SO LATE - Holidays 2011

I am unbelievably late with this blog post, but I wanted to make sure I had record of our wonderful trip to California for the holidays.  We were lucky this year - Hanukkah and Christmas overlapped, so we were able to celebrate both holidays while we were home.  We lit candles every night (thanks Sherwins, for participating so willingly!), and also had a lovely Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  Other highlights included a day trip to Malibu and a fun family photo shoot, but the best part for me was watching my family interact and play with Reed.  It breaks my heart that it can't be a more regular occurrence, but I'll take what we can get! 

Here are some of my favorite memories of the trip.

Reed is already a Corvette lover at 8 1/2 months!

Chelsea loved Reed!

Our sweet boy on his first Xmas Eve

Xmas Morning with Uncle Robby

Reed was uncertain about the Santa hat, but he looked so cute!

Special version of Good Night Moon, narrated by Grammy.

Dancing with Grandpa

He couldn't be any cuter!

Enjoying Hanukkah candles with Aunt Brie

Family day in Malibu - the Adamson House

Lunch in Paradise Cove

Proof!

Reed's first trip to the beach!

Kisses for Nana

Papa's little dude

Last night of Hanukkah

Reed is Nine Months Old

Two weeks into 2012 and our sweet Reed is now nine months old!  He's made some big strides this month, and we think some even bigger milestones are just around the corner.  Reed continues to amaze us with his easy-going nature (he didn't even make a peep when getting his 9-month shot!), and we see more and more of his personality every day.  He is still thoughtful and serious in new situations - he needs to study and take everything in before letting loose with smiles and laughter.  But Reed is not stranger shy - he'll let anyone hold him - and when he feels comfortable, Reed loves to giggle and play.  He can be quite strong-willed (especially when it comes to food!) and wants to touch everything he sees, but he is also able to focus quickly and for long periods of time.  We fall more in love with this kid every day!

Here are all the things we want to remember about Reed at nine months:

• At 20 pounds, 12 ounces and 29 inches long, Reed is in the 50-75 percentile for both weight and height.  He's wearing mostly 12-month clothing, although he still has a few pairs of 9-month knit pants and sleepers.
• Speaking of sleep, Reed continues to be a great sleeper.  He takes two naps a day: the first from around 9 - 10 a.m. and the second from 1:45ish to 3:30/3:45.  We put him down for bed around 7 or 7:15 and he sleeps until 6:45 or 7 a.m.  
• Reed is still only taking breastmilk for liquids and has approximately 32 ounces a day, with three 7-8 ounce bottles at daycare, around 8 ounces in the morning from Mom, and only 2-3 ounces before bed (if any).  
• He's gotten really good at holding his own bottle, although we do have to keep our hands nearby in case of accidents.  The bottle/nursing sessions are more challenging now, since Reed is so much more distracted.  He wants to be looking around and doing other things, so it takes quite a bit of perseverance to get him to finish a full bottle.
• Solids went a lot better this month, although we started having a few problems again in the last week or so.  He eats a carton of food, plus half a sandwich thin and piece of cheese for lunch, Mum Mums as a snack, and a carton of food, carton of yogurt, bread or puffs, and sometimes an egg for dinner.  
• Reed's favorite foods are yogurt, fruit/grain mixes, bread, and cheese.  He's hit or miss on eggs and cottage cheese.  The big development here is that he LOVES to feed himself and is starting to rebel a bit against spoon-feeding, which is making it a challenge on some of his old favorites, like yogurt.  We also found out at his doctor's appointment that his iron count is a bit low, so we need to do a better job of giving him meat and cereal.  The challenge will be finding new and interesting finger foods for him, especially since . . .
• He doesn't have any teeth yet!  Since I'm still nursing, I'm not really complaining!  Plus, I just love his gummy grin.
• Reed has gotten much better at pulling up and has gotten himself to a full stand several times, although most of the time he seems to get stuck at his knees.
• He got to a sit on his own in his crib once, but we haven't seen him do it since.  He seems so close, but most of the time we still have to help him get to a sitting position.
• Reed is so close to crawling!  He can scootch forward and sometimes does a semblance of an army crawl.  He can also get into a pike position and get to his knees, but he can't figure out how to move from there.  We feel like the big moment could happen any day and we're just hoping it's when we're home to see it.
• He continues to be fascinated by Ari P., who wants even less to do with Reed than she did before!  She's definitely going to be in trouble once Reed is mobile.  Watch out, Ari!
• While we were in California for Christmas, Reed's favorite "word" was "ba ba", but ever since we got back, it's been "ma ma".  He says it all the time, and sometimes he even seems to intend it for me!  When I took him to his 9-month appointment, out of nowhere he said, "Ma ma", and when I looked back at him, he was grinning at me in the mirror.  Who knows - maybe that will be his first real word!
• Speaking of mama, Reed has gotten very attached to me this month.  Perhaps because I was with him so much in CA, but he often wants to be held by me or near me in some way.  No complaints here!
• On Christmas Eve, Reed waved and clapped for the first time.  His first wave was to Nana, which was very special.  It's a little inconsistent - he doesn't do it all the time - but he really loves to wave at himself in the mirror every morning.
• Reed loves to hang upside down and often will launch himself backward in our laps, which keeps us on our toes!
• He also loves being tickled, both on his tummy and under his chin.
• Reed's favorite toys are his monkey toy (he was so excited to see it when we got back from CA!), his V-Tech music ball from Nana and Papa, his drum from Gram and Grandpa, his dog from Uncle Rob and Aunt Brie, and elephant ball popper from Aunt Rachel.  
• After months of reading with no response, Reed is finally showing an interest in some books!  His favorites are All of Baby, Nose to Toes (thanks Marilyn and Bob Riffle!), The Going to Bed Book (thanks Melissa Reichley!), and Good Night Moon, as narrated by Grammy.  By far, All of Baby is his favorite.  He gets excited before we even open the first page!
• He has gotten very into peek-a-boo, and he really loves it when I jump out from around a door or corner, then creep up to "get him".  Loads of giggles!
• Reed got very into smacking his lips this month, and still enjoys blowing raspberries.  
• Last but not least, just like I did when I was little, when he gets excited, he tenses his whole body up, especially his arms.  Grammy freaked out a little when she saw Reed do it - a little deja vu!

Here are some pictures of our favorite 9 month-old!

Love our boy!

Still a little sleepy-eyed at 8 a.m.

So flexible!

On the move!

Giggles for Mommy

Tasting Daddy's apple

Sweet sleeper

Love this face.

Reed is Eight Months Old!

December 11th creeped up on us - Reed is now eight months old!  It's been a big month for little Reed.  He's enjoying a new room in our new apartment (temporary while we look for our new home) and has developed all kinds of new tricks.  This month he's also had two consecutive ear infections and one cold after another, but you'd never know it from his demeanor.  Reed remains such a sweet, mellow baby.  Jeff and I feel so lucky!  Without further ado, here are all the things we want to remember about our buddy at eight months:

• Weighing at 20 lbs and measuring 28 inches long, Reed is in the 50th percentile for weight and 52nd for height.  Again, I think the percentile charts I reference have GOT to be wrong.  Just wait til you see his delicious rolls in the pics below!
• He still wears some 9-month clothes, but he's mostly in the 12-month sizes.
• Reed still takes five liquid feedings (breastmilk only) a day - 6:30 a.m. (nursing), 10 a.m., 1:15 p.m., 4:30 p.m., and 7:00 p.m. (nursing).  His three bottles at daycare are all 8 ounces, and I think he takes 8 ounces in the morning and about 3 - 4 ounces at night.
• Speaking of nursing, Reed went on strike toward the middle of the month.  I was terrified and thought that maybe he was self-weaning (even though this is really rare), but we weathered through! I think Reed was feeding off of my stress from the move and sale of our house, plus he was getting frustrated with a slower let-down at night.  He's nursing again and I'm very relieved.  Not ready to give up the sweetness of our nursing sessions yet!
• Although we got off to a rough start with solids, Reed is now eating like a champ!  He eats one small jar or half a large carton of food at daycare, and then a whole carton of yogurt and either 1/2 or a whole jar of food at dinner.  He also enjoys one or two Mum Mum crackers in the late afternoon, and some Gerber Puffs with dinner.
• Some of his favorite foods are yogurt, fruit (bananas, peaches, apples, pears), and hummus (which he tried for the first time at shul!)
• Early on this month, Reed began picking up the puffs on his own from his high chair tray and is now quite adept at getting them in his mouth.
• Reed LOVES "drinking" out of Mommy's water bottle.  I take a sip and he starts grinning and laughing before opening his mouth for me to pour some in.  Most of the time I put the cap on and then let him put his mouth on it to "drink", but more often now I'll let him take a sip and the water always surprises him!
• He continues to sleep through the night, from about 7 p.m. to 6:30 or 6:45 a.m.  He takes 1 -2 naps a day, usually from 8:45 - 9:50-ish, and then from 1:30 - 3 p.m.
• Reed loves to talk.  At the beginning of the month, his favorite sound was "ma ma", and now it's "da da."  While he often talks at full volume, we really love it when he starts talking almost under his breath.  It's hard to describe, but it's almost like a whisper.  So cute!
• He nearly always raises his arms up to be picked up.  He still loves to be held, which is heaven for his mommy!
• Reed loves giving us kisses and he recently discovered his cute twin in the mirror and likes giving him kisses too!
• While not his favorite game, Reed has gotten much better at peek-a-boo and every now and then enjoys a quick round or two.
• He is fascinated by Ari!  She catches his eye any time she walks by and he just wishes she would be more accommodating when he grabs at her fur.
• Reed's favorite toys continue to be musical ones - his monkey, Vtech music book, and a new piano courtesy of Jack Spiegel - but he also likes his baseball, bath toys, and Mommy and Daddy's remote control.
• Speaking of baths, we started bathing him in the "big" tub this month.  He loves it!  The floating toys are endlessly entertaining and he likes slashing as well.
• Reed also started pulling up this month!  While he can't get to a full stand, he pulled to his knees for the first time in the tub (and has since done so on his new piano toy too).
• While he's not crawling yet, Reed often rocks forward from a sitting position to the tops of his knees, then his tummy in his quest to reach something out of reach in front of him.  I still think it's possible he might skip crawling, but maybe not!
• Reed can stand for brief periods of time on his own while leaning on something, without support from us.  Of course, he can't get to a stand on his own, but if we help him get there and let him rest his hands on something, he can hang on his own for a bit.
• He loves being tickled under his neck and still thinks the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" is hilarious.
• A few times this month, when I asked Reed, "Where's Daddy?", he turned and touched Jeff's arm!  Fluke?  Maybe.  But I think it's just an early sign of genius.  :)

Here are a few pictures and video of our favorite eight month-old!!

Look at my sign!

Still has those cheeks . . .

Happy boy

Goodness . . .

He knows that remote is off limits, but it kept him away from the eight month sign!

Loves his puffs!

Yummy!

Enjoying his big boy bath

Thanksgiving 2011

This is a little late, but we had a lovely Thanksgiving celebration with the Langs in New Jersey.  We had a much bigger table this year, with Reed, Rachael's boyfriend Alex, and Jeff's uncle Floyd and his wife Darcy.  So very much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving - a beautiful, healthy baby boy, amazing family members who see us as much as possible given the long distance, wonderful friends, the sale of our townhouse, and each other, of course. 

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the day!

Playing with Auntie Rachael

Reed loves his Daddy!

Sweet boy

Reed admires Uncle Floyd's 'stache; Uncle Floyd admires Reed's cheeks

Lang men

Rachael and Alex

Reed and his Zaide

Reed and Aunt Darcy - just before Reed conked out on her!

Swings!

Standing on his own!

Changes . . .

You don't have to know me well to know that I'm not a gal who likes change.  I can and do eat the same meals for breakfast and lunch every day (and would do the same for dinner if Jeff would let me!); I've been working at the same job for over six years; I've been going to the same hairdresser since I was 15; I've been wearing the same eye makeup practically since I started wearing eye shadow; I can read the same books and watch the same movies and TV episodes over and over . . . you get the idea.  I like routine; I find stability there.  As I'm sure it does for a lot of people, change throws me off-kilter, not just in terms of what I do on a day-to-day basis, but on a deeply emotional level.

