CELEBRATING OUR HEROS

SWIM SEASON PREP

Earlier this month we signed James up for his first swim lessons. We are so excited! Jay has been talking about teaching James to swim since before he was born (Jay is quite the water baby himself, if you didn't already know, being from a beach town in Florida and all), and I am happy to be in the same class as the other mommies/daddies and little ones we know (I am growing to really appreciate time spent with other new parents, both for the comraderie AND the advice). It will be a 2-week class, following the American Red Cross Parent And Child Aquatics Program, that we'll attend in the evenings after work. Jay will likely be the "parent in the water" at most lessons, but we'll take turns if I'm feeling up for it (that is, if my giant belly hasn't worn me out to the point of exhaustion by the end of the day, in which case I will opt to float lazily nearby and just watch my boys enjoy the lesson, while taking photos, of course).

To prepare for this course, we hunted through James' ample suppy of swim trunks (hooray for hand-me-downs!) to find a pair that fit. And as we sort-of expected, the 2T sizes were way too loose for our skinny boy, and we didn't have anything in 18 or 12 month. Luckily, and surprisingly, the 6-month trunks that his Grambot got him a year ago STILL fit. And they actually FIT now, rather than hang halfway off his bum and past his knees, like they did when he first wore them on his 4-month birthday:

(Do REI infant clothes really run this large? Seriously?)

For sun protection purposes, we got him a rash guard. Then, we also got him a rash guard suit (a one-piece thingy), to switch between throughout the summer. Even though James has a TON of cute hats that fit (all hand-me-downs), he refuses to wear them. He won't leave his sunglasses on either (so, good thing we just bought him a pair especially for the pool, eh?)... Oh well, at least the lessons are during the early evening, so the sun won't be too bad. We'll just have to keep his splash pool at home in the shade, I suppose... In other preparations, we searched for reuseable swim diapers (both in our storage boxes of hand-me-downs and online). We found one pair (from Jackson), which just so happens to fit perfectly. Success!

(Don't mind James' pout, the sun was in his eyes during the diaper change)

However, since his swim lessons are daily (and we don't do laundry daily), and just in case James actually USES the swim diapers for their intended purpose mid-lesson (to contain BMs, though not urine, FYI), we figured we better get an extra pair or two so he doesn't miss class due to potty breaks! Problem is, the tag on those swim diapers from Jackson is so faded we couldn't figure out what size or brand they were. So, of course, I had to do some research. Good thing I like diaper research, eh? I narrowed it down to a couple of brands, then picked Imse Vimse because they have side snaps (in case there really is a BM to deal with, then at least we don't have to slide the dirty diaper down like undies), and because I liked their patterns, of course. Here is James modeling his new swim diapers:

Finally, we also decided it would be a good idea to introduce James to the pool where the lessons will be held, so he would be familiar with the area (and the crowd), before his class starts next week. This was opening weekend for the pool and we went both Saturday and Sunday. It was pretty busy, but James handled it well. Maybe a little too well... As we were checking in (paying our $10 usage fee - they even charge for babies!), we stood James up on the counter and he walked right over to the young girl at registration, jumped into her arms, and proceeded to snuggle in and suck his thumb. We were shocked! I mean, he's not shy or anything (in fact, they've been calling him "man of the house" at daycare lately due to his popularity with the older kids - they were literally all hanging out the door to wave bye-bye to "Baby James" on Friday), but still, he'd never even met this girl before! She SO wanted to take him home... And that's when I sweetly snatched him back (hee hee). Anyway, he got a whole 10 minutes in the kiddie pool that day before a thunderstorm hit (don't worry, we scored a Rain Check for Sunday).

Here he is testing the "beach" end of the kiddie pool:

And waiting for the thunderstorm on his Mama's giant belly:

Sunday was awesome! We spent about 2 hours (with warming and hydration breaks, of course) in both the adult and kiddie pools, surrounded by good friends (the other new parents we know, who we're taking the swim lessons with). James really had a great time, so the lessons should be a lot of fun for all of us! Here he is enjoying the water with his Daddy:

And drying off at the end of the day (still teething, if you can't tell):

CLOTH DIAPER CARE

After my last cloth diaper post, I had 2 friends (one a cloth diapering skeptic, the other a new - though planned - convert) ask me about washing and caring for cloth diapers. In case anyone else out there is interested in how diaper duty works in our household (and for those friends and family that babysit James and Cora, and are willing to use our cloth diapers instead of the FLIP disposable inserts), here is the easy process:

1. For dirty diapers, the poo gets dumped or sprayed off into the toilet (we do NOT dunk or rinse them in the toilet or sink because that is not necessary, and you can use any type of sprayer, either attached to your shower or to the toilet itself), then the diaper simply gets placed into a bucket (or wetbag). We recently purchased a couple of wetbags (one for the downstairs bathroom where we dump/spray off the dirty diapers, and one for the nursery upstairs) to replace the big bucket we kept in the laundry room. We did this for 2 reasons... First, James has decided that the diaper bucket is a great toy, and we disliked having him push it around the kitchen and pry it open in an attempt to empty the contents onto the floor (don't worry, we always caught him in time). Second, I was tired of carrying dripping diapers from the bathroom to the laundry room after spraying them off.

