Ahh where did my baby go????? It doesn’t help that he looks like a toddler…
My little man is almost one! I seriously cannot believe it. It feels like I blinked and then here we are, at a year. Don’t get me wrong, there were many times I doubted I’d survive (those first three months are ROUGH), but being Bennett’s mama is amazing!
Sleeping: he typically sleeps through the night (HALLELUJAH, THANK YOU LORD!!!) sometimes he wakes for a bottle about an hour after going to bed.
Eating: formula bottles: 6 oz each feeding; lots of solid fruits, proteins, whatever we’re eating
Milestones: He has five teeth! Of course he won’t let me see the three on the top. Snickerdoodle. He was sick for the first time. He had a slight fever and a really runny nose for 12 hours. After he sneezed into my mouth and onto Gigi’s face, I was sick for 2.5 weeks and Gigi had to go to urgent care. I’m SO thankful Bennett has his Dad’s immune system.
Bath time. Jimmy discovered Bennett likes when you put his tub close to the faucet and leave the water running. Apparently it’s like a water park that way.
Interesting Facts: B had his first “play date” with baby C (my friend Laura’s newborn). He’s about 3 times her size. He loves to hold onto the “handles” on his walker and FLY!
Last month I said I liked this stage better. This month, it holds true. Every month is better than the last!
This month’s highlights include: First word = “dada.” He’s crawling!!!! Cutting two teeth, pulling himself up to standing (with help from furniture) — LOTS happened this month
We’re continuing to introduce a variety of fruits and vegetables. So far, he’s liked everything. I think he’ll take after his dad and be a good eater 🙂
Typical Day:
7 am wake up & bottle
9 am nap for Ingrid & Bennett in their own rooms
10 am – 5 pm bottles on demand, naps every 1.5 – two hours; in this time, errands/I try to squeeze in a workout/lots of playing
5:30 pm bath
7 pm put Bennett down
7 pm dinner & Ingrid & Jimmy hang out time
B wakes up once a night for a bottle – Ingrid gives him and then sleeps until 7 am
Monthly Questionnaire
Age: 8 months
Weight: (didn’t weigh him, fails)
Length: ” he’s bigger than big duck!
Size: 12 months
Eyes: blue
Hair: dirty blonde
Sleeping: he typically sleeps from 7 pm to 5 am. Wakes to chug a bottle. Then back to sleep until 7 am.
Eating: formula bottles: 6 oz each feeding; lots of pureed food; some solids
Milestones: 1) crawling, 2) pulling up to stand, 3) sitting independently, 4) has two teeth, 5) first word =”dada”
Interesting Facts: Bennett said his first word in the car while I was driving him to the cottage for a weekend trip. He said “dada.” He then proceeded to say it all day and night the rest of the weekend.
Funny moments: While in Blacksburg, my dad, Kurt, and Lizzy got sprayed by a skunk (long story), but B slept through the whole thing. I smelled it, thought a skunk was in our room coming after my baby, and proceeded to crawl around looking for it, but not turning on the lights at around 2 am.
I like this month even better than last month! I think B and I are finally getting into a bit of a groove here. We get out of the house on walks, errands, or to socialize almost every day. We’re both getting more sleep. I finally feel like I’m started to understand what he wants (instead of the guessing I was doing before).
This month’s highlights include: Bennett swimming for the first time, “cutting” his first tooth (and then having that stop growing because he “cut” another), and going to his first play date.
We’re continuing to introduce a variety of fruits and vegetables. So far, he’s liked everything. I think he’ll take after his dad and be a good eater 🙂
Typical Day:
7 am wake up & bottle
9 am nap for Ingrid & Bennett in their own rooms
10 am – 5 pm bottles on demand, naps every 1.5 – two hours; in this time, errands/I try to squeeze in a workout/lots of playing
5:30 pm bath
7 pm put Bennett down
7 pm dinner & Ingrid & Jimmy hang out time
B wakes up once a night for a bottle – Ingrid gives him and then sleeps until 7 am
Monthly Questionnaire
Age: 7 months
Weight: 21.2 lbs
Length: 29″ – he’s bigger than big duck!
