Monthly Favorites| Teething

Teething is a bitch. There is no light way to put it. I looked back in Tracens baby book and his first tooth poking through his gums was at 6 months, so well see how long it takes Sky. I'm predicting in the next few weeks well see/feel something or at least I'm hoping! This kid is a MONSTER droller and hand sucker. His poor poor checks and fist are so raw from a combo of sucking on them and this crap ass winter weather.  I've been putting Vaseline on his cheeks and hand and then a sock over his hand. He looks so helpless but I don't want anything chapping or bleeding so a sock hand it is!

One of my favorite blogs to read for monthly baby favorites (and in general) is littlebabygarvin.  She always has great items that I already use or ones I've been eyeing to try, I trust her judgment, I also secretly want Tracen to meet Harper! I've compiled my current favorites of all teething related items that have helped me on a daily basis with Sky.

|1, 2, 3, 4, 5|

1. These keys are great on its own but put them in the fridge or freezer for a little bit and you are good to go. I also throw them in the diaper bag as it is a good toy/teether to keep him busy while out running errands.

2. I hadn't heard of these when pregnant with Tracen so this was my first time trying them. I had a coupon for Target so I snatched them up. There are about 100 in a pack and you can give 2-3 tablets, up to 4 times a day. I've only done 2 tablets, twice a day so far, once in the morning and once right before bedtime. It seems to take the edge off but not knock the kid out, which is what I want!

3.This is another thing that I didn't have for Tracen. I bought mine at a local natural boutique and have had it on him since he was 2 weeks old. It does not chock him and if he ever pulled on it, which Tracen had once, the clasp automatically pulls apart and the necklace drops off. Plus each bead is individually tied on so there will never be a ton of beads rolling around on the floor if anyone tugs on it and it falls off. I know some people say they can tell when their child(ren) aren't wearing it compared to when they are, but I haven't taken it off him so I don't know how he would be without it. I do think it has helped as he just chews on things and never really cries while teething.

4. These are just your basic teething rings. I like these better than the larger rings though as they are easier for Sky to get his little lips and gums around. Tracen never liked the big rings I bought because he could never really 'teeth' on them.

5. I picked up this little elephant guy for Sky's stocking this year. This is another thing I throw in my diaper bag as a toy/teether. Plus it's easy to wipe down when Tracen thinks its his and puts his grimy little lips all over it.

I really wish kids were born with teeth. I would take the risk of nursing with a mouth of teeth over the long process of teething any day!!

six month update

|6 months in my belly vs. 6 months out of my belly|

WEIGHT: 17.5lbs

HEIGHT/LENGTH: 27.5 inches

SLEEPING: We slowly started putting you in your crib for naps and in the beginning of the night to help you get use to it.  I'll have you know though, I want you to sleep in bed with us forevvvverrrr, daddy says he wants his snuggle buddy back though!  You then wake up screaming, longing for me (or so I like to think!) and I bring you back into bed with us to eat and snuggle you silly. You then wake up as happy as can be, full of smiles and laughter and I forgot how you woke up every 90 minutes throughout the night and love on you until I have to leave for work. In all honesty though, the schedule goes like this:

830pm-feed, put down in crib
1230/1am- wake up screaming, feed, try and put back in bed, fails, bring in bed
330am- wake up, try and rub belly to sleep
430am- wake up, try and rub belly/skin to skin and go back to sleep
530am-wake up, feed, falls back asleep
645/7am-wake up smiling, full of life and usually just in a diaper because I took your jammies off in the middle of the night because you were a sweaty mess!

EATING: We started some solids this month as the kid is never full it seems! Last month we were just doing oatmeal once in the morning and now we do oatmeal and a fruit (banana, apples or prunes) in the morning (around 10am after his morning nap-gotta get that poop chute flowin!), sweet potato or avocado at dinner (around 7pm) and bottles in between. Bottles are about 5 ounces. I made all Tracens food and I am doing the same thing with Sky. It's so easy and cost close to nothing compared to baby jarred organic food and this way I know what I'm feeding him because I am doing it all. I do have a few organic pouches of Happy Baby for when we are on the go or away from the house for long periods of time.

FAVORITE MOMENTS: The way Tracen and Sky are interacting lately is so cute! Tracen will bring toys and put them on Skylor's Bumbo or highchair tray and Sky will reach for and play with them and giggle with excitement! Tracen likes being the one to bring him toys, diapers, you name it, he has it known that HE is the helper!

LEAST FAVORITE MOMENTS: Mommy meltdowns. I am getting real worked up lately when you wake up screaming and I can't soothe you with a feeding, paci or skin to skin. It's a wake up call when Tracen can tell me WHAT hurts, WHAT is wrong or WHEN he is hungry and you can't, it breaks my heart. Then there is Tracen who is a three year old little boy and drives me nuts sometimes! I feel like I'm going to loose my shit any day now. Between you not being able to tell me what you want and Tracen not listening I've been having some major meltdowns lately and I hate it quite frankly!  You also HATE with a capital H, tummy time, you are honestly the opposite of Tracen in every way possible, besides your looks, which are a spitting imagine of him!

