Straps? That counts as two strikes....

I shouldn't be posting this because I know all of you are going to cringe when you read this....just know that baby Dane is OK and was laughing throughout the whole incident....It sounds worse than what it really is.....honest.....

OK - here we go....Darren always gives me crap about not strapping Dane into his swing or bouncy seat. I always say -where is he gonna go? He just lays there? We even had this same discussion at our friends house just this past weekend. The wife straps their kid in but not the husband...him and I were on the same page -seriously, where is the kid gonna go?

WELLLLLL, I had Dane in his swing...it's about 1.5 feet off the ground. I didn't even have it on, it was completely still and he was watching TV while I got ready for work. He was laughing and cooing and talking to his toys. All of a sudden I heard the swing swinging...it was weird....so I walked over to see if maybe he pushed with his foot to get some momentum to get the swing going and baby Dane was on the floor face down! He was laughing and giggling....it was scary and funny at that same time. There wasn't a thud or anything...I have no idea how he managed to get out of the swing...especially to land on his belly with his head where his feet were. I think the fall gave him a "woopdedoo" because he thought this whole incident was too funny! Meanwhile my heart is in my throat and I feel like the worse mother ever!! I WILL be strapping him in everything from now on....sheesh....

Darren said I get three strikes (he's kidding BTW)....and this little incident counts as two for the day! Yowza! I better be extra careful for the rest of the day! :o)

Our little Houdini strikes again!

The pics are from this weekend. Darren, Dane and I went for a walk around Medicine Lake. Enjoy!

Stuffy Stufferson

Poor little man is SO STUFFY! He actually has so much snot he blows bubbles out of his nostrils.....poor little man! He was so uncomfortable last night trying to sleep I ended up letting him cuddle with me in bed all night. He fell right asleep once I did that, however I didn't get any sleep because he was snoring so loud! I tried to suction thingy his nose, but it's more in his throat so I didn't get anything out. He still doesn't have a temperature and is his happy go lucky self....but I'll keep an eye on it though just in case it turns into a cold and isn't signs of teething....

it's time to learn to self soothe my little man...

Today was the first day I put Dane down for a nap when he wasn't already asleep. He was really tired, just wining with his eyes closed and rubbing his eyes and yawning, so I definitely knew he was ready to go to dream land. I wrapped him up all nice and tight in his blankets, rocked him a little until his eyelids got heavy, then gently placed him in his bassinet (yes people, he is still in his bassinet! We are working on moving him to his crib....baby steps...) Oh boy was it hard for me to let him just cry!! Now, in reality it was only for about 30 seconds that he was crying (he wasn't really even crying, it was more of a wine) but it felt like an eternity. I wanted to pick him up and hold him and rock him to sleep so bad - but I didn't!! I was strong! My little man needs to learn to self soothe. I will still rock him to sleep every once and a while, but today was a big step for me.....Go Nicki!

Dane is also a little stuffy and coughing a bit. He doesn't have a temperature and doesn't act like he is ill, so I can only assume it's from teething (at least that is what all the websites say). I will continue to check his temperature and will take him to the pediatrician if I think it's necessary, but I really do think my little man is getting some teethers!! I will miss his toothless smile, but little baby teeth are just as cute!!

Day Care Diaries - "Blowout....correction, Major Blowout!"

Everyday that Dane is in daycare I always call at 10:00am to check on him. When I called today and asked how he was doing, Lera said "He is doing well......now!!" I asked if he had a rough morning or something and she said "no, he just had a blow out...correction....a major blowout! So he is feeling MUCH better now...in fact he is napping right now!" Oh my! You should see the clothes he was wearing....I dont think there is an area without poop on it! Thank goodness I didnt end up having to clean it up - haha!!

He is doing really well otherwise at daycare. Lera has him doing tummy time everyday and he is getting really good at pushing himself up with his arms when he is on his tummy. We still havent mastered rolling over yet - but I am not pushing that one! I am not ready for him to be mr. roly poly!