The last year has brought one of the biggest life changes out there into our family - our beautiful son, Reed Alexander.  While there have been a few rocky periods of adjustment, particularly the first month and a half before Reed slept for longer stretches of time, and when I went back to work three months ago, I've actually been surprised at how relatively unaffected I have felt by all of it.  Reed's arrival has certainly changed everything about the way Jeff and I live our lives, and we have had to adjust not only the way we socialize and prioritize, but also the way we interact with each other.  But I have not felt emotionally rocked in the way I thought possible, given the hugeness of having a baby.

Perhaps it was all just storing up for the last two days.  This morning we closed on our townhouse of 3 1/2 years, effectively ending that first chapter our married and family life.  Even as I type, I feel grief roll through me and tears stream down my face.  This morning as we did our final walk-through of the house with the new sellers, I stood for a long time in front of what was Reed's nursery, staring at the room in which I spent so many hours in the last 7+ months.  Despite its small size, I love everything about that room - its warm yellow walls, its nearness to the master bedroom (just 13 steps from my side of the bed to the crib), the closeness of the crib to the doorway (so I could see his sweet face from the door), the window overlooking the grassy common area of the complex.  Jeff and I put so much time and love into that one room.  I can't believe that I won't ever be in it again.

While I know the next chapter is going to be just as special - finding that forever home in which we will raise Reed (and hopefully other children as well) and host family gatherings, birthday parties, and sleepovers - I'm chafing at the change and uncomfortable with the in-between state we're in now, living in an apartment and not knowing for how long or when that perfect house is going to come on the market.  I never anticipated feeling this much grief at leaving 827 Ivy League Lane.  Some sadness, of course, but not the sense of loss and mourning I feel now.  I have to believe some of that is due to the fear and discomfort I feel with the huge change and transition taking place.

On top of the move, since last week Reed has been on a nursing strike, which started with just the bedtime feedings but has now extended to the morning feedings as well.  There could be a myriad of reasons - teething, his umpteenth cold, my stress from the move, a dip in my milk supply - but the idea of giving up nursing is putting me into more of a tailspin than the move!  I have LOVED nursing Reed.  He's been a fantastic nurser nearly from the start and it's been my unique joy to provide his nourishment.  I love the closeness of nursing him - something I realized even more in the last few days, when I've had to give him a bottle.  There is an intimacy in holding him close and stroking his soft little head and hair, with his hands wrapped around my fingers, that just isn't there when he's propped on my lap taking a bottle.

Here's the thing - rationally I know that Reed will not breastfeed forever.  And I've never wanted to breastfeed a toddler.  But I always thought that the decision to wean would be mine, not his, and I also thought it would be gradual.  From everything I've read and heard (thank you, Beth Steiner!), I've heard that nursing strikes are common and don't necessarily mean that Reed is done nursing.  I'm praying this is the case and that we're just going through a bad patch.  While I can prepare myself for the inevitable change coming down the road, when Reed no longer nurses, I'm not quite ready yet!  One huge change this week is enough for me.  So, fingers crossed that we can weather this nursing strike and get Reed back on track soon.

But what I need to remind myself of is this: change, while scary and uncomfortable, is not bad.  It's necessary and can bring new and exciting developments to our lives.  I can be sad at leaving our old house, but this change is going to bring us a bigger house that will allow us to grow as a family.  And I can mourn the fact that I may soon have to give up my precious nursing sessions with Reed, but I can delight in the fact that he's growing and developing his independence.  These changes may mean the end of one stage, but they mark the beginning of another.  Here's to new stages!

Reed is Seven Months Old!

October just flew by and before we knew it, our sweet Reed turned seven months old!  It astounds us how quickly he develops and we just love being witness to the emergence of this little person.  Although he's still an amazingly good-natured baby, Reed definitely has strong likes and dislikes (the apple doesn't fall far from the tree there!) and can be quite determined when he puts his mind to something (surprised?).  We're already so proud of him and can't wait to see more of his developing personality.