FIRSTS: Solids, sleeping in your crib, sitting in your big boy highchair. You also shit yourself up into your belly button, all over our bed, pillows and dads sweatshirt.

LIFE CURRENTLY : Today is Mimi (my mom) and my cousin Tiffany's birthday so you share your half birthday with them. I think I said this last month but life is hectic! We are trying to decide if we want to start looking for houses again and when we are going to plan a family vacation. Mommy and daddy have both been spending long hours at work and are exhausted when we get home. The amount of snow has kept everyone inside and our cabin fever is at an all time high! Tracen started swimming lessons with Cousin Griffin and is not a huge fan, hopefully this summer we can get both of you into the pool together! I'm looking forward to spring time with flowers and rain, because rain is better than snow! I'm excited to start going to the park again and for warm weather! I'm excited for you to start sitting up and interacting more with Tracen and crawling and teaching you sign language like we did with Tracen. It's crazy that it's already been 6 months, time has flown by!

10 Things I hate

My mom always told me that hate is a very strong word so be careful how you use it. So now at the ripe age of 27 I make sure I really mean it when I say it. If you are guilty of any of these things, we might not be able to be friends. Minus number five, as I'm happily stuck living with that offender.

ONE: I hate when you buy something from Forever 21 and it becomes your absolute favorite top and after a few wears it falls apart at the seams and you get so pissed off because you can't understand how a shirt that cost $17.80 falls apart just like that, that shit is weak! [Yes that was one sentence]

TWO: Gas Prices. Theres no reason for it to go up and down 30 cents in 24 hours, absolute horse shit!

THREE: Feet. Why on earth did God make people with weird feet. WHY!!!

FOUR: People that talk about how they have to thin their hair out because its too thick. I'm over here, throwing weave in left and right, hoping I don't look like Kim Kardashian soon with all her bald spots.

FIVE: The way Jer cleans his ears out. Sticking one Q-tip in each ear and then twisting both at the same time. There is something about the motion of it all that makes me cringe! And he ALWAYS makes sure I'm around and stares at me when he does it!

SIX: When I sneeze and people around me don't say bless you, so rude!

SEVEN: How kids clothes ALWAYS shrink a size smaller, no matter the brand. I did not buy a 3T to have it REALLY be a 2T.

EIGHT: The Secretary of State office.  I can't STAND being there!!! I could care less if I got a brand new Porsche that I need to register, I HATE standing in line there! Okay I'm lying about the Porsche part.

NINE: People that drive UNDER the speed limit when its 70 and sunny out. I'm the first person to drive like a grandma when it's snowy in the mittin but DAMN people! At LEAST drive the speed limit under normal circumstances!

TEN: People that cut their nails at work. I am surrounded by them at work and I will get the balls to tell them to do that shit at home...one day.

Sleepless in Detroit

This morning I woke up and my right arm was numb. Not because I fell asleep with it above my head or because I had been sleeping on it all night.  I didn't want to move it but I needed to get up and get ready for woke. I grabbed my phone as my first alarm at 5:10am started going off to silence it. I silenced the next one and the one after that and the one after that. It was then 6:05am and Jer whispered next to me, are you going to get up and shower? I ignored him, who needs to shower, it's Friday.  At this point my arm was starting to tingle, I think it knew I needed to get my ass out of bed or we all were going to be late. Just as soon as I started to move it upwards, it started. Fussing, farting and crying. Sky was awake and not happy that I was moving my arm his pillow. I laid him on my pillow, tucked him under the down blanket and started to cover the dark circles under my eyes that have made themselves a home. He watched me and smiled.

He was now happy.Content and just plain cute. 

As I searched for something warm and comfortable to wear I couldn't really think about how exhausted I was from the night or weeks before.  I really just wanted to crawl back into bed and snuggle that little guy.

The last few weeks have been hard. If it's not one kid, it's the other and sometimes it's both..at the same time, at that same moment. They need you. They want something from you. Sometimes they don't know how to explain it and sometimes they do. They may just want you to lay with them a little longer, to scratch their back till they fall asleep or sing 'you are my sunshine' just one.more.time. But it's hard. It's hard not knowing, and it's hard knowing what they need, all at the same time. and when you're tired, it's even harder.

From experience I know that these sleepless nights will end though. They will also resurface when teething, night time potty training and when bad dreams happen.  Although it's Friday and I look forward to spending the weekend with the boys, today was a fight.  It was a fight to get Tracen dressed, a fight to put shoes on, a fight to get out of the door and a fight when I had to leave them to go to work.  Today, I cried while driving to work. It doesn't happen all the time but more frequently than I'd like.  Here's the thing. Both boys need me in two totally different way. I hate giving timeouts and I hate saying no but both things have to be done so Tracen learns right from wrong. I also hate when Skylor screams at the top of his lungs every two hours and no feeding, rocking or skin to skin will appease him. I'm exhausted but I really don't mind, what I mind is that you just don't know what's going on with these little humans when they act like this. It's frustrating and it got the best to me on the drive in.  But I will survive, I always do.

Motherhood is a crazy journey. One that is full of unlimited surprises, some good and some bad.  Every day I am blessed to be with these two crazy kids as well as the person that keeps me sane and raises these munchkins with me.