Size: 12 months
Eyes: blue
Hair: light brown
Sleeping: he typically sleeps from 7 pm to 5 am. Wakes to chug a bottle. Then back to sleep until 7 am.
Eating: formula bottles: 6 oz each feeding; lots of pureed food
Milestones: 1) is bigger than the duck 2) first tooth started popping out
Memorable outings: first time swimming
Likes: moving constantly, working on his crawling, rolling over, and planking
Dislikes: non puréed food, staying still, taking baths, and walks in the stroller – this kid wants to run himself!
Words/sounds: “a” “ahh” “ohhh” “mmhm,” “uhh” “umm” still loving the vowels
Nicknames: “Little Man,” “Benny,” “B,” “Thumper” (he loves to kick his foot against the floor when laying on his back)
Interesting Facts: he loves to plank – he has excellent form
Funny moments: while he’s learning to crawl, he’s rocking back and forth, it’s so funny – he does it all the time
Looking forward to: crawling (but also, not really)
I am really loving this stage. Bennett is starting to get more of a personality every day. He’s so fun!
This month’s highlights include: Bennett getting baptized, me spending my first weekend away from him, and finally, he started solid foods.
Bennett’s baptism was beautiful and so special. Family and friends came out to St. James Catholic church and then to our house for a celebration. I didn’t take nearly enough pictures (especially of the decorations – I put gold cross confetti on every table). B wore a family heirloom gown and bonnet my Oma got in Ireland that three of my cousins wore for their baptisms. It was so special!
We started solids! We started with rice cereal, then introduced a new food every three days: sweet potatoes, followed by applesauce, then pears, then oatmeal, then bananas, then carrots finally avocado. He loved (in order of preference): 1) carrots, 2) pears, 3) applesauce, 4) oatmeal. He did not like the bananas or avocado. I think it’s a texture thing – he’s just not ready for non-puree yet.
Finally, my weekend away. I went on my annual girls lake weekend with my best friends to Smith Mountain Lake. It was so much fun! But, you guessed it, I missed B a lot. Jimmy did a great job solo Dad-ing. He even worked on Benny holding his own bottle while I was gone.
Typical Day:
7 am wake up & bottle
9 am nap for Ingrid & Bennett in their own rooms
10 am – 5 pm bottles on demand, naps every 1.5 – two hours; in this time, errands/I try to squeeze in a workout/lots of playing
5:30 pm bath
7 pm put Bennett down
7 pm dinner & Ingrid & Jimmy hang out time
B wakes up once a night for a bottle – Ingrid gives him and then sleeps until 7 am
Monthly Questionnaire
Age: 6 months
Weight: 20 lbs
Length: 28.25″
Size: 12 months
Eyes: blue
Hair: light brown
Sleeping: he typically sleeps from 7 pm to 5:30 am. Wakes to chug a bottle. Then back to sleep until 7 am.
Eating: formula bottles: 6 oz each feeding; some solid foods (see above)
Milestones: “discovered” his feet; started solids; spent his first solo weekend with Daddy; got baptized
This is our first month with a video baby monitor. I have NO idea what I was thinking when I thought I just wanted an audio one. Seriously, get a video monitor. It is the best thing ever!
On a more baby focused note, our little man is getting more personality every day. He’s working on sitting up (supported), he loves moving CONSTANTLY, he also loves to roll over onto his belly but then he gets stuck and starts crying.
I’m not quite sure why we’re still calling him “little man.” This baby is not that little. In fact, he outgrew his infant car seat for height this month. (Full disclosure, he had a tiny bit of room to go but I didn’t want him to outgrew it while we were at the beach).
This month we took him to the beach for the first time! My parents met me off I-95 so my mom could drive my car and I could be in the back with B. I was so thankful for the help on the 9 hour (usually 8 hour) drive. B did great, although he did not sleep much. My parents also brought their folding crib so that made sleeping at the beach a much easier transition.
B loved the sand! He loved kicking it and playing. He was brave about the ocean, especially when Jimmy held him in the water. We only went down to the beach for about an hour in the evenings – the sun/crowds were intense and he naps so often. But, we did get plenty of balcony sitting. B sat in his new “Frog Chair” Gigi got. We called it his “throne.” We sat him on the table and he just looked out over the ocean and the beach. B, my parents, and I stayed a week. Jimmy flew in for four days so he didn’t have to miss as much work.
