Fun with Pumpkins

Oh man, so I guess we are the mean parents forcing our child into stupid stunts, but we had such a fun time....until it came time for the real deal and pictures!

As I had shown some pics earlier, we went to a pumpkin patch a couple weeks ago and got some pumpkins.  I purposefully got a really huge pumpkin because I wanted to put Lachlan inside of it and take pictures.  So last weekend we set out to carve it and try this!

Lachlan is having a great time checking out the pumpkin and watching daddy carve (which by the way was his FIRST time ever carving a pumpkin).

Once we had the top cut out, we decided to see if he would fit just squatting or sitting inside of it, so we go out to the backyard...

and this boy is as happy as can be, but doesn't come close to fitting in this pumpkin!

So, back inside for more carving to make him some leg holes so he can sit in the pumpkin.  And then we come back out to this...

It wasn't all crying, there were a few seconds where he gnawed at the pumpkin

And this is it- my only decent picture not in complete tears
 

So I guess it wasn't a complete fail cause I can't help but laugh looking at these pictures and they are still cute....just not what I had imagined!

More Baby Loves...and some Duds

What are our latest baby items we are loving and not loving so much?!

Lovin

Playtex bottles-- these have been the main bottles we've used from the start and I LOVE them.  The downside is that they are pricey because you have to buy disposable liners, but the upside is that you just throw it away and the only thing you have to wash/clean is the nipple!  It has been such a timesaver and is really nice for days on the go.  Recently both of our grocery stores (Schnucks and Shop n Save) are discontinuing their store generic brand, so they are only $5 for 100 liners.  I may or may not have stocked up on 10 boxes ;)  We only have about 6 weeks or so of bottles left, but figure we'll be set for our next kid (who better take bottles)!

Pampers Cruisers- The Pampers Swaddlers had worked SO well for our disposable diaper choice, so I was nervous about finding another line that I really liked once he outgrew the Swaddlers.  The Cruisers have worked great-- we just had some night leaks a few weeks ago, but I went up a size for overnight and no leaks!

Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Chair and Kitchen- Unfortunately they have quit making this chair (it was recalled cause kids could get wedged between the table and chair), but if you can score this at any consignment shop or Craigslist, it is AWESOME.  This is hands down his favorite toy.  Since he likes it so much, I bought the Kitchen which is from the same line of toys.  It is really cute and he does like it and spends a lot of time with it.  It will be perfect for him to use for quite a bit into the future too!


Neptune's Ocean Baby Einstein video- We have a baby who NEVER really sits still or likes to be held or rocked.  He is OBSESSED over this video.  He knows when it is coming on the tv as soon as he sees the FBI warning and is just smiling ear to ear.  He will watch the entire 30 minutes.  This is a lifesaver some days!  Here is a link to it on Amazon: Click Here

Baby afghans/blankets-- We received a handful of these that such generous people made as baby gifts.  Each and every one has came in handy for us- it is nice to have one at daycare, one in the crib at home, and another for the car/stroller, one in the diaper bag, etc.  He loves poking his little fingers through the holes too!

Pedialax- This stuff has been a lifesaver and is difficult to find.  Our baby frequently gets constipated despite our best efforts to give him prunes and a mixed diet.  We feel so bad when we can see he is in pain and trying to poo.  We don't use these oftens, but in emergencies you squeeze the liquid up "there" and it makes him poo within 5 minutes.  He will then continue to fill about 5 diapers after that.  We have tried other things, but nothing works like this exact one.  Here is link to buy on amazon: Click Here

Alphabet foam mat- Since all of our main areas are carpeted I really didn't think we had a need for one of these.  However, I bought one for while we were on vacation and now am so glad we have it.  We put a little area of this in the kitchen so he can sit and play while I'm cooking dinner.  Besides using it to sit on, he has LOVED pulling the letters out of the square, pulling the border pieces off, he chews on the pieces, etc.  I liked this one that the colors somewhat blend in with our house decor too.  We purchased this on Amazon: Click here


Jeep Stroller- We've been using for several months and I LOVE this.  It is a slight pain to bring in the car cause is so heavy, but I only have to deal with that from time to time when we go to a park.  It was very affordable and has held up awesome so far.


Not Lovin- I hate being a Negative Nancy, but these were products I was excited for, but they were just a let-down.