2. Wet-only diapers (and all cloth wipes) go straight into the bucket/wetbag.

3. We wash diapers every other day to reduce/prevent staining of dirty diapers. You can wash every 3 days if your diaper stash is large enough, but you should expect more stains the longer you let the poo sit on the diaper.

4. On diaper washing day (or night, since we most often wash at night) we just empty the bucket/wetbag into the washer, being sure to remove all inserts from the pocket diapers and to close all velcro/applix securely to the laundry tabs (to prevent damage to diapers during washing/drying). Once per week, we also wash the wetbags, which can be thrown in right along with the diapers (another bonus of no longer having a stinky diaper bucket).

5. There are a variety of ways to wash and dry your cloth diapers, diaper covers, and inserts. Depending which detergent you use, and which brand/style of washer/dryer you own, there can be specific instructions (if you want to follow them, they are always included with new diaper purchases). Basically though, all you have to do is a cold wash without detergent (usually with a second rinse, and sometimes including half a cup of vinegar), followed by a hot wash with your detergent (generally using half the amount you would use for normal laundry, and with both a prewash and second rinse). There are a few preferred detergents for cloth diapers, but the only real requirement is that it is free of additives and softeners. If your diaper load is really small, you can add an old towel to help trick your washer into filling more (this is especially important with the new HE front-loaders). Never wash your diapers with your other clothes (because that's just gross). All diapers, covers, and inserts CAN be hung to dry exclusively (in fact, hang drying in the sun helps to remove stains), however, most diaper covers SHOULD be hung to dry (at least most of the time), and anything organic will usually need a tumble dry in order to come out feeling soft. We throw all the diapers and inserts in together on timed-dry for 40 minutes on medium, then hang dry the rest of the way. Our diaper covers are hung dry, except for once every other week, when we tumble dry to reseal the PUL waterproofing layer (it requires heat to do so).

And that's it!

Note that the FIRST time you purchase cloth diapers or inserts, they will need to be "prepped" before you can use them. All this means is that you need to wash and dry them a few times (usually 2-3 times for regular fitted, pocket, and all-in-one diapers and inserts, and 5-6 times for anything organic or unbleached - because it takes more work to remove the natural oils). Prepping your diapers is what gives them their absorbancy (try to use an unprepped diaper and you will have nothing but leaks). And now you know why cloth diapers have such good resale value - the more they are used and washed (as long as they are washed correctly in good detergent), the more absorbant they become.

And another side note, even disposable diaper users are suppose to dump poo into the toilet (at least the solid type), and daycares are required by law to do so in some states...

WAITING ON HIS NEW BACKSEAT COMPANION

Since the cover of our infant carseat has been washed and freshened (and put back on the newborn setting with the newborn insert), and a brand-new Pearl Jam sticker has been applied to the outside, it is officially ready for Cora! Therefore, I couldn't wait ANY longer to see what the backseat of Jay's Jetta would look like outfitted with both carseats. Jay obliged me and set it up last night. Unfortunately, Cora will not be able to sit in the middle as James did for 9 months, because there just isn't room for the infant catseat next to his convertible carseat (we tried). So, this is what the set-up will look like (minus Cora, of course, and the 2nd mirror that we have purchased, but not yet installed):

James was happy to smile through his thumb for the photo op this morning, though he kept reaching for the infant carseat and saying "This?" (as in, What is this thing and what is it doing here?) See why we're considering a bigger vehicle (ahem, minivan)? If the kids are going to be this close together, it doesn't leave much room for storage. And while the Jetta has a large trunk for it's size, we know it won't be able to handle 2 adult suitcases, 2 child suitcases/duffles, a double stroller, pack-n-play, etc. for traveling later this year. Besides, with this set-up we won't be able to take even a single visitor out as a family without taking a second vehicle!

Due to the addition of the second carseat, we are no longer able to take turns riding in back with James. It was weird (and sort of sad) not to be able to talk to him face-to-face in the car today, but it was time for us to make the adjustment anyway. Cora will be here before we know it (and we bet she'll entertain James just as well as we have, if not more so)!

