's food and giving him whole, organic foods and avoiding processed/artificial foods, all of which help. Throughout the whole time we met, he would keep coming back to how wonderful it was that I breastfed and how we did the foods. Very validating! And it feels great to know that we did what was best for Aiden, especially considering the problems that can (and kind of are) arising and his possible predisposition to many allergy and digestive-type problems (family history, eczema issues, the blood type thing - which I had no idea about..., etc). We've also been told to go easy on the dairy, even though he's had some without problems. The dr suggested rice milk. And even though he's eaten eggs with no problem, we're to do the skin test with egg whites, as well.

We do have an appointment with a pediatric allergist at Duke... We're still debating on whether or not to keep that appointment. We'll see.

We'll post more updates later. Thank you all for your concern, thoughts, prayers - all of it! We really appreciate it.

Rough Week

Last week. Was rough. Hoping for a bit better this week. So far it seems to be better...

It's those stinking baby molars! You know, when Aiden got his first two teeth in and they were soooo easy and didn't cause any problems other than the massive amount of drool, I knew not to say "he's an easy teether" when people asked how he did with them. I knew it could get worse. We've had some trouble with some of the other teeth, but nothing major. Mostly Aiden might get a little clingy (but still play well for the most part) and he has a rough time going to sleep. But the molars...oh those are a different story. Kind of.

He still doesn't really get fussy when awake, though he was a bit clingy with me some last week. Not enough to call him "fussy," though. But sleep...what's that?? Night one...we got NO sleep. I mean, none. Ok, maybe 10-15 minutes here and there a couple times, but we were up for hour-long (sometimes two or more) stretches at a time. At one point, I was on my back and he was lying across my belly, with his legs dangling off one side and his head dangling off the other...and he FELL ASLEEP! No way was I going to chance waking him up by moving him. We'd been up for more than two hours at that point. He slept a solid 15-20 minutes! Not sure why that position worked, but...I'll take it. During all of this, Aiden wasn't playing or even crying a lot; he was TRYING to go to sleep. You could tell he wanted to be sleeping. I felt so badly for him. He just tossed and turned. And nursed ALL NIGHT LONG. Sometimes he fussed because there was no more milk (maybe because he had been nursing for almost two hours straight?).

Night two...we got about two hours of sleep. Night three...maybe up to 4 or 5 total.

Now before you ask if I tried this or that - YES! We did. We tried teething tablets, his teething oil (we don't do orajel - we use this other stuff that is the same thing but has natural ingredients...and yes, it does work), motrin. We pulled out all the tricks we knew. Naps weren't much better. He usually will sleep about an hour and a half. This week, naps were no longer than an hour, and that was with him waking up between 3-5 times!

Yes, it was a rough week. By day three, the sleep deprivation was getting to both of us. We were both quite cranky and clearly exhausted. I felt like crap, and I'm sure he did, as well. Funny thing is, he's back to his normal sleep schedule by now - but the teeth have still not come through!! We actually went through some tough teething days with these same molars more than a month ago (though not this bad!). They are taking their sweet time. His gums are so swollen right now, and forget trying to touch them to see if anything is poking through. I just hope they do come through soon - for his sake and a little bit for mine, too.

The next two nights...teeth were ok, but for some reason Aiden had really bad gas that kept him up. This hasn't happened in the longest time. Could it be related to the teething somehow?? (I'm serious!) He also got a really bad diaper rash - and that never happens! Bad enough that we put him in flushies so we could use the really good stuff on his bum (can't use ointments with cloth) - and I trapped him in the kitchen/dining area so he could run around with no diaper for an hour or so a few times to help clear it all up. I can't help but think all of this has to be teething-related because it's not like him.

Another funny thing...CAMDEN is also getting molars in! Actually, he says they are already in. And they hurt. But he barely complains; just mentioned it as a fact. They're his twelve-year molars - a little early.