• Dr. Brown's bottles- There is so much hype over these bottles and reducing gas in babies, so I felt I had to try them.  I really didn't notice any sort of reduction in gas and they were a complete pain to clean.  There are several parts and just prime for letting funk build up in the nooks and crannies.  I can also see where my actual bottle is becoming yellow and stained looking, which makes me think it is not completely clean too.
• Nail File- See HERE for details.  I was so pumped to use this so I wouldn't have to actually clip his nails and risk getting his skin instead.  It just plain old does not work!  I have tried several settings and I just don't feel like his nails get trimmed at all.  I haven't tried for several months, so guess I can try again and see if it works any better with him a little older, but I'm doubtful.  I think I am most bummed about this product cause is such a good idea, but just needs to work!
• Carseat mirror- See HERE for details on this one.  I just picked this up at Wal-mart and didn't research mirrors at all and figured this would work.  I hate it cause it only works like 5% of the time.  Depending on where the sun is at, I get a bad glare or is not bright enough so I can't see.  The other issue is that we have the carseat in the middle seat of our minivan and have tried to attach this to the headrest, but it doesn't stay....it just falls down and I get a nice view of his feet only.

Lachlan Photo Compare

So I couldn't get over just how old he looked in his 10 month pictures, so I wanted to go back and look at his monthly pics side by side.  I guess it's just those bucky beaver teeth that make him look so much older and less baby.  Is it just me or doesn't Month 10 just look like a different baby?!

The first pics are from 2 weeks old and 3 weeks old.  I still wonder why that awesome spikey hair couldn't have lasted...he rocked that look!

Lachlan - 10 months!

I did much better than last month by getting this post up only 2 days after Lachlan turning 10 months!  Dad kept making Lachs laugh so hard during the pics that he was kicking and squirming all around, so was hard for me to get sharp/non-blurry pics..but these will do:

 And here was Dad being silly by giving him bunny ears with his socks, but it made me laugh pretty hard:

So here is what has been going on this last month:

• We let him try almost any mushy food that we are eating.  So far he seems to eat anything and everything!  He got his first taste of french fries...he especially loved some truffled parmesan fries I gave him- this boy has got good taste!  Off the top of my head, some of the stuff he eats- refried beans, pierogies, waffles, green smoothies, cheerios, goldfish, rusks, cooked peas and carrots, diced peaches
• Noticed at the start of October he is getting his 5th tooth in-- it is on his top right.
• On his 10-month birthday, we witnessed him pull himself up to standing several times in his crib that morning!
• He is becoming much more fun to play games with.  We'll crawl around and chase him and then "catch" him and tickle him.
• He "jabbers" quite a bit. For the last week he has been repeating "uh oh" after we say it. He most commonly just says daa daa daa daa.
• The weather was awesome, so we explored some nearby parks and found they were great for pushing the stroller.  Route 66 state park is also neat cause we usually spot around 10 deer on the walk.  I can't wait until he gets a little older and can help us spot them!
• It's getting chilly at night, so I've gone against the rules and let him sleep with a baby afghan at night.  I figure it has holes in it and I can't imagine can easily suffocate him.   Usually he rolls away from it during the night anyway.
• He has started crawling over to wherever I'm standing and he will just hedgehog (my term for when he basically just continuously head-butts something) at my leg wanting me to pick him up (I'm guessing).  He'll also try to crawl up on my lap when I'm sitting on the floor- however, once he is up there then I have no clue what he wants cause then whines!
• He seems to enjoy also headbutting his crib.  He has done it so much that he actually knocked the screw loose and it completely came out!
• He LOVES my hair.  As he takes his night bottle, he just has to play with my hair.  He'll reach both arms up to my face until I bend down so he can reach it.  He's actually been really gentle, so I've let him do this.  Also loves just feeling faces.
• He got some bad patches of eczema flare up, so we've stopped using the Johnson's products (which I just LOVE how they smell) and switched to Baby Aveeno.  We also got a presciption cream and it has cleared it all right up.
• For the first time ever he started wetting through his diapers overnight.  So we've purchased dipes one size bigger to use for night and that has seemed to help the problem.  I also have bought some hemp liners and tried those in the cloth dipes and that seems to work too.
• Loves:  Hair, Baby Einstein Videos, Laugh and Learn Chair, some books, stroller rides, bath time, wires/cables, flashlights we keep in outlets, removing the door stops, stuffed animals that talk/sing
• There are still mainly girls in his daycare room.  They say that Mya is his girlfriend and they catch them making out quite a bit.  She is a cutie and fellow chunk, so at least he has good taste!
• He never really took to the pacifier (or so we thought), but he repeatedly is stealing other kids out of there mouth and putting it into his.  I've been lucky enough to witness it a few times now and is pretty funny.

Things I plan to focus on with him in coming weeks:

• One of my next goals is to get him to wave bye bye.  Mya (girl from daycare) waved bye to her mom this week and it was so cute.  I go to wave bye to Lachlan and he is seriously just staring at me with a blank look and spitup running out of his mouth.  I told Dustin I'm worried we have the slow kid...I don't think he even has any concept of bye when we leave, let alone to put his hand up and wave!
• I also want to work on him recognizing some words and being consistent with using baby sign language.  I try to use just 1 or 2 words at a time when talking to him so he picks up the key words.

We went to Eckert's Fun Farm in Millstadt, IL and this place was awesome!  We got to pick apples and pumpkins.  For older kids they had a petting zoo, all sorts of rides, various shows, etc.  Unfortunately we could only stay for a couple hours cause we had a wedding to go to, but we will definitely be going back in future years and making a longer day out of it!  Of course, I was super excited to get some good pics and he just was NOT in the mood to look at the camera....all he wanted to do was stare at the ground and whatever blade of grass or pile of dirt there was very interesting to him.

 

We got ONE family picture taken...thanks lachlan for ruining this one by being the nose picker!

 So Lachlan has LOVED eating squash and zucchini, so Dustin always says that he loves gourds.  We get to the pumpkin patch and he tells Lachlan- Oh my gosh, it is gourd heaven!!!!!

He got to cheer on the Cards in the post-season....so far, so good!

And he got a visit from Grandma and Grandpa

Lachlan - 9 months

Well, now that he is a week away from 10 months, I had to force myself to get something out there for 9 months!  Luckily I had jotted down some notes a few weeks ago so I wouldn't forget!  I was pretty bad with taking pictures this month, so that sucks!

 

 

• 9 month stats: 24 lbs; 29.75 inches; Don't have his head measurement handy- but was 100%-tile and his other stats were all above the 90%-tile
• His 2 top front teeth have started coming in. They look HUGE so am worried they are going to be out of proportion! He has been a little fussy and I think these teeth are hurting him.
• He has started crawling—and occasionally he’ll crawl for something all the way across the room. He isn’t always on the go, exploring, but will move when need be.
• He will hold on to things and pull himself onto his knees.
• I’ll stand him up holding on to the ottoman and I can let go for about 2 seconds while he stays there…then his legs buckle and he goes tumbling down.
• Has just started eating small bites of “real” food- moving off of purees! He has tried things like Whole Grain blueberry waffles, pancakes, diced fruit, cheerios, puffs, yogurt melts, yogurt.
• Will clap his hands! Although I don’t know he knows to do this when to cheer for something. He will just randomly do it and does not do it imitating us.
• He LOVES when I sing the songs and do the hand games/clapping. He will now get so exciting that he holds his hands up to play along with me so my hands can hit his.  (We do lots of Miss Mary Mack and I Met My Boyfriend at the Candy Store!)
• I get so tired of reading the same books over and over. I got out a bunch more books this month to see if he would like any others we could add to the mix and we found ONE winner- Babies.
• Has been fun to take him shopping to stores cause he loves riding in the carts.
• LOVES feeling hair- besides playing with his own hair, he has discovered mom’s long hair. He’s pretty much obsessed with touching it any time he is within reach. Only a few times has he got a strong hold and ripped some out.
• His current teachers at school are Ms Sheila and Ms Dawn- we love them both!

Typical Day:

• Wake around 6am.  Have a 6oz bottle-- lays in bed with us if on the weekend otherwise lays on Boppy Lounger in bathroom as we get ready for work.
• 8am- Oatmeal for breakfast
• Morning Nap- length varies drastically!  If at home, he sleeps around 1.5 hours- give or take 30 minutes.  At daycare, it is all over the place- but usually around 30-60 minutes only.
• 10:30- 6oz bottle
• Noon- Fruit or Veggie puree.  He is very interested in the other kids lunches, so they are starting to let him try bites of soft items.
• Afternoon Nap- If at home, he sleeps around 2 hours.  At daycare it is all over the place again!
• 3:00- 6 oz bottle
• 5:00- 3-4 oz bottle
• 6:00- Fruit or Veggie puree.  We noticed lately though he is not interested in eating, so are thinking he is just not that hungry because daycare gives him a bottle at the end of the day.  At home, we usually don't give him one.
• 7:15- Bath time!  He still LOVES his bath so we try to do it every night.  This is Dustin's job when he is around.
• 7:45- 6 oz bottle - This is my job and is my favorite time of day!  Since Lachlan has never really liked to be held or a cuddler, this is my 15 minutes where I get to hold him!
• 8:00-8:15- asleep!  We have continued to be so lucky that this kid NEVER cries when he goes to sleep.  Some nights he may move about the crib for 30 minutes before going to sleep.

Some pics:

Always wants to grab the spoon to feed himself!

Cheerios, Cheerios, Cheerios!

 

LOVES to find wires/cables

This boy is awesome and doesn't even cry when we wakes up- just sits and waits for us to get him!

A night at the park...

Tonight we took Lachlan to the park for a little while.  He tried out the swing and had a great time!  (Sorry if this shows up really small, but haven't figure out how to do larger size vids!)

It got a little chilly, so we also got to try out his new winter hat (which BARELY fit that huge melon- which by the way his head size is at the 100 %-tile meaning its pretty much off the charts).