ANOTHER DIAPER SWITCH-A-ROO

During our continuing preparations for Cora's impending arrival, there has been much discussion around the household about her diapers. It was an easy decision to pick her daytime cloth diapers for use at home, the BumGenius Organic One-Size All-In-Ones, like we use for James (in fact, we only have 3 more to purchase and that stash of 12 will be complete). Her overnight diapers will likely be the Bum Genius 3.0's, also like we use for James, but we're waiting to see what kind of overnighter she is (once she starts sleeping through the night, that is, which could be quite a while from now). And we thought we had the daycare diapers figured out too (if you recall my post about the New Baby Bundle by gDiapers), but then I decided that I didn't want gender-neutral size small gPants for Cora (because they would be hard to distinguish from James' orange and brown size mediums). Only problem is, they don't sell the tiny gPants (the ones you need for the first month) separately. So that led me to do even MORE searching (and review reading). Turns out there is a much cheaper cloth-hybrid diapering system than the gDiapers! Some of you living in other states may have already heard of it (there isn't a single retailer in Mississippi, of course). It's called FLIP, and it's by the makers of BumGenius (Cotton Babies)! And you know we love BumGenius, so I just HAD to try FLIP. Especially after I did the math and discovered that over the next 1.5-2 years, while both our babies are in diapers, we would save a whopping $1000 by switching to FLIP!!

Here's how it breaks down (in case you want to do the calculations for your own family):

FLIP diaper cover = $13.99 (and the FLIP covers are ONE-SIZE)

gPant diaper cover = $16.99-$18.99 (and you have to buy 3 different sizes throughout the diapering years: small, medium, and large)

FLIP disposable inserts = 18 for $4.95 ($0.28 each)

gDiapers disposable inserts = 160 small for $57.96 ($0.36 each) or 128 med/lg for $57.96 ($0.45 each)

(If you want to see my spreadsheet and how I calculated our potential savings, just email me and I'll send it to you.)

So, our thoughts on these new cloth-disposable hybrids now that we've tested them?

1. We love that they have snaps instead of velcro (they won't cause damage to other diapers during washing/drying and they will be even harder for the toddler to undo)

2. The one-size system is the same as our other BGs, so yes, we love that too (great custom fit)

3. The gDiaper inserts (both disposable AND cloth) fit the FLIP covers, as do some of our other cloth inserts, as well as prefolds (meaning that we COULD use them as cloth diapers should we choose to, without even having to buy new inserts)

4. They DO NOT LEAK (even the one daycare lady who couldn't get a gPant correctly fastened to James' bottom no matter HOW many times we showed her was able to figure out the FLIPs, and all the daycare ladies like them better than the gPants because there are less pieces - i.e. no liners - and they fit more snuggly around the legs)

5. The FLIP covers are made of the same PUL material as the BGs. If you have seen the semi-naked baby photos of James on the blog lately, you can see for yourself that the BGs still look brand-spankin' new, even after 9 months of use. However, James' size medium little gPants are faded, pilled (where the velcro came loose from the laundry tabs in the wash and stuck to the outside of the diaper), and losing their "g" (not that we care about the g's though).

6. If we decide to go a different route for overnight diapers with Cora down the road (I'm considering trying some fitteds, which require covers), the FLIP covers can be used (with just about every brand of fitted I've researched). Bonus! (And another money saver)

7. Most of all, we just LOVE that we're saving money!

However, just like the BGs we own, we hear that the one-size system actually fits best once the baby reaches 9-10 lbs (not the 8 lbs as stated in advertisements, and there is a chance that Cora may arrive smaller than her brother, who was 8 lbs exactly at birth). So, what to do during the first month? Well, instead of the tiny gDiapers with disposable inserts (since they can't be purchased separately anyway), we're going for gold and starting cloth diapering immediately with Cora. While I'm on maternity leave and Cora is still such a little thing, she will be sporting prefolds and diaper covers, which is the absolute CHEAPEST form of cloth diapering on the market. Even after ordering 4 Thirsties Duo Wrap diaper covers (size one, which fits 4-15 lbs) and 2 dozen Green Mountain Diapers prefolds in size newborn (in the unbleached version, which fits up to 10 lbs), the total came to less than $100. If we were to buy disposable diapers for the first 2 months (the Seventh Generation brand, of course), that would cost us $160-180 (newborns generally go through about 400 diapers in the first month alone). So we're STILL saving money! And for anyone who doesn't already know, cloth diapers can be resold. EASILY! In fact, I sold those GroBaby diapers that we tried with James back when he was 5-months-old and we were still figuring out what worked for him (and us), and I recouped almost full-price of what I paid for them. So when Cora outgrows these little diaper covers, I'll simply sell them on one of the cloth diaper swap boards, and probably get back about $40 of the $100 we just invested. Cool, eh?