Ok - just an update on what a terrible week some of us had last week. Feel free to sympathize with both boys (and me, if you want....). :) At least we're doing better now! I just hope we don't go through a similar routine when the baby molars finally do cut through... How long do they really have to take! You can tell they are very close with how swollen and soft his gums are (when I can force my finger in there to feel).

Anyone want to share your experiences, so we can all feel sorry for one another?

First Words

Aiden said his first real words today.

First, let me say he has been "talking" in his own way for quite a while. It's a little pet peeve of mine to hear other people say their little baby (5, 6, 9 month or however old) "talked" when they said "mama" or "dada" but they were really just making the sounds and didn't understand the meaning behind it. Yeah, I'm sure some babies get it really young, but I seriously doubt most 6-month-olds know what they're "saying" when they do that. They're just babbling, people. I know you want them to talk, but...they're not.

I don't count it as being a word Aiden speaks until he knows what he is saying and says it in the correct context. That said....

Today, Camden was talking to his friend (named Ryan) on the phone. He said "goodbye" and hung up. And Aiden said "bye." Ryan (my Ryan) and I look at each other..."did he just say that??" He wouldn't repeat it for us, of course, but would just wave as WE said the word.

Then tonight, we were talking on the webcam to Pop & Lisey (my dad and stepmom). When we were saying our goodbyes, Aiden kept repeating over and over "bye bye bye" and waving at the same time. He clearly knew what he was saying. How exciting!!

He's also been trying to say "more." When he wants more to eat, he'll sign more and make the sound "meh." Of course, when we try to get him to repeat it and ask, "more?" - he just keeps signing. And gets frustrated because we're not giving him more, of course! I guess in a way we could have counted "more" as his first word because he did it before today - and it's a harder word to get ALL of it correct. But we'll with "bye" because he said the whole word correctly for all of us to hear. :)

TWELVE Months!!

ONE YEAR. One Whole Year Old!!!

As every month, Aiden has learned so much and has grown so much this past month. It is CRAZY to think he is already a year old. I feel like he just joined our family, though at the same time, it feels like he's been with us for so much longer.

I know that Aiden has been twelve months old for a couple weeks now. This post and everything in it is based only on things up to twelve months old, so it does not include more recent happenings.

Weight - 21 lbs, 9 oz (30th %tile)
Length - 30 inches long (50th %tile)
Head Circum. - 47 cm (70th %tile)
I feel like Aiden is so tiny! Compared to Camden who was always in the 99th %tile for everything. I know he's not tiny, but he's always felt like it to me!

Crazy...a picture where he looks like Mommy (it's because the mouth is covered, so you see the eyes really stand out - the one thing he gets from me!)

Favorite Things

• Peaches - When we are at the grocery store and walk by the table of peaches, Aiden will get really loud and reach for them. He LOVES peaches! I used to think we would "share" a peach - that I could dice up half for him and eat the rest myself. No. He eats it so fast that I don't get a chance! He'll eat the whole thing and want more.
• Tomatoes - Another thing he will see and beg to have. He will eat them until we stop giving him more!
• Making funny sounds. He makes this throaty sound that is hard to explain - you breathe in and make this groaning noise in your throat. He and Camden will do it back and forth. Then one day in the grocery store, we passed a kid in a cart who did it - and Aiden did it back to him as we walked passed. The mother and I each whipped around, surprised, and could only laugh about it. Aiden also makes this wheezing sound (on purpose) - just because it sounds funny, I guess. He does it sporadically, usually when he's playing on his own, but it's hilarious to hear. He also makes this fake laugh that will make you crack up! He'll do it out of nowhere - just because he thinks of it or something - and it is obviously fake and loud.
  