Bennett also got to meet more people. He got to meet my good friend Sherry and her twins. I found out that B loves watching kids, so I will definitely be taking him to the playground more. Finally, B was able to meet his great aunt Shelia and two of his first cousins once removed, Jackson & Jeremy. We’re slowly getting him to meet his whole family.
Typical Day:
6:30 am wake up & bottle
9 am nap for Ingrid & Bennett in their own rooms
10 am – 6 pm bottles on demand, naps every 1.5 – two hours
5:30 pm bath
7 pm put Bennett down
7 pm dinner & Ingrid & Jimmy hang out time
B wakes up once a night for a bottle – Ingrid gives him and then sleeps until 6:30 am
Monthly Questionnaire
Age: 5 months
Weight: 17.2 lbs
Length: 27″
Size: 9 months
Eyes: blue
Hair: light brown
Sleeping: he slept the first half of the month in his crib in his “spacesuit” (Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleep Suit) in his room solo and then we “swaddle weaned” and he now sleeps in footie PJs
Eating: formula bottles: 6 oz each feeding
Milestones: first beach trip, rolled over for the first time, outgrew his infant car seat
Memorable outings: first beach trip
Likes: sand, eating, sleeping, MOVING
Dislikes: baths, staying still
Words/sounds: “a” “ahh” “ohhh” “mmhm”
Nicknames: “Little Man,” “Benny,” “B”
Interesting Facts: B moves constantly all the time, even when sleeping. He also likes talking all the time.
Funny moments: when B first saw the ocean, he made a face like “this is the biggest bath I’ve ever seen”
Looking forward to: next year’s beach trip when he can swim and play more
This is the first month I’m a stay at home mom. So far, it’s amazing. I love being there for Bennett all the time. I love seeing him grow and learn every single day.
This month is also sadly, the first month I’m not breastfeeding. Honestly, it is so freeing. Not having the stress and feeling like a failure is great. I miss the bond. I miss providing the best nutrition for my baby (you can’t replicate those antibodies). I miss the feeling of success when I pumped a bottle. I miss B falling asleep nursing. I do not miss late night feedings.
Typical Day:
7 am wake up & bottle
9 am nap for Ingrid & Bennett in B’s room
10 am – 6 pm bottles on demand, naps every 1.5 – two hours
6:30 pm put Bennett down
7 pm dinner & Ingrid & Jimmy hang out time
9:30 pm bed – Jimmy in B’s room, Ingrid in the master
midnight-Jimmy gives Bennett a bottle
4 am (or whenever Bennett wakes up for his next feeding) – Jimmy gets Ingrid and they swap rooms; Ingrid gives B a bottle
4 am – 7 am Ingrid & B try to sleep in B’s room
Monthly Questionnaire
Age: 4 months
Weight: 16.5 lbs
Length: 26.75″
Size: 6 months and some 9 months
Eyes: blue
Hair: light brown
Sleeping: slept through the night (11 hours straight!) he sleeps in his crib in his “spacesuit” (Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleep Suit)
Eating: formula bottles: 4 oz each feeding
Milestones: 1) slept through the night!
Memorable outings: First time at the cottage/first time on a boat
Likes: ceiling fans, his changing table, loves his room
Dislikes: baths, staying still, his monthly tie stickers
Words/sounds: “a” “ahh” “ohhh”
Nicknames: “Little Man,” “Benny,” “Mr. Ahgoo, “B”
Interesting Facts: first month of all day everyday Mommy & Bennett time
Funny moments: I had my friends over – B tried so hard to stay up and hang out, but he just couldn’t make it. He fell asleep sitting up on Sarah’s lap.
Looking forward to: more sleep; his first beach trip (next month)
People claimed it would get easier around three months. They were so right! We no longer feel like this baby will kill us (which would lead to an amazing Lifetime movie).
Sleeping wise, we finally figured some things out, first of all, we were keeping him up way too late! Benny needs to go to bed around 6-7 pm. Secondly, Bennett does better when Mommy is no where around him. This means, Jimmy starts the night in Bennett’s room (where we have a full sized adult bed) while B sleeps in his Rock ‘n Play.