We ordered 2 of the Duo Wraps in Orchid Purple and 2 in Rose Pink (which is actually a bit lighter in color than shown in the photo below). These come in snap or velcro, and Jay and I actually chose the velcro version because the tabs can be overlapped for a tighter fit if need be (and that need is likely with our baby girl, since James has such a slim waist - a big belly, but a very slim waist). Note the double leg gussets of these covers too - absolutely perfect for containing the newborn, runny, breastmilk BMs:

Of course, to be CERTAIN we have no leaks, and to keep the covers unstained (so we can get the highest resale value possible), we'll be pinning them on with Snappis for better containment of BMs (as opposed to laying the prefold straight into the cover), at least for the first few weeks:

Here are the GMD newborn prefolds (which will also make great diaper-doublers once Cora outgrows them, or we can always use them as rags or burp cloths):

Finally, I just thought I'd note that we're also making a switch in laundry detergent for our cloth diaper washes. We just ordered some of the Rockin Green that all the mommies on the BabyCenter cloth diapering board rave about. Due to James' sensitive skin, we went with the "Soft Rock" unscented version.

You know, they say cloth diapering can become a bit of an obsession... I'll jump onboard with that statement. It IS a bit addictive. It's fun. It's easy. It makes you feel good (helping the environment). There are SO many cute diapers out there (though I tend to choose only solid colors, mostly because I don't like them to show through onesies, and also because color-coding works well in our household to distinguish between the daytime, overnight, and daycare diapers). And they are great for James' sensitive bum - the kid NEVER gets diaper rashes with his cloth diapers (or the disposable inserts that go with the gDiapers or FLIPs, for that matter), but on the rare occasion that he'd come home from daycare in a random disposable diaper (when he'd blow-out the 3 gPants we'd send with him, due to poor fit and/or poor technique by one of the daycare ladies), those are the times he's had to deal with diaper rash...

THE INTERNAL REPORT

This morning was my 34 week appointment. Generally at 34 weeks you get your first internal exam and testing for group B strep. Oh so fun. Internal report is basically nil right now (no dilation), which is just great, since we want this baby girl to stay put for at LEAST another 2.5 weeks (which would make her full term, at 37 weeks), though I'm willing and prepared to go the full 40 weeks (I think)! My blood pressure was good (124/78) and my weigh-in was interesting - I actually LOST a pound in the past 2 weeks. I guarantee you I never lost even an ounce when I was pregnant with James, so this surprised me. The doc said it's most likely because I've been sick. Speaking of which, I think I'm finally on the mend... It all started about 1.5 weeks ago with a cough and runny nose. I had thought allergies. When Claritin didn't make any difference and the cough had escalated to the point that it hurt my belly muscles to do so, I realized it must be a cold (or some sort of infection), so my concerned husband made me an appointment with our general practitioner to ensure I'd go get checked out. The doc couldn't find anything wrong, but he prescribed a z-pack "to prevent infection", just in case. I finished those meds on Sunday night, by which point the cough was so bad that I felt like my right eyeball was popping out of its socket every time I coughed. My right ear hurt so much that I figured it HAD to be infected. My face felt tender to touch (like I'd been punched - at least I assume that's what the feeling is similar to, since I've never actually been punched in the face). And then my jaw/teeth started to hurt. Oh wow was last night ever a bad night! I have never felt so much pressure in my head before... To quote my friend Christina, "being sick and pregnant is the pits". Amen! I seriously sailed through my pregnancy with James, but having a baby sharing his daycare germs with me AND adding in the fact that my body hadn't fully recovered from my first pregnancy has definitely made things more "interesting" this time around. I think I've been sick with SOMETHING at least once per month since October...

Anyway, the new antibiotics, pain meds, and cough suppressant are doing their job, and I'm finally feeling some relief. Now if only we can all get some sleep tonight (James was literally awake from 10:30pm-4:00am last night, and he only napped for about 3 hours total today)! Here I am today at 34 weeks 4 days (not much change, if any, from 32 weeks), still smiling:

DOUBLE BACK

Boo. James' double ear infection has returned. Hopefully an antibiotic shot, stronger meds, and a higher dose of ibuprofen will have him feeling better in no time. For now he's just sleeping it off (when he's not playing with his Daddy). In extremely cute PJs.

And hopefully his Mama will feel better tomorrow too. Not sure what I've got, but the Z-pack the doc gave me on Wednesday "to prevent infection" has done nothing for me. In fact, my head just feels worse. Maybe my OB will have a better answer at my appointment in the morning...