• Peek-a-boo. He discovered he could play this game on his own. You can say "Where's Aiden?" and he'll cover his face with his hat, blanket, toy, whatever he has and then he'll pull it down and grin. He won't do it to anyone else and gets kind of bored if you do it, but he loves to do it to himself!
• Camden's room. If we put him down in his room, he makes a beeline for the door and straight into Camden's room. I don't think we even need the gate on the stairs (which is right next to his door) because he's clueless to the stairs since Camden's room is the other direction! He always goes right to the bookshelf for Camden's legos that are out... He doesn't hit at them or try to eat them; he just picks up the small pieces and looks at them. It is definitely the place he wants to be.
• Guess How Much I Love You. If we put him down in his room (anytime he doesn't go towards Camden's room...), he will go right for this book. He will pass up any toys or other books just for this one thing. And he'll sit there and flip through it over and over. This is the book we often read to him before bedtime, but he likes it even if it's not time for bed. He really does seem to be crazy about it! The copy is a hardcover with paper pages...and it was Camden's when he was a baby. Not wanting to risk it getting ripped, we bought Aiden a cardboard version that he could play with when we're not reading to him. At the book store, we put it in his hands and his face lit up and he grinned and grinned!
• Bunny. Aiden has this soft, floppy bunny that he's been napping and going to sleep with since he was a few months old, but he never seemed to pay it too much attention. He's not a very cuddly baby, but this past month, he's really taken to hugging and kissing on his Bunny. He'll grab it and shove it into his face and just bury his face into it. We'll ask, "Where's Bunny?" and he'll look all around and grab it. Sometimes when he gets up from his nap, he'll reach back in for Bunny - which he'll hug and then throw back into the crib. He'll flop Bunny all around while going to sleep. Sometimes he'll throw him down (like when he doesn't want it to be naptime - b/c Bunny's presence also indicates it's sleepytime...) but then he might cry after it after throwing it (sometimes). He's become very affectionate with Bunny, though, and it's adorable (not so much when he hugs and then quickly throws it...)
  
• Music! Wow does he love music. I really just have cds that I had when Camden was younger, so we're not on top of the new stuff. We play the cds in our dvd player and have to turn the tv on to have the sound - so a blue screen shows. When I ask if he wants to hear music, he gets very excited and goes over to the tv and stands by it; that's what he thinks the tv is for (because we still do not have him watch tv). When the music is on, he will just dance and dance.
• Snack cups... You know, the ones that hold in the puffs/cheerios but they can stick their hands into to get the food, but if they're turned upside down, nothing spills out (one brand is the snack trap). They're fairly new, I think. He loves being able to get his snacks out of there on his own. He usually grabs a whole handful and spills half of them before he reaches his mouth, so we still get a mess, but they're still great!
• Grabbing things from bags or the grocery cart while out grocery shopping - and throwing them. It doesn't matter how many of his favorite things I bring for him to play with/drink/eat. I have to watch where I put things in the cart because they might end up flung out and onto the floor if I'm not careful!
• Nesting/stacking - Bowls, toys inside objects that open - he loves to put things into other things, and out again, and back in.
  

Least Favorite Things
There really aren't any different, new least favorites from last month... Lots of the same (diaper changes, having things he wants taken away, not getting milk immediately when he really wants it...)

• He will often stand now when he's not thinking about it - if he has something in his hand and forgets that the thing is not attached to something else. But when he realizes it, he will sit down and might get mad about it. Still doesn't like us trying to walk him by holding his hands, either.
• Riding in the car for really long periods of time... We took a number of trips (to KY, to Hilton Head Island for a wedding, etc), and he is not a fan of long car rides. Or sleeping in the car. He might take one nap that lasts less than an hour, but even if we are on the road for 12 hours - that's all you get, folks! And for the next few days, he will fuss whenever you get him near that car seat. He will protest.
• We found that, while Aiden likes frosting somewhat, it does not like him back. Therefore, I think it's safe to say this is not a favorite thing... If you recall, he had a very allergic reaction to the icing on his birthday cake, and we found ourselves in the Emergency Room instead of opening gifts and playing with friends. We go for testing this coming week.
  

12 month pics this month were harder because he is so much more mobile! We pulled out all the stops...books, snacks, a drink, toys... This is a picture of Aiden with his snack cup - and a handful of puffs being shoved into his mouth.


I think he found a few puffs he spilled onto the chair...

New developments this past month:

• Climbing stairs. He showed no interest in working hard to get up the stairs for a while. Now that we have some, he would go to them and act as if he were trying to think it through, but then he would just give up without really trying. But while at Mammaw Melly and Pappaw Gene's, he got it in no time. They have a room that is just two steps down from the rest of the house, and he would go up them without skipping a beat! Time for gates at home now! When we got home, he actually went up the entire set of stairs (with someone behind him, of course!) - and quickly.
• Not sure where this fits in...it's not something he LIKES to do, but not necessarily a developmental thing, either... But Aiden constantly gags himself with his hands! (Sounds gross, I know, but it's really not.) He just plays with his fingers or hands or anything and will get it in his mouth to where he kind of gags himself. Nothing big, he just makes a sound. I don't think he's even aware of it because he never changes his behavior based on it. We just ignore it (and sometimes laugh quietly). It is kind of funny, actually.
  
• Showing he understands more of what we say... For example, when putting him to bed, if he keeps getting up, we can say "lie down, Aiden," and he'll do it. Even if he grins and then jumps right back up... He does understand what we told him to do. We've been noticing more and more of that sort of behavior that shows he really does comprehend a lot.
• We're not sure what this means, but whenever he's in his high chair and I tell him "no" about something, he'll turn and look at Daddy. We're not sure if he's just trying to read him to see if he agrees with Mommy or what, but it means something.
• Still picking up those signs! He can now sign: milk, more, eat, drink, all done, and music. We're about to get some videos to teach us all some more. (Yes, this means he'll actually watch a little tv...but this is educational, and it's also for ME - b/c I need to learn more words and want to make sure I'm doing it right, and I'm a visual learner. Otherwise, I would just do it and teach him that way.)
• Standing more on his own. Like I said before, he usually does this when he isn't too aware that he's actually not holding onto something, but he clearly can stand alone and for quite a long time, too. (He totally could walk if he wanted to; he has the balance down - just needs the desire/motivation.)

Aiden standing while I'm trying to take pictures...

Mommy's eyes and Daddy's mouth (and just about everything else!).
The resemblance to Daddy is much easier to see!

A Year in Review

Since I took Aiden's picture each month in the same chair, I thought it would be fun to show a picture from each month in order. See how much he changes!

One month old

Two months old


Three months old


Four months old


Five months old


Six months old


Seven months old


Eight months old


Nine months old


Ten months old


Eleven months old


Twelve months old

Twelve months post to come soon. I know this stuff is really late...remember I warned about this, though. August is a super busy month this year! Lots of family in town and other things going on. But I'll get it all up soon! :)

No more gardening today!!

I was outside during Aiden's nap trying to neaten up this area in the back - since we've focused mainly on the front flower beds so far. After a few minutes, I look up to see this spider less than a foot from my hands... I said a few choice words and got my rear back inside rather quickly (well, and came back out to snap some pics and then got back inside - thank goodness for zoom lenses!). This thing is at least three inches or more across, including the legs, of course. HUGE, even by North Carolina standards. For someone who is TERRIFIED of the tiniest spider (that would be me!!), this was beyond frightening.

Anyone know what this thing is? Poisonous?? I'm rather grateful our neighbor is an exterminator - we'll see if he knows what it is! Either way, I'm not sure I'll be back out there anytime soon. Maybe the back yard flower beds can just become overgrown....

A little closer (zooming - not me moving closer!)

That spider next to the big one is a normal sized spider, not a teeny-tiny one.

Keep in mind those little white flowers really are little. This sucker was huge.
Tell me that's not scary.

Go on - try!

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