I think daycare is really good for him (and me). Let me explain - he takes way better naps since daycare. NOTHING wakes him up! It's probably because it isnt exactly quiet there so he learned to just ignore ambient noise and just go to sleep (wish i could do that, water dripping or clocks ticking will keep me awake!). He is also willing to let other people (other than mommy) hold him without wondering where I am.....Even though that hurts my feelings a bit it is really good for him to get all this socialization. He is being introduced to so many more things than he would be if it were just him and I at home. Daycare/being back at work is really good for me too. I need the ability to get out of the house and socialize. I was going a little crazy sitting at home all day during maternity leave!!!

Now, I am all for breastfeeding - but a breastfeeding doll??

What do you guys think?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,537261,00.html

A controversial new doll is leaving some parents wishing for the good old Cabbage Patch days.
A Spanish toymaker known as Berjuan has developed a breast-feeding doll that comes with a special halter top its young "mothers" wear as they pretend to breast-feed their "babies." The halter top has daisies that cover the little girls’ nipples and come undone just as easily as the flaps of a nursing bra would.
The doll — called Bebe Gloton, which translates as “gluttonous baby” — makes sucking noises as it "feeds."

Like many other dolls, Bebe Gloton can cry, signaling she wants more milk.

What's so funny?!?!?

Oh my goodness, i just had Dane on the floor gym and we were practicing rolling over (which he can roll back, but not initiate the roll) and practicing push ups (which he can do!) and all of a sudden I said to him "Do you have poopy in your pants?" and he started laughing uncontrollably!

It was SO FUNNY!! I kept asking him the same question and he kept laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes!! He was squeeling and clapping and laughing so loud!! Of course I didn't have the camcorder handy, so I called Darren and let him listen in. He was laughing too!! Ugh, my little man is such a character I love him so much!!!

When I picked him up from daycare today he again was having a conversation with Brenda. They must talk all day or something! Hopefully he doesn't tell her anything embarrassing... :o)

Three and a half months ALREADY???

Babies simply love to be touched. In fact, they thrive on it — touch is a critical part of growth and development. All that skin-to-skin contact not only helps you and your baby bond, but it's comforting when he's upset and soothing when he's irritable.Nurture your baby's sense of touch with a variety of materials, such as fake fur, felt, and terry cloth. Your baby will probably try to eat everything, so choose carefully and don't leave her alone with anything that could come apart in her mouth. Look for books like Pat the Bunny that make reading a tactile experience.

Dane loves touching crinkly things and furry things (look out Cora and Chai)! It is so neat to see him learning and exploring his surroundings....Of course his favorite thing to so is watch CNN.....If I have the TV on and put him in his play gym on the floor - he will stretch his head in such a way that he can see the TV! Awwwwww, our little couch potato! haha!!

Day Care Diaries - Tuesday 08.25.09

Another great day! Although it was a rough night! Dane was WIDE AWAKE starting at around midnight. I think it was because he napped essentially all afternoon and evening and just wasn't tired anymore. Collectively I got about 2 1/2 hours of sleep last night....Around 2:30am I passed the reins to Darren to take over and keep Dane occupied while I tried to catch some Z's. I think I finally fell asleep around 3:15 and then had to wake up at 5:00 anyway for work! Oh I hope I get some sleep tonight!!

Dane was the life of the party again at daycare. When I got there he was in the bouncy seat and Brenda was sitting next to him and they were having an in depth conversation! I didn't want to interrupt because it sounded pretty deep....haha! She just loves him so much! Too bad Thursday is her last day, she is a school teacher and only works at the daycare during the summer.

I took this picture last night - during one of Dane's many naps. He is covered in a sea of blankets!!

Day Care Diaries - Monday 08.24.09

Dane did really well today! Brenda and Lera said he was all smiles all day long! When I got there to pick him up he was sleeping all swaddled and everything, I hated to wake him - but I oculdnt hang out there all day! So I s-l-o-w-l-y unwrapped him and lifted him into the car seat. If it werent for the darn clips and straps he'd probably have stayed sleeping..but alas - he awoke. He wasnt upset or anything, just opened his big beautiful eyes and smiled as if to say HI MOM!! Once he got in the car he fell right back to sleep....

Last night he didnt sleep through the night...He went to sleep around 9:30pm - then awoke at midnight, 2:00am, 3:30am, and then 6:30am....it's ok though - more cuddle time for me!!!