BABY GEAR, REVISITED

Last weekend, I hauled out the infant gear that we had stored in closets (bouncer, bathtub, play gym, and carseat) and gave everything a good washing and freshening. James sees these types of items all the time at daycare (well, maybe not the bathtub), since he spends at least a portion of every day over in the nursery with the newborns (he and his first caretaker are still very close, so they're sure to spend some time together each day). However, he hasn't seen HIS old gear in quite some time. We retired the bouncer around 4 months, the bathtub and play gym at 7 months, and the carseat just after 9 months. He's had a great time exploring these items this week as his Mama gets them ready for baby sister, so why not take advantage and show some comparison photos? I know I'm a fan of them!

By the way, the exersaucer, jumperoo, and walker are still in use. While James prefers not to get IN them much anymore (too constrictive, of course), he loves to walk around the outside of them and play with all the toys from a different angle. Hopefully he won't mind sharing in a few months...

NOT EVEN CHOCOLATE?!?!

We're STILL struggling to get James to drink milk from a sippy cup... We thought we had the answer last weekend when we purchased new, insulated sippys. He actually LIKED them, and by like, we mean that he took more than half a dozen sips, unprompted (i.e. unforced), and without spitting the milk out down his chin afterwards. Then all week daycare reported that James would simply throw the cup and not even TRY the milk. Even after coming in from outside play, when they KNEW he was thirsty. In fact, he started refusing his noon bottle too. Yikes. That is just not acceptable, so what did his Mama decide to try today? Chocolate milk! I mean, seriously, who doesn't LOVE chocolate milk? I thought I was being so nice (and sneaky, since Jay was somewhat against the idea, and I did it without telling him), but James was not interested. In fact, he seemed offended. Oh, he tried it all right, but as you can see from the picture below, he let every single sip drool straight down his chin...

What a little stinker. So, who has the answer for us?

Things that have NOT worked so far include: 12+ different types of sippy and straw cups, warming the milk, adding chocolate to the milk, offering the milk in sippys at different times of day, holding him while he drinks from the sippy, letting him walk around with the sippy, and cutting out juice to reduce other liquid calories. We're plum out of ideas...

DADDY'S LITTLE STUDENT

Jay taught James to say "bawwwll" last weekend (that's ball, in case you need interpreting). He also taught him to point them out in his new favorite book "First 100 Words" (from his Grandma). It's a BIG book, but he pulls it off the shelf as soon as we get home from work/daycare, drags it across the floor, and plops it up on the ottoman for his "lesson". He goes right to the page with the beach ball and soccer ball, points them out, and says "bawwwll". And if you roll a ball toward him while he's playing with something else, he'll stop what he's doing to watch the ball (or point to the ball) and say "bawwwll". If you ask him where the ball is, he'll either point to it in the book or go find one to hand to you (not every time, of course, but pretty consistently). Fun, eh? His other favorite pictures in this big book are the pear, flower, horse, tiger, and cat (of course), which he also points out when we ask him to. He even leans in to "smell" the flower. Oh my goodness he is so cute!

Jay has also been teaching James to correctly sort shapes in the various shape sorters he has over the past couple of weeks. He has one that rolls and lights up (from Juliet) and one that is a tool box (from his Uncle Jamie), which is definitely one of his most favorite toys in the house (he also likes to spin the gears, "hammer" the nails, and use the drill on his belly button - or ours - which is something else Jay taught him). Both shape sorters make happy, rewarding noises when James gets it right, and he LOVES that! So far, he does best with the circles and squares, but the stars are his favorite (maybe because they're easiest to hold?). He hunts for his shapes in the pile of toys strewn about the floor, takes them to the appropriate sorter toy, and just practices and practices. It's pretty cool to watch.

And don't be fooled by the title of this blog post, I'm also attempting to teach James these types of things. Problem is, he is DADDY'S little student. He listens much better to his Daddy than to his Mama. Same deal at storytime (James has continued the habit of handing his Daddy books to read, though he has done it for me... ONCE). I think he still associates me more with food and comfort, whereas his Daddy is fun and games, and I honestly think James is already at the stage where he wants to be like his Daddy. I know he's young, but it really surprises me how quick he is to imitate (or try to imitate) his Daddy. He watches his Daddy's every move, very closely and attentively, and it seems he's filing away everything he sees for future use. It's adorable, and I think it's a testament to what a great Daddy Jay is. Good job sweetie!

In fact, for the past 2 nights at bathtime, James has been repeating "Dada, Dada, Dada" with a questioning and somewhat concerned look on his face. You see, bathtime is usually something that Jay does exclusively (because it just HURTS to kneel over the tub with my big belly), and I think James is confused as to why Daddy isn't running the show. Don't worry James, I miss your Daddy too, and he'll be back tomorrow!

