Nolan

This little guy has changed so much since I did his 10 month post. Go figure. Babies change sooooo fast.

We have been doing crying it out and let me tell you, it has taken it's toll on me. Totally stresses me out to the core. I feel sad and angry all at once while I listen to him cry. I hate those two emotions together. Feels like garbage. The first 2 nights were so hard. He cried for an hour both nights. I'm talking screamed bloody murder. After those dreadfully long nights he did much better. Still cried but not as long. Then we went camping dang it. The kid did terrible at night of course and slept with me and nursed all night every night. No wonder I have loads of milk during the day. I shouldn't be having engorgement this late in the game. Sheesh. He has got to stop these night feedings. They are killing me.

I will continue to use CIO but I don't like it at all. One night I went for a run while he screamed so that helped a ton. Having to listen to that madness is awful. My CIO experience one day for nap time went like this:

Cried for an HOUR.

I got frustrated and gave up. Walked into his room to this this bloody mess:



What happened? I have no clue. But it made me feel worse about the crying thing. Dang.

Other than the horrid sleep issues, this child has been doing some fun new things. He points at everything. I love when they learn to do this! Too cute for words. He is taking several steps now and is very close to walking. Ahhh. Am I ready? I suppose. It's always cute when a kid who looks like a little baby still starts walking. He still nurses like a little baby. I feel terrible for saying this but I am ready to be over and done with the nursing thing.

Enough of that...

Nolan also has been saying some little words! It's crazy! He LOVES dogs. Obsessed with them. While we were camping (there were 3 dogs there and we talked about the doggies non-stop) and Nolan said "doggie". It was so shocking to hear! He says "Buh" for my in-laws dog named Bear. He of course says Dada but not Momma. Go figure.

He has completely given up on baby food. He just plain won't have it. So that has upped the times he nurses a day. He takes a little bit of formula here and there but not everyday. Mostly on the days when I don't feel like nursing 5x. He eats baby snacks, YoBaby yogurt and goat's milk yogurt. He loves yogurt, funny kid! He would LOVE to eat everything we are eating but he only has two little teeth. One on the bottom and one one top right above his little bottom tooth. SO cute. Two more teeth are pushing through as we speak.

Anyway, I just love this little man. Hoping to figure out the sleep thing once and for all.


July 28th

Four teeth now (2 tops, 2 bottoms) and the little guy say's Momma!!!! Yay! Except he says it over and over. Momma-momma-momma-momma. It's super cute though :) Griff didn't say Momma for a long time!

What I'm Reading...

I honestly don't have an ounce of time to read, who am I kidding? But the rare moments that I DO find some time these are the 2 books I am trying to read:

Women, Food and God

And

Body For Life For Women

So these are obviously self-help books. Ha. I need a lot of self help I guess! I probably have the unhealthiest relationship with food on the planet. I won't go into the dirty details, just take my word for it ;) So far I really like the first book. It's super insightful and makes a ton of sense to me. It's a good read for anyone who has some major issues with food.

I am almost done with the second book and I really like the whole idea. I need something concrete to keep me going and have a set plan. Funny how working out used to be an everyday thing for me and I never thought twice about it. I didn't ever question going to the gym, it was just part of my day! Now here I am, almost 30 and too busy to get to the gym. With 2 busy kids, one who has way too much energy for his own good and one who has horrible sleep habits. Not to mention a hubby who works long hours and jobs out of town. I have fallen out of my healthy routines and it totally depresses me because I almost feel helpless!

Enough of me complaining. Today is the day that I start hitting the gym like I used to. Here's to trying to stick with it and getting my body back to where I really want it.

Ten Months...Really?

Can't believe how close Nolan is to turning ONE. Insane I tell ya. These ten months haven't exactly flown by though. Funny because it FLEW with Griff. Can't believe that child is almost 3. Wh-what? I say it has gone slow with Nolan because he is so HARD. He really is a good kid most of the time and about most things. He doesn't fuss or cry much, nothing like that. He is just a terrible napper, awful at nighttime and a MAJOR Momma's boy. He is so obsessed with me, he prefers me over anyone. I guess the whole attachment parenting thing (which I did with Griff and it worked out great) has bite me in the ace. The whole nursing on demand, baby wearing, co-sleeping routine has screwed me. It's funny how some things work with certain kids and not with others. Let me just tell you that I am going to be utterly confused and nervous when the next baby gets here. My little ideas and ways of doing things worked so well with Griff. Using the same exact method has made Nolan into a kid that I never wanted him to be. OR maybe it's just his personality. I will never know I guess! He is a stubborn boy I tell ya.

Tidbits about Nolan lately:

-all of a sudden he won't eat baby food. he used to beat it up. any kind.
-wants everything I or anyone else is eating. mostly it's stuff he can't have and he has ONE tooth. he can't flippin' chew right with one tooth.
-he is probably basically starving. for reals. i nurse him several times a day still and he eats snacks and takes bites of my food here and there but NO baby food what so ever. it's really stressing me out. gave the kid an entire yogurt today. don't think babies are supposed to have dairy til a year old. too bad.
-pretty sure he's not into napping anymore. omigosh.
-been trying the whole crying it out thing. not my favorite but i am desperate. have let him cry for an hour straight a couple of times. it was terrible. the kid stands the entire time, crying. went into his room to get him and stepped in a puddle of drool, snot and tears. it made me feel like junk. i guess no sleepy for mommy. he is way too stubborn. i have a feeling he would cry til morning and never stop.
-stands up on everything. walks along everything. can hold onto one of my hands and walk. we are getting very close! i'm excited and scared. good thing i picked up our coffee table and chucked it out the back door when griff was learning to walk ( i really did, it broke into pieces when i tossed it. felt so good) got so dang sick of griff falling and hurting himself on it. kaso still talks about what a nut job i was for doing the coffee table toss.
-says dadadadada.
-loves animals of any kind.
-loves playing in griffs closet. he stays in there forever.
-still doesn't sleep through the night. longest stretch in the past several months was 5 hours and it felt like heaven. of course i woke up anyway kind of freaking out. but he was fine, of course.
-all of a sudden he "regular" crawls. it is so cute.


Super cute little boy. Super hard but super cute. He drives me crazy but there is just something so endearing about all of his little "faults". Why is that?? Motherhood is a killer but I love it. Someday I will wish these hard years back, I know it.

Weight: 18 1/2 pounds (11%)
Height: 29 inches (60%)

Going to the audiologist next week to see if he has a middle ear issue. Who knows. He is constantly messing with his right ear. No ear infection so it might be something else. Let's hope that's the reason why he isn't sleeping. Ha.

The 4th On The 3rd

{july 3, 2010}

Beaver Progression Pics

Beaver Mountain means so much to our little family. The first picture was the year we got engaged and it has been babies and bellies ever since. Wonder if there will be another belly next year?? Keep in mind that these pics were taken every summer since we got engaged. Pretty crazy that the year after we got engaged I had a baby belly!

We got engaged on this rock surrounded by beautiful Puffer Lake. We visit this spot several times while we are camping on Beaver Mountain. It gives me the best feeling when we ride our four wheelers up the path to this spot. Brings back such special feelings and memories.