3 Nights in a row!!!! Let's keep it up!!!

I am so excited! For three nights in a row, baby Dane has slept from 9:00pm - 2:30am - then 2:45am - 6:00am!! This is so wonderful! I am actually able to sleep long enough in a row that I am starting to dream again - and what CrAzY dreams I am having! Hopefully he keeps this schedule up!! I can handle getting up once a night instead of 3 or 4!! Woop Woop!!

Day Care Diaries - Day 5

Yay for Friday!

Dane did very well today....and we were off to a good start! He slept from 9:00 - 2:30am, then from 2:45 - 6:00am!! Yay!!!! He went down for a nap right away for them and was pretty happy all day! He played in the floor gym for most of the day and when I came to pick him up he was on the floor with his friend Brady! They are going to be good friends I can just tell!! He did need to change his outfit because he drooled all over it! Poor guy...he is such a drool monster!! Could be he is teething already????

Grandpa Hartenstine made it here by 2:30pm - and he just loves Dane! Dane of course drooled all over him...hahaha!!

Hope everyone has a good weekend! It's FINALLY not raining here and the sun is out for the first time in a week!!!

Day Care Diaries - Day 4 (thursday)

This diary post is from Thursday even though I posted it today (Friday) oops....

Today was another good day! It was off to a rocky start, Dane woke up right when I got in the shower (I was running about 45 minutes late, darn snooze bar....but I still made it to work on time - go figure!) so I had to hurry up and rush over to him because he was crying so loud! I was able to calm him down and feed him, but he was just a little irritable because he was up almost every hour on the hour last night. Hopefully he starts sleeping in longer spurts so he gets (and me too) some good rest! Once he ate and cuddled he was back to his normal happy go-lucky self....I laid him on the bed propped up on his boppy and let him watch CNN while I finished getting ready for work.

Darren left for daycare a little early so he could drive Dane around and possibly put him to sleep in the car seat - he said it worked, but once he walked into daycare Dane woke up. I called the center around 8:30 and Brenda said all she did was pick him up, cuddle a little bit and he went right to sleep!

The rest of the day for Dane went quite well. His 8:30 nap lasted till about 9:45 and then he was on the floor playing with "hanging books" - whatever those are? and then went down for a nap around 11:30 until I came to pick him up at 12:15. He had two bottles - 4 ounces each. That is pretty consistent, but I still pack 3 bottles just in case.

Right when we got home I fed him and he dozed off until we had to leave at 2:30 for an appointment. I am so glad he is easy going - I would have been mad if someone woke me up during a nap - but he handled it quite well!

Everyone got their baths and their toenails and fingernails clipped tonight (everyone as in Dane, Cora, and Chai) in preparation for Grandpa Hartenstine's (Darren's Dad) arrival tomorrow!! He drove here from NJ all by himself. He left Wednesday and will spend Thursday night in Madison Wisconsin. He should arrive in Plymouth around noonish on Friday if the weather and traffic cooperate!

Day Care Diaries - Day 1, 2 & 3

Hi there!!
Welcome to the first edition of the daycare diaries! Let me know what yah think!

Day One:
Today was a success!! I only cried for about 15 minutes before I left to go to work, the whole way to work (15 minutes) and about 30 minutes once i got there....not too bad huh? HAHA! I also called the daycare at 8:00 ( he gets dropped off at 7:45), 9:00, 10:30, and 11:30. Every time I called he was doing fine....Lera (the lady that watches him for me) was laughing saying Dane is doing better than his momma!! I just felt weird having him be with someone other than Darren or I, but it is definitely a learning experience. I trust Lera and Brenda and the day care center in which he is enrolled. Even though it is pretty expensive, I'd rather pay the money instead of going somewhere else and paying less and having poorer care for my child. He has his own crib with his name hanging above it, his own dresser in which I put extra clothes, diapers, wipes, etc. I had to lable all of his things, so when he sucks on his nook a giant DLH is on it and it looks funny! They also took a picture of him on his first day (below) for me and gave him a certificate that says "congratulations for completing your first day of daycare" I will put that in his scrap book!

Dane went down for naps with ease for them and took two bottles - 4 ounces each. When I came to pick him up he was on the floor propped up on a boppy next to Lera playing with some overhead toys. He was smiling and cooing! Once he saw me and recognized me he had the biggest toothless grin I ever saw!! He started shrieking and giggling! It was such an amazing feeling!! I picked him up and we hugged for about 10 minutes and he kept talking to me telling me all about his day!!! Once we got home he slept from 2:00 - 5:00. He must have had a busy busy day!!!

Day Two:
It was a little easier today than yesterday to leave him. I still did cry, but I was able to control myself so i could at least drive safely to work...haha!! Dane was up at 4:00am and wouldn't go back to sleep - so by the time he arrived at daycare it was definitely nap time! They put him down for a nap around 8:30 and he slept for a little over an hour. He took two bottles again - 4 ounces each - and was a good boy! Kathy (one of the ladies that works at the center and helps out during lunch breaks) called me to tell me she had Dane laughing so hard he got the hiccups!! She said he is the cutest baby they've had at the center in a long time and one of the most pleasant ones to be around!!

When I got there to pick Dane up he was getting his diaper changed (yay! one less I have to do!) and I was watching him with Brenda through the window and he was talking to her and laughing. Oh my goodness he is such a good boy!

Today was a bad day for me though....I ended up with mastitis (really painful bacterial infection in one of my milk ducts). I no sooner got home from picking Dane up at daycare and I immediately felt really cold and weak. My bones started to ache and I thought I was getting the flu. It came on so quickly I didn't even have time to prepare! Luckily I was able to put Dane down for a nap at 1:00 and curled up next to him under 1,000 blankets. I still wasn't warm enough...Once Darren got home I stood in the shower under really really hot water for almost a half hour to try and warm up. Unfortunately even though this felt really good, it was a really bad idea considering my temperature was 102 degrees!! I laid down and slept on and off till about midnight when my fever finally broke. yay!

Day Three:
Dane didn't go to daycare today. I stayed home from work because of how crappy I felt the day before and because I needed to go to the doctor. Having a temperature for that long really wipes a person out. I called the doctor and told her what happened and she wanted me to come in right away to get started on some antibiotics. She said that the infection was pretty bad and I had a borderline abscess. So I have to take penicillin 4 times a day for a week and then call her to let her know how I feel. If the abscess isnt gone or I still have pain i either have to take another round of penicillin or have the abscess drained. Let's hope it goes away....gross....Luckily Dane was such a good baby today (like he is every day!) and napped with me almost all day. He only got fussy once but that was because he needed a diaper change. We laid in bed and talked, cuddled, and napped. It was nice! When i called the daycare to let them know he wasnt coming in they were upset! They REALLY look forward to his company everyday!! That makes me fell really good!!!

Lucky 13!!

OK, i haven't added these updates in a while, could be I was busy or had other things on my mind? nahhhh, not me!!!!


Your Baby at 13 weeks of age:

Even though your baby has been able to recognize you since he was just a few days old, he may now be able to show it. About half of babies this age begin to exhibit an obvious recognition of their parents.

Most likely he'll still smile at strangers, especially when they look him straight in the eye and coo or talk to him. But he's beginning to sort out who's who in his life, and he definitely prefers you, your partner, and a select few over others.

Your baby may quiet down and make eye contact with you, or he may search for you in a room and move his arms in excitement or smile when he finds you. He may even find your scent calming and comforting.

A big spurt is happening in your baby's brain development that coincides with significant behavioral changes. Your baby is more attuned to the outside world and more sensitive to changes in his environment.

The part of the brain that governs hand-eye coordination and allows a baby to recognize objects is developing rapidly now. His hearing, language, and smell have also become more receptive and active. When your baby hears your voice these days, he may even look directly at you and start gurgling or trying to talk back.

Research shows that babies whose parents speak to them extensively have significantly higher IQs and bigger vocabularies when they get older than other children, so interaction is especially important right now. Set a solid foundation by exposing your baby to a variety of words.

Talk about your surroundings when you take him for a walk, and point to and identify objects as you roam the grocery store aisles. Your baby can't repeat these words yet, but he's storing all the information in his rapidly developing memory.

If your home is bilingual, your baby will benefit from hearing both languages spoken regularly. Don't worry if some of his verbal skills seem to lag a bit at first. He'll not only catch up later, but he may also excel in his general language skills

All babies are unique and meet milestones at their own pace. Developmental guidelines simply show what your baby has the potential to accomplish — if not right now, then soon. If your baby was premature, keep in mind that kids born early usually need a bit more time to meet their milestones. If you have any questions at all about your baby's development, ask your healthcare provider.

Day One down!!

Well, we all made it through Dane's first day of day care! I think it was rougher on me than it was on him that's for sure. It was really hard for me to leave for work this morning. I kept finding things "to do" so I could hang around Dane just a little bit longer.....Darren of course kicked me out of the house so I would get to work on time...haha! I AM glad this it is Darren that has to drop Dane off in the morning because I don't think I would have been able to!

Luckily the ladies (Lera and Brenda) that take care of him are SUPER nice and didn't mind that I called almost every hour on the hour to check on him. Brenda had him most of the morning and she said he was such a cute baby and a pleasure to be around. He played in some of the play gyms they have and was talking to her almost all morning. He got a little fussy near feeding time, but was good to go once he ate! He took two long naps (which is totally awesome! I didn't know if he would nap or not with all the noise and it isn't exactly dim lighting in there) but he did! She swaddled him and off to dream land he went!!

When I picked him up he was playing with Lera on the floor. She had two other infants playing as well...I don't know how they handle that many infants at once....One is enough for me!! Lera said the same thing as Brenda, that Dane is such good baby! The center director (Joy) even came in to spend time with him and play. He is a heart breaker already!!

When I walked in the room this afternoon he saw me his eyes lit up and had the biggest toothless smile EVER!! It just melted my heart!! That's my little boy and he knows me as his momma and is SO HAPPY to see me!!! Once I picked him up and held him he was talking and gurbeling and telling me all about his day, it was pretty incredible!

All this worrying and tears shed for nothing I suppose....ahhh the joys of motherhood.... :o)

They took a picture of him enjoying his first day of day care, once I figure out how to scan it I will post it. They also sent home some "forget me nots" to plant and they fill out "daily sheets' so i get to know what he did (naps, feeding, diaper changes) all day!

He has been napping since we got home...he must be tuckered out from all the excitement!!

Hopefully days three, four, five, so on and so on - go as well as number one!!!

Almost!!!!

Dane can now almost roll over!!

Darren and I were watching him play in his floor gym last night. Maybe two or three days ago Dane started grabbing onto the toys hanging from the top of it and reaching for them. He even laughs and talks to the penguin and cow toys! There was a toy next to him on the floor that he wanted, so he almost rolled over to get it!!!! It was amazing!! I helped him roll over all the way just to show him how to do it. Then he started doing it again! He just makes it to his side then kinda sticks there. But still.....our little man is growing up!!! *sniff* *sniff*

The only bummer about him being able to roll over is now we have to be extra careful with him on the changing table....hahaha!!

He also loves the baby in the mirror. He smiles and flirts with him!! There is a large mirror in our foyer that my Grammy gave me that he loves to make faces in. What's funny is I did the same thing when I was little in the same exact mirror!!

Darren has one more week of paternity leave (lucky duck - of course I had 11 weeks and he only gets 2) and hopefully Dane and Daddy will have some great times together! Maybe Daddy can teach Dane how to roll over completely? We'll see!!!

Oh, I almost forgot - Dane is laughing up a storm! Before he would just smile and coo, but now he full on barrel laughs!! It is so cute!! Darren was able to get him to laugh way before I could, but I figured out how and I love to do it all the time!!! Sometimes he laughs so hard he gives himself the hiccups....Ugh...my little man is so stinkin cute I can't take it.... :o)

Someone needs Help?

"Help....Help....somebody help me", Nicki and I hear from the front of our house. I immediately run out thinking someone is having a heart attack. Ummm, no; there sits a woman holding her dog screaming for help. (Definitely a strange site.) Me being the nice Minnesotan, I ran over to assist.

It seems that this ladies dog, an extremely obese Basset Hound, must have got out and ran away. In her old age, it must have been difficult to catch him. She was completely out of breath and explained that her most precious dog, whom she cannot handle because of his weight, escaped.

He had no collar and she was grabbing onto anything she could to keep him from running away. I showed her the wonderful part of a dog called the scruff, which is an instant handle for dogs. I instructed her to hold tight while I ran inside and got one of our collars. All I could find was this tiny, tiny pink walking leash for Chai. I would estimate the max holding power was about 20 pounds and this dog was easily 70lbs.

She begins to tell me that he is the most precious dog in the world, which all dogs are, and that she can't walk him because he is so strong. Then, she asks me to drive her to her car, which I assumed was far away. I headed inside to get something stronger to hold her dog and my keys to drive her to the car.

I found one of Cora metal collars and ran outside to get it on him before she lost control of this dog. There was her husband putting on his belt around the dog. Since I was going to drive them a far distance to get to their car, I took off the belt and placed the stronger collar on him.

She tells me that they are parked in the middle of the road. OK, so the total distance to her car was about 20 feet around the corner. I asked if I could help them walk the dog to the car and OMG, this dog was strong. I used some of the Dog Whisperers moves on him, to no avail. He was fat and strong.

Getting him in the car was a fiasco, but in the end, he was safely in the car. I talked to the husband and recommended a pinch collar, since we used it with Cora. They obviously don't walk the dog and it would help with controlling him.

What an episode....and, bring on the Karma. She asked me if she could give me money, but I declined.

Darren's Vacation Blog

So.....I am on vacation for two weeks and taking care of Dane in the mornings. Well, things started off really shaky for me. I am not someone with patients and need to be able to figure out things (the engineer in me). Evidently, Babies don't fall into either of those two areas.

Nicki had set the expectation that he would sleep until 10am. Do you think that happened?.....uh, no. As soon as Nicki left the house, which was around 6:45am, Dane woke up. I thought I tried it all, but was unsuccessful at every attempt to get him to calm down. I even gave him milk several times. The poor kid pooped a billion times on Wed from all the feeding sessions.

This brings us to today, Thursday. Oddly enough, if he is tired, he gets cranky. (I know you Moms out there, you're chuckling) This is normal, but counterintuitive to men. If a baby is tired, go to sleep...don't cry about it. So (Nicki is cringing at my use of So), I worked through the crying, since I checked everything else off the list. Wouldn't you know it, he went to sleep, twice!

I am now looking forward to a better time with my son...Let the bonding begin. There was a time this week where Dane almost went to Day Care early.

D

Our little social butterfly!

In the past week Dane has had THREE playdates!

The first one was with Finn....He is the son of my coworker Jim and his wife Stacy. Below is a picture of the fun time they had! Poor Finn kept getting punched in the face by Dane...what a bully...haha! Stacy brought over some yummy lactation cookies....I am not going to allow myself to bake them because then I will just eat them all and not feel guilty about it until I step on the scale! They are basically chocolate chip oatmeal cookies with special lactation boosting ingredients, but since they are called lactation cookies it makes a difference!

The second playdate was with Dane's good friend Ethan....they've had a playdate once before. Hieu (Ethan's mom) and I decided to put them both in Dane's crib and let them watch the mobile. Boy did they both love it! They were also rubbing their feet along the rails of the crib. They were really enjoying themselves! Dane almost slept through the entire playdate which is ok (never wake a sleeping baby!) and when Hieu held him he decided to throw up all over her. I felt so bad but she assured me it was ok. I assume it is ok because she wants to hang out us again...haha!

The third playdate was with Cousin Jamie and her two kids - Paige (5) and Tyler (18 mos). I was bummed I forgot to take pictures.....Paige got to hold Dane (with my help of course) and Tyler got to rub his hair and point at him and say "ba-by". It was way too cute. Jamie brought over an ENTIRE wardrobe for Dane - I am so excited and can't wait for this winter so he can wear some of the cute stuff! Thanks again Jamie!!

Darren has been on "paternity" leave since Monday. I think he is getting a little stressed because Dane is going through some separation anxiety (he misses his mommy, which is understandable since we have been together for a year now essentially) and cries almost the whole time I am gone, but IT WILL get better. Once Daddy and Dane bond they will have some fun and memorable times together - I just know it! I asked Dane to try not to be so hard on Daddy and he said he will try... :o)

Hang in there Darren! No one ever said it was easy...and you are doing great!!


We have a ton of pictures and videos to upload, but for now here are a few pics to tide you over till we have the time to get to the other ones.....



Dane and Ethan

Dane napping in daddy's arms

Dane getting a ride on Cora!

Look how cute his butt is!!!

Dane and Finn