STARS UPON THARS

Another one of our favorite Dr. Seuss books to read to James is "The Sneetches and Other Stories". One day last week while Jay was playing with James in the living room, and I was doing something in the kitchen (barefoot and pregnant - hee hee), he called me in to see something. What I found was my semi-naked baby looking like a Star-bellied Sneetch:

What is that little clear star on James' belly, you might be wondering? Well, all the breastfeeding mamas out there have probably heard of them, if not own a pair of their very own. They are the interestingly functional Lily Padz. Obviously, I haven't used mine in a long time (they really do work, once your milk supply is established anyway, and they cut down on the number of disposable nursing pads you add to landfills), but James discovered them in my bathroom cabinet a while back and has declared them to be one of the best "toys" in the house. He carries them around, chews on them (don't worry, they're washable), and sticks them together. Jay thinks it's hilarious. So, apparently, with the baby's bare belly tempting him, he stuck a Lily Pad on and told James it was his belly star. And as if that isn't funny enough on it's own, it took James literally seconds to realize that he could stick that "star" to his belly all by himself. That's what Jay was calling me into the room to see - my baby applying a Lily Pad to his exposed (and round) belly. Over and over. Yup, hilarious. And the kid just does it randomly now whenever he comes across one of "his" Lily Padz laying around the house...

Oh yeah, and he'll happily show you his belly if you ask. Or maybe lift your shirt to show you your own, if he gets confused. Just watch your belly button though... if you ask him to point that out, he'll do that too, and we're still working on teaching him to be "Gentle James".

I'm quite happy to say

That the Sneetches got really quite smart on that day

The day they decided that Sneetches are Sneetches

And no kind of Sneetch is the best on the beaches

That day, all the Sneetches forgot about stars

And whether they had one, or not, upon thars

TEARS OF JOY

Not to be outdone by his baby sister and her breathing movements yesterday afternoon, James had us in tears twice with his cuteness that evening...

First, after the doctor appointment and errands (shopping for even MORE babyproofing items and bedding for James' new room), we hit Mellow Mushroom (one of our favorite pizza joints). James had just dozed off in the car (having missed half his afternoon nap to accompany us to the appointment) and was very sleepy as Jay carried him into the restaurant, so we declined the highchair and grabbed a booth, thinking that we might lay James down for a catnap while we ate. He decided he didn't need to sleep though, so Jay brought in his new booster seat (courtesy of his grandparents) from the car and placed it right next to him on the bench. James thought it was AWESOME! Not only was he sitting RIGHT next to his Daddy, but he was bellied-up to the table and getting to eat like a big boy. About halfway through his pizza, he started to be extra adorable, laying his head against Jay's arm, then rubbing/patting his Daddy's back. When James is sleepy or upset, we always hold him and rub his back, and it was so sweet to see him pick up on this behavior and "comfort" his Daddy (who was understandably and noticeably tired after hauling James around all afternoon between the doctor's office and stores). And as a mama, I can tell you that there is nothing better than watching your husband and child connect and interact in such loving manner - it really pulls at your heart strings (and makes you feel very proud). I should have taken video...

Then, after sleeping the entire drive home from Jackson (about an hour), James was wide awake and needed to burn some energy before bed (which ended up being about an hour later than usual, as we expected, due to the late nap). Jay and I pretty much collapsed on the floor and couch (respectively) while James played with his toys and practiced walking back and forth between us for over an hour. Around 8:30, as we were telling James that it was getting close to bedtime and we needed to start winding down (a bedtime tip I learned from my friend Dawn yesterday), he pulled a book off the shelf, scooted over to Jay, and placed it right into his hand. Then he sat back and waited for Jay to read. Seriously though, how cute is that? Personally, I had been waiting and hoping for that moment for quite a while now (for James to initiate story time). We have been struggling with James to get him to enjoy reading WITH us (he likes to "read" books by himself, or "drive" them around the room, but he rarely has the patience to sit still for 5 minutes while we read to him and point things out on the pages), so this was really a big deal for us. Seems James is "getting it", as Jay put it. What a great kid...

SHE'S A FIESTY ONE!

We had our 32-week growth ultrasound this afternoon and things are looking good. Cora now weighs-in at 4 lbs 7 oz. For the record, that is EXACTLY the weight I'd guessed she would be (Jay and I like to make bets), while Jay had guessed 4 lbs 10 oz, like James was at 32 weeks. Cora is just a little smaller than her big bro. Though she measured in RIGHT on schedule at 32 weeks 5 days. And she's a FIESTY little one! This baby girl has been keeping me on my toes for weeks with her kicking and punching. She often catches me off-guard, giving my belly button a swift kick when I expect her to be sleeping (like when I'm up walking around). She hits me high and low (sometimes very low, if you catch my drift), and is even starting to shift her body from side-to-side (giving my belly that funny lopsided effect). If I've been sitting for a while, I can feel her weight shift down when I stand up, which has the lovely side effect of having me heading for the bathroom every time I get up from my desk at work. My poor bladder can't take that 4.5 lbs resting on it! And sometimes it seems she's flailing all her limbs at once, and my belly honestly looks as though there are multiple babies kick-boxing in there... and that NEVER happened with James! Don't get me wrong, he was strong and made his presence known hourly, but this girl has got him beat! I've accepted the fact that when I lay down in bed for the night, I can expect her to kick and punch me for a good 10-15 minutes before she settles down enough for me to be able to doze off. At least I'm getting some reading done (and by reading, I mean playing games and Facebooking on my iPhone).

So, where does this wild behavior come from? Perhaps it's her name... Cora is a Scottish name that means "seething pool". Yup - fiesty! Hopefully her middle name, Mae (which means "maiden"), will somehow balance her personality. Only time will tell though...

In other appointment news, Cora's heartrate was 147 bpm, her weight puts her in the 45th percentile (and if she goes full-term, she'll likely top-out around 8 lbs, just like James), we were able to watch her practice her breathing movements and do some stretches, she is head-down and in position, she has some hair, and she is still a girl (we have another confirmation photo from the ultrasound, but we won't post that - Miss Cora will likely have a bit more privacy than her brother did during his first year, especially if Jay has any say in it)!

So here I am at 32 weeks, compared with all the other belly shots I've taken so far (sure LOOKS likes she's dropped, eh?):

TREASURE TROVE?

OK blog readers, we're issuing a final plea here... Remember that birthday mission we assigned on James' behalf over 3 months ago? Well, we didn't get many takers! I count a total of 7 letters in his treasure chest: 2 from his Grambot, 2 from his Uncle Davey, 1 from his Auntie T'in, 1 from Amy, and 1 from Mary Beth.

We are so excited for these letters! Thank you all so much!!

Yet, we'd REALLY like some more. And it's certainly not too late (it's not like he'll be reading them anytime soon). So we're calling you out by name now: James' Uncle Jamie, Grand Aunt Margie, Cousin Barry Jr, Great-Grandma & Great-Grandpa, all the "Waddells", Robyn & Stephen, Jenny, Jen, John & Betsy, Kelly B, Giri & Sharmila, Nicole, Michelle, Jenn, Kelly C, Karyn, Michelle & Jerry, Sandy, Al & Christina... Let's hear from you! And if I didn't name you specifically, don't think you're off the hook - my lack of memory and train-of-thought these days is to blame!

MOTHER, THERE IS NO OTHER

BETTER THAN HALLMARK

Just thought I'd share the card and flowers James "made" me at daycare:

DOUBLE HEADER

Daycare called me at work yesterday afternoon to let me know that James was "crying inconsolably and just not himself, but not feverish, so could I please bring some ibuprofen?" (his diaper bag had been without meds all week due to the McNeil products recall last Saturday). Of course, I was ready to run right out to the store to find some generic ibuprofen and drop it off. Then I looked at the time - 2:45pm. Might as well call it a day and just take my sad baby home. He was fine when I picked him up, other than the fact that he LOOKED like a wreck. Like he'd been crying all day. His eyes were red, watery, and weeping. His breathing was labored with that "lack of energy due to sobbing" effort (you know what I'm talking about, where the sighs come out stuttered and pitiful). It was as though he'd just cried himself out by the time I got there. Yet he was happy to see me, talkative, and still not feverish. We stopped by Walgreens to pick up the ibuprofen, and by the time I got him out of his carseat at home he felt like he was on fire. I took his temperature and was not at all surprised to see it reach 101.7. I called Jay (we had driven separately that day), then the advice nurse (our pediatrician's office had just closed). We were instructed to give ibuprofen throughout the night and go see the on-call doc in the morning if he was still feverish. Within an hour his fever was gone. He ate a good dinner, played with us, had fun in the tub, drank all his bedtime bottle, and was in bed no more than an hour after his usual bedtime (mostly due to the late afternoon nap, while he slept through the fever). In fact, he slept all night and we only heard him fuss once, but he put himself right back to sleep. Then as a series of strong thunderstorms came through this morning, the noise woke him up, crying and pitiful. When Jay came into our room with him, he looked worried and asked for the thermometer. Yikes! Fever of 102.9! We knew we'd be going to the clinic as soon as it opened. We gave him some ibuprofen and he promptly fell back asleep in our bed, a little heater we were having trouble cooling off (when James doesn't feel well, he HAS to be held, carried, snuggled, or draped over us one way or another, so giving him space is not an option, even though we try). I couldn't pass up the opportunity to document James sleeping on TOP of his Daddy:

We arrived at the clinic and were able to get right in (even though we didn't have an appointment). James drank a bottle while we waited on the doc, then fussed at the nurse over getting his weight (24 lbs 4 oz dressed) and temperature checked (back to normal). Bad news though - James was diagnosed with his second ear infection (a double middle-ear infection) and first real case of conjunctivitis (in both eyes). The doc sent us on our way with antibiotics and eye drops. While we waited on the Rx to get filled, we grabbed some breakfast at the donut shop (we figured since James was sick that he deserved a treat). He thoroughly enjoyed his first donut-hole (and was only pretending to share with his Daddy):

He's been in a pretty good mood all day, despite his sickness. But again, when James doesn't feel well, he wants to be held, all day, no matter what. Thank goodness for the Beco. Here is James while I was making lunch this afternoon (he had fallen asleep within 5 minutes of me wearing him around the kitchen, and stayed that way until all the dishes were done, the counters were cleaned, and lunch was ready):

We'll see how tonight goes... After lunch he napped for 3.5 hours (unheard of, especially since he'd already napped for 45 minutes on my back), but again he's in bed less than an hour later than usual. Hopefully all this "sleeping it off" will work it's wonders again with this double header sickness!

JAMES HENRY, PI

James has become quite the little investigator...

FULL OF CRAZY

James started doing something a bit strange during the week before his Grandma and GGmama visited. The first day he did it twice while I was home alone with him (the day that daycare was closed due to a ceiling cave-in) and it honestly creeped me out a little... While I was holding him, he'd lean his head way back (nothing odd there, he does that all the time), then swing his head from side-to-side while making crazy eyes. Hmmm... Luckily, he did it that night so Jay could see and Jay assured me that James was just being silly. When the behavior continued off-and-on over the next 2 weeks, we started to realize that it's his HAIR that's making him act so silly. That Mississippi Mudflap is tickling the back of his neck, and he either likes it (hence the reason he keeps doing it) or hates it (hence the crazy eyes). We started telling him he was "full of crazy" every time he did it. Then he started associating the phrase "full of crazy" with that particular behavior, so he'd do it "on command". And THEN, when Jerry and Michelle were visiting, he did it at the dinner table and we had to explain to them why James is "full of crazy". Well, Jerry thought it was hilarious and totally encouraged him... next thing we knew James was smiling huge and imitating Jerry, making the behavior much more exaggerated. So, thanks to Jerry, now all we have to do is say "James, show us crazy" or "Where's our crazy baby?" and we get a good laugh at James being silly. The kid LOVES to perform for his Daddy, so he'll do it over and over. And Jay has exaggerated the behavior further by adding goofy noises...

So, for your amusement, here is a compilation video of James being "full of crazy":

NOTE: No parents were (seriously) harmed in the making of this video

14 MONTHS AND 24 LBS

That's right, James is up to 24 lbs even this month!We had been slightly worried about his weight gain this month, only because the bottle-weaning is not going very well. James LOVES his sippys... as long as they contain water or juice. But put milk in there, whether it's cold or warm, and the boy will turn away with disgust, throw the cup, or take sips and spit/drool it all out down his chin. Lovely, eh? Therefore, he is still getting 3 bottles/day (first thing in the morning, before his noon nap, and at bedtime) so we can be sure he's drinking enough milk. That adds up to about 18 oz per day. Plus MAYBE an ounce from his afternoon sippy of milk. We thought that wasn't nearly enough, since we were under the impression that he needed 24 oz of whole milk at this age, but it turns out that isn't so... Toddler milk needs vary based on their overall diet, i.e. how much solid foods they are eating, and in what variety. And when we learned what a toddler serving size actually is (much smaller than we had thought), we realized that James is doing just fine. In fact, he's a great eater, just as we originally thought (boy-oh-boy is it ever easy for us first-time parents to find things to worry about though)!

Between his milk (we buy the organic variety with DHA and Omega-3 added in), yogurt, and cheese, he's got dairy covered. Fruits & veggies he gets more than he needs. Though he refuses to eat veggies unless they're pureed... Why is that? It's the same stuff! He'll eat any veggie in any combination when we puree and mix, but hand him a tiny chunk of freshly steamed carrot and he spits it out. Such a strange duck... And like most kids, he loves his grains too. Protein is the only area in which he lacks, but it's not for our lack of trying. He just doesn't much care for meat (chicken or beef, any way we cook it, or even lunch meat). He'll eat beans, but honestly, he can't eat beans every day. Especially since he prefers the sugar-infused baked beans. Eggs are not his friend either (though he'll eat a couple bites now and then). He'll eat peanut butter in small quantities because we don't give him much (we worry about it being a choke hazard, since he still tends to shove all the food on his tray into his mouth at once). So, that leaves us with tofu... we haven't tried it yet (it's just not something we usually make for ourselves), but we hear our nephew likes it, so it's in the works. We'll let you know what James thinks...