Feeding wise, we’re stopping nursing at the end of this month. Cue all the tears. I literally gave it my all. Blood, sweat, and tears here. However, Bennett screams and hits me every time I try to nurse him now. His nursing sessions are getting shorter and shorter. The lactation specialists think it is because he knows a bottle is coming (we still have to supplement). I’m pumping for 20-30 minutes six times a day just to get half of what he needs. It is not sustainable. At least I made it to three months. That is a solid foundation.
Typical Day:
3 am nursing
Ingrid & B sleep in B’s room
6 am nursing
Ingrid & B try to sleep some more
7 am wake up & pump
9 am Gigi comes over, Ingrid naps, B gets bottles and naps with Gigi downstairs
noon – 6 pm: nurses every 3 hours, formula bottle after while Ingrid pumps, Ingrid naps whenever she can while Gigi watches B
6:30 pm put Bennett down
7 pm dinner while watching The Wheel of Fortune
8 pm last pumping followed by bed for Ingrid in master bedroom & Jimmy in B’s room
midnight – Jimmy gives B a bottle
midnight-3 am Jimmy & B sleep in B’s room, Ingrid in master
3 am (or whenever Bennett wakes up for his next feeding) – Jimmy gets Ingrid and they swap rooms
Monthly Questionnaire
Age: 3 months
Weight: didn’t weigh him
Length: didn’t measure him
Size: 6 months and some 9 months – holy growth spurt
Eyes: blue
Hair: light brown
Sleeping: sleeps 5 hours straight on the regular *THANK YOU JESUS!
Eating: breastfeeding as much as he’ll let me, supplementing with breast milk or formula bottles 2-4 oz at a time
Milestones: first giggle when I brought him into City Hall and he thought Sandy was hilarious; first Easter
Memorable outings: went to City Hall; first road trip – went to Richmond so Ingrid could be in her friend Meredith’s wedding
Likes: trying to talk, kicking, his mama, making faces, and trying to suck his thumb.
Dislikes: baths, being naked
Words/sounds: agu
Nicknames: “Little Man,” “Benny,” “Mr. Agu, “B”
Interesting Facts: he sneezes three times in a row once a day, every day
Funny moments: while organizing laundry, a burp cloth fell off the back of the couch right onto Bennett’s head – we all laughed
Looking forward to: his first recognize me smile; and sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep
Month two is a little easier than the first month. We’re still having nursing challenges, but he’s finally gaining weight, thank goodness for formula. Fed is best everyone.
Sleeping is still rough but that’s to be expected. He’s up every hour and a half. Eating every hour and a half round the clock. Team Baby is Mommy, Gigi & Grandpa during the weekdays, Mommy, Gigi & Daddy for week nights, and just Mommy & Daddy for weekends. Kai is contemplating running away. I wouldn’t blame him.
Bennett saw his first snow! I insisted Jimmy go into work late so we could take some photos outside. I love snow! Then, while watching the news all day (like I do every snow day), I submitted a photo of Bennett doing his “snow angel” and he got featured! Little celebrity 🙂
Monthly Questionnaire
Age: 2 months
Weight: 11 lbs 12 oz
Length: 22″
Size: some newborn, mostly 3 months
Eyes: blue
Hair: light brown
Sleeping: not well. Towards the end of the month, we got a Rock n’ Play he sleeps better in that
Eating: breastfeeding with supplementation via a bottle. Eats every hour and a half around the clock
Milestones: started babbling, can fully support head, first smile
Memorable outings: 1)first time out to eat (Dogfish Head Alehouse with Mommy, Gigi, and Grandpa) 2) first movie – La La Land at the Cry Baby Matinee with Mommy and Gigi
Likes: ceiling fans, kicking, stretching, smiling, and of course eating
Dislikes: sleeping & baths
Words/sounds: agu
Nicknames: “Little Man,” “Benny,” “Mr. Agu”
Interesting Facts: he sneezes three times in a row once a day, every day
Funny moments: while organizing laundry, a burp cloth fell off the back of the couch right onto Bennett’s head – we all laughed
Looking forward to: his first recognize me smile; and sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep