Family – Page 3 – The Merfett

Charly is 11 Months

June 30, 2016 The Merfett

ELEVEN.

Weight: He’s heavy! My arms are for sure getting tired hauling him around on my hip all the time.

Health: Healthy! We seem to be between teething and growth spurts, so a nice happy time!

Sleep: It gets lighter here earlier, but he’s still sleeping until 6:30am or 7:00am which is nice. Gives me some time to get up with Riley and get things going before he’s awake. Still taking 2 naps morning and afternoon. I try to get he and Riley to take their afternoon naps together, but sometimes Charly will take a really long morning nap and isn’t ready for his afternoon nap until 2ish.

Nursing: Still keeping up with Pumping. I’ve been so focused on making it to a year I’m just now starting to realize that we should think more about how weaning may got for both of us. I’m not going to be sad to say goodbye to the pump. But I do like those quite moments when I’m feeding him after he wakes up…although he’s super distracted and wiggly so sometimes it’s not a relaxing feed. He’s drinking from a straw now, which is awesome. And he’s sipping water at his meals. I waited until after a year to introduce Cow’s Milk to Riley, but I’m tempted to see if Charly likes it now. I’m nervous to wean from the pump, I still feel uncomfortable if I go too long between sessions. Breastfeeding was such a natural stop, I feel like pumping is going to harder in a few ways.

What Charly is up to: Saying “no” “da” “mama” “mmmm” “mah” for more. Still working on waving. He loves to dance and wave his arms around, it’s the cutest thing ever. He’s a rascal and loves to wrestle and play with Riley, or anyone that will let him climb all over. He’s pulling up to stand, but still wobbly. He’s got the best belly laugh and the cutest giggle.

New house!

New Park!

Swimming pool time

Dancing to music on TV

First pull to stand!

PostPartum: I’m looking forward to finding a new exercise routine (well, any routine would be nice!) now that we are in the new house. In a way I’m also looking forward to weaning, and hitting the year mark. I didn’t feel like myself again until Riley was a year, and really until we weaned at 15 months. I’ve been pregnant or nursing for SO long.

Baby Gear: He loves plastic straws. Tonight he pulled one of my socks out of the clean laundry folding pile and it was his new favorite thing. He loves anything that makes noise, and he’s drawn to my phone, computer or the iPad screen. Love the Ergo 360.

Thoughts: The year has flown by. With moving and everything else it’s been such a whirlwind. I’m so thankful for our little Char, he’s such a fun and happy guy. I love that he fits into our family so perfectly. I need to start wrapping my head around the thought of a first birthday, ahhh!

Family

Charly is 10 Months

June 30, 2016June 30, 2016 The Merfett

Ten! Already?! I’m only a month behind, oops. I didn’t take very many photos this month either…

Weight: 22lb 5oz. 29.5″ long at his last check up. He’s heavier than Riley was at this age, but not as long. He’s wearing some 12 months, lots of 18-24. I was just thinking today he needs some more shirts. His tops don’t cover his little belly! We haven’t really put shoes on him, but with crawling the tops of his feet are chapped, so I try to keep socks on him but socks in the summer is lame.

Health: All good here! I think we’re all still adjusting to the allergies up here, and the pollen. He’s sneezy and has a runny nose some weeks but nothing every comes of it. He’s got tooth 8 finally. He handles teething really well though. Just a little sensitive and crabby.

Sleep: He sleeps until 6:30am/7am, and bedtime is 6:30pm or 7pm. Sometimes earlier if he didn’t nap late enough. He goes down for his morning nap around 9:00am and then take another nap around 1:00 – 2:00. Both naps are around 1.5 hr. Sometimes longer. I hear something really great yesterday, about keeping a 2-3-4 schedule. Put them down for their nap 2 hours after waking, then 3 hours after they wake from their morning nap for their afternoon nap. Then 4 hours later is bedtime. We follow that schedule, but I didn’t notice until someone else pointed it out, ha!

Nursing: Still pumping 3x a day and he’s taking 4, five or six oz bottles for between 20 – 24 oz of breastmilk a day. He had a week where he was eating a lot of solids, not interest in the bottles, then he got “stopped up” which caused him to not want to take his bottle which made it worse. I was stressing, it was 100+ in Phoenix and I was worried he was going to get dehydrated. It worked itself out and he’s been fine since, but I’m starting to think about what weaning is going to look like. Since Riley didn’t take a bottle this is going to be a new experience.

What Charly is up to: Crawling all over the place. He really got the hang of it this month! He had his first swim in Aunt Leslie’s swimming pool and he loved it! He likes to splash and play in the bath too. He’s working on waving and using a spoon.

Eating on the patio at the new house

Checking out his new room!

PostPartum: I was a really emotional this month. Probably from the moving and stress of that, but I’m also getting really close to the 1 year mark and that makes me happy and sad. I love seeing the boys grow, but it’s also a little bittersweet, knowing that it’s always going to be changing.

Baby Gear: Wooden “busy box.” Stacking cups. Shapes. Spoons. Clip on high chair. Ergo 360. Pack N Play with Crib mattress.

Thoughts: So thankful for an easy month staying at Aunt Leslie’s house, and excited to move into our new home!!! Can’t wait for the boys to have their own rooms again. And to have our stuff back. I didn’t think I would miss my toaster, but I do!

Family

Charly is 9 Months

May 23, 2016 The Merfett

N.I.N.E

Weight: I think he’s put on some weight in the past few weeks, thinking maybe around 20lb? He’s eating like a champ, anything and everything!

Health: We’re all adjusting to the weather in AZ. It’s MUCH more dry here – hello, desert. We were in Flagstaff when it was super windy, and the pollen – oh, the pollen. All of us were feeling gross. Thankful we’ve gotten used to it. Charly also cut a new tooth! We’re at a total of 7 now.

Sleep: Since moving he’s getting up earlier, 6:00am – 7:00am, sometimes he sleeps later until 8:00am. He takes a morning nap for 1.5 – 2 hours, then an afternoon nap for another 1.5 – 2 hours. Bedtime has been 6:00/6:30, sometimes 7:00pm or even 5:30pm depending on how long his afternoon nap was. We spilt the boys up so Charly sleeps alone, which is better for him. He sleeps longer in the morning than Riley, and since Riley is in the room with us and he sleeps harder it’s much easier to sneak in and go to bed at night.

Nursing: Still going strong and pumping 3-4 times a day. He takes 4-7oz per bottle, around 20 – 24oz a day. He’s eating all kinds of solids too. I’m sad that our nursing time has ended, and pumping is not my favorite thing to do, but I’m happy to make it at long as I can. He’s going through a growth spurt and is pounding all bottles/food which is harder since my body doesn’t respond the same as if he was nursing – so I have to add in sessions, or pump for longer to increase my supply.

What Charly is up to: Crawling! Everywhere! He’s pulling up to his knees. Loves to “talk” and eat everything – including the carpet at Aunt Leslie’s house. He loves Betsy, not sure the feeling it mutual. His big brother is his favorite person, and he loves any time Riley looks at him. He’s learning the signs for “more” and “all done.” And will repeat the sounds for some words, like if you say “more” he says “mo-mo” or “bath” is “ba-ba.”

PostPartum: Hormones. Moving. So many emotions. I’m holding it together pretty well, but I’ve for sure had more “off” days than my normal. But, acknowledging that I’m anxious or irritated is normally enough to get the feeling to pass. I’m trying to eat well, and I look forward to finding our new routine in Flagstaff.

Baby Gear: Ergo 360. Pack N Play w/ crib mattress. Sound Machine. Balls. Size 3 diapers. Size 18 – 24 mo clothing. Kitchen tools. Travel high chair.

Thoughts: It’s been a crazy month, but it’s also been really great. We’ve had some nice time together as a family. And the boys are handling the changes really well. It’s also been fun to explore new areas and towns. Finding fun parks. Thinking about doing some mommy + me classes when we get to Flagstaff. Riley and I did a music class around this time that was really fun – I think Charly would like that too!