But for now, here are the things we want to remember about Reed Alexander at seven months:

• At around 19 pounds and 27 3/4 inches, Reed is really starting to level out in the percentiles.  He's now 53rd for weight and 64th for height.  Not that you'd know it from his chunky thighs and deliciously chubby cheeks - everyone we see comments on those cheeks!
• Speaking of the cheeks, nuzzling them is one of my very favorite things in the world.  They're unbelievably soft and just perfect for kissing!
• He's wearing 9- and 12-month clothing.
• Reed is still taking five liquid feedings (breastmilk only) a day - 6:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., and 6:45 p.m.  During the week, the middle three feedings are bottles at daycare and he takes a full 8 ounces at each.  I think he takes around 8 ounces in the morning and less than that, probably 5-6 ounces, at night.
• We've been trying solid food for about a month and a half now, but to our surprise, Reed really hasn't taken to it.  He liked it more when we first started, but now he often turns his head away or won't open his mouth.  We've been somewhat successful with yogurt, cheese, and the Gerber puffs that he can gum on, but he hasn't really liked a lot of the purees, including apple sauce and bananas.  
• We introduced the sippy cup this month.  Reed likes to suck on it, but hasn't quite mastered tilting it back and actually getting water out.
• He always takes two naps a day (one around 8:40 a.m. and the second around 11:30 a.m.), ranging in length from an hour to an hour and a half.  Sometimes he'll take a third, shorter nap, around 45 minutes, in the later afternoon, but that's becoming more rare.
• Reed's nighttime sleep habits have really been great this last month.  He goes down between 6:45 and 7:00 p.m. and wakes up around 6:30 and 6:45 a.m.  For the most part, the nighttime wake-ups have stopped.  Mostly because . . . 
• Reed is a pro at finding his paci and putting it in his mouth!  While he might put it in backward at first, he knows how to turn it around to get it right-side up, and can often find the paci in his crib on his own.  This has made a world of difference for Jeff and me - no more getting up in the night to put the paci back in!
• Reed's hand/eye coordination and dexterity have grown by leaps and bounds.  The pacifier is one example, but he's great at playing with his toys as well.  He reaches for things with one hand, transfers them from one hand to the other, reaches deliberately for objects (as opposed to grabbing willy-nilly), and bangs things together.  He can even sometimes put the balls in the holes of his favorite monkey toy. 
• Speaking of the monkey toy, it has helped him learn cause and effect.  He knows that when he hits a part of the toy, it will make noise or play a song.  He doesn't always hit the right part, but he knows that banging on it will produce sound.
• Reed can sit easily on his own now (although he can't get into a sitting position by himself yet), without leaning on his hands for support, and seems happiest when in that position or when being held or carried.
• His favorite toys are those that make music - his train, octopus, monkey, piano, and musical book.  He also still likes Sophie and his stacking cups.
• Reed absolutely recognizes his own name now and turns his head when you call him.
• When I pick Reed up at daycare, he grins like crazy and seems so happy to see me - makes my day!
• Guaranteed to make Reed laugh - or at least smile: Daddy's "sneezing" (see video below!), spinning around in Mommy's arms, and "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" (complete with hand motions).
• On his seven month birthday, Reed's Grammy taught him how to wave "hi".  He's best at close range and he's not always consistent, but he loves reaching out with his hand when you raise your hand up in greeting, especially if you grab his hand and cheer for him.  :)
• While he doesn't raise them high, he has started to raise his arms to be picked up.
• Reed loves to blow raspberries and will often spend several minutes at a time doing so.
• He's also a very proficient babbler!  He's extended his vocabulary to include ba, ra, la, ma, da, and ga, and he often strings them together.
• Reed is slowly starting to enjoy peek-a-boo.  He can pull off a cloth placed on his head, and sometimes even covers his own head and pulls it off.

These monthly lists seem to get longer and longer, but I just don't want to forget a single thing.  Here are some fun pics (and video) of our favorite seven-month old!

So silly!

Mommy's funny!

That paper is MINE!

Got it!

Game over - I win!

Reed loves hanging out on Daddy's shoulders