13 Weeks (1st Week of Her 4th Month!)

Brooke is 13 weeks old today, and tomorrow she is officially 3 months. Babycenter says that although babies can recognize their parents when they are only a few days old, at this age about 50% begin to demonstrate an obvious recognition. While babies at this age still smile at strangers, they are starting to sort out who's who in their life and prefer their parents (and perhaps a few select others).

While it's a while until Brooke utters her first official word, she is developing language skills already. According to Babycenter, "research shows that babies whose parents speak to them extensively have significantly higher IQs and bigger vocabularies when they get older than other children". While babies can't repeat words yet, they are storing information in their rapidly developing memories and parents can set a foundation by exposing baby to a variety of words.

Big Leap For The New Year
Tonight Brooke will be spending the first night in her crib, in her own bedroom. Up until this point she has been in a bassinet in our room. I'm pretty sure it will be more difficult on her parents than it will be on her, but all of us will probably take some time to adjust to the new sleeping arrangements.

Thank Goodness Brooke Isn't A "Winter Baby"

Studies indicate that (on average) winter babies (born in January, Febuary or March) grow up to be "less educated, less intelligent, less healthy and lower paid" than those born in other seasons.

There have been a wide variety of suggestions as to why this happens, including weather and school age cutoffs. But new research suggests that the mother is actually the root of the problem! Economists have found that these winter babies are more likely to have mothers who are unmarried teenagers who lack a high-school diploma. Thus, being born to a woman of lower socioeconomic status, not their month of birth, is what puts winter babies at a disadvantage. The study suggests several reasons why there is a correlation between unmarried teenagers and winter babies, but one of them is quite interesting: prom. Turns out that winter occurs about 9 months after high school proms :)

Christmas Loot

Brooke got lots of great things for Christmas ... mostly hands-on, educational-type toys (just like she requested!).

Here is the next edition of her video blogging. It was taken early this morning when it was still a bit dark out - so the video ended up being a bit dark. Sorry :(

Anyway, here she is playing with her new Tiny Love play gym. There is also a special guest appearance about 1/2 way into the video...

Merry Christmas!

Brooke asked Santa for something very simple this Christmas .. her
thumb! Looks like she got what she wanted :)

Too bad he couldn't teach her how to keep it in her mouth! She can get it in,
but soon loses it, and the pic below is a pretty good explanation of what happens after that :)

12 Weeks!

Brooke was born 12 weeks ago today, on January 1st she'll officially be three months old. Seems like she has grown so much over the past 12 weeks ... and so have we! Last night was a huge milestone - Brooke slept for 9 HOURS. I'm thinking its a fluke because its so out of the ordinary, but I'll take a fluke like that anyday.

Babycenter suggests that we start reading to Brooke, because her ear for the spoken language improves by hearing us speak.

They also talk alot about hands this week - which is Brookes primary focus lately. She stares at them, licks them, sucks them ... basically everything is about her hands! Occasionally she has been able to grab and object with her hands and try to pull it into her mouth. Watching her concentrate on such an activity is both amazing and hysterical and gives us hours of fun :)

Socially she is developing too - becoming quite the "conversationalist". She will coo and gurgle (when in a good mood) in response to us, and stick out her tounge when we do the same to her. Her noises have begun to sound more like words, and we swear she can already say "Hi", "Yeah" and "No". While it will be quite a while before Brooke is putting words together to make small sentences, talking actually isnt too far around the corner. Between the ages of 4 and 5 months babies start to use simple words like "mama" and "dada"!

Brooke's First Babysitter

Yesterday I had to run to a neighbors for a few minutes and Aunt Jean (who is in town from D.C. for the Holidays) had the opportunity to be Brooke's first babysitter! Both Brooke & Aunt Jean survived their time together without incident :) In addition, Aunt Jean found the time for some photos. Brooke may not seem thrilled in this picture, but trust me, they had a great time :)

Later in the day (after Aunt Jean had left), Uncle Brad stopped by to drop something off. Brooke showed off skills. First she offered him a few smiles, then she demonstrated her lung strength by having a fit. After Uncle Brad left and Brooke improved her mood with a nap, she and Wrigley cheered the Chicago Bears onto a victory!

Cooking For Baby?

Babies begin to eat solids somewhere between 4-6 months. It's suggested to wait as long as possible until introducing solids in order to reduce the risk of an allergic reaction and shorten the transition time between spoon- and self-feeding.

When To Introduce Solids
It might be hard to tell if your baby is read to introduce solids, but BabyCenter offers some cues:
• Head control
Ability to keep head in a steady, upright position

• Losing the "extrusion reflex."
To keep solid food in his mouth and then swallow it, baby needs to stop using tongue to push food out of mouth.

• Sitting well when supported.
Baby needs to be able to sit upright to swallow well

• Chewing motions.
Baby should be able to move food to the back of mouth and swallow, you may notice less drooling and baby may also be teething around the same time.

• Significant weight gain
Most babies are ready to eat solids when they've doubled their birth weight (or weigh about 15 pounds) and are at least 4 months old.

• Growing appetite
Baby seems hungry — even with eight to ten feedings a day

• Curiosity about what you're eating.
Baby may begin eyeing or reaching for your food

How To Introduce Solids
It's generally suggested begin with rice cereal, which is gluten-free and less allergenic than other foods. After rice cereal is accepted you can introduce strained or mashed fruits and vegetables, and after that its time for finely chopped table foods, including meat and other protein sources. Each solid should be introduced gradually, one at a time, waiting at least three days after each new food. This will give clear indications to any sort of allergic reaction.

To Cook Or Not?
There is a pretty big movement away from the jar baby food towards more organic and home-cooked meals. While this may actually be best for the baby as it removes all preservatives and (often unecessary) added sweeteners, colors and flavors ... how the heck am I going to cook for Brooke when I cant even cook for myself? At almost 3 months and already at the recommended weight for introducing solids, I have a feeling we will be moving to them sooner than later. I want to do whats right for her, but becoming a full-time Baby Chef was not in my plan :)

I have seen a lot of great reviews of the Beaba Babycook, which many swear makes cooking for baby almost as easy as opening up one of those jars. The Babycook is an all-in-one steamer, blender, warmer and defroster. If I'm going to become Brooke's Personal Chef, you better believe some sort of all-in-one tool is going to be necessary ;)

For a better idea how this contraption works, check out the video on Williams-Sonoma.

Santa!

Of course we had to let Brooke meet Santa. She doesnt know who he is yet, and prob wont next year either ... but soon enough he will be her favorite guy in a red suit.



Brooke also got a letter from Santa yesterday! Apparently, she wrote him a letter and he was writing back to her. We knew she was pretty smart, but I had no clue she was already writing letters! (Thanks to whoever did this for her, I'll put the letter in her keep-safe box so she can see that Santa wrote to her for her 1st Christmas!)

Mothers Get High On Baby Smiles

Research has suggested that a baby's smile "lights up the reward centres in the mother's brain in a way similar to that observed in experiments on drug addiction".

I have to admit, seeing Brooke smile is pretty amazing. The one time she laughed (yeah, its only been that one time) was awesome and we wait each day to hear it again. Who knew this whole time I was getting high? Thats just an added bonus I guess.

The article lists a lot of technical mumbo-jumbo, but there is a suprising additional finding: mother's do not react as strongly to their babies sad faces as they do to their smiling faces.

And on that note, a little smiling-related humor

Welcome To YouTube

Brooke's Grandpa is away on business and has not seen her in a few weeks. In Brooke's world, a few weeks = a few lbs ... and some interesting new tricks (like putting her whole fist into her mouth). So, we became part of the YouTube network and Brooke is gonna try to vlog.

Don't expect anything amazing, but here is our first video. Its pretty quiet because I didnt not want to hear the sound of my voice projected onto the blogosphere - and she doesnt say a whole lot yet. In fact, she doesnt do a whole lot yet either ... so this video doesnt include a whole lot of action :)

11 Weeks Old: Reflexes Become Voluntary

Brooke is 11 weeks old today and is about 16 lbs 9 ounces. I say about because our scale is severly suffering and gives different weights each time you step on it. I'd say there is a fairly large margin of error - but she is definitely over 16lbs!

BabyCenter talks alot about physical development this week, as baby movements are getting a bit more coordinated. The jerky arm and leg movements of newborn days are becoming smoother, more circular motions (especially when they're watching people). 11-week-old babies need space to stretch and move their arms and legs and should be allowed opporunity to move as they please. These movements can help baby strengthen and tone developing muscles.

Reflexes that were present at birth are now voluntary actions. The big example is sucking. Babies suck to soothe themselves, to learn about the objects they place in their mouths and for pure pleasure. In the past 2 weeks Brooke cannot get enough of her hands. First it was the left only, now she seems to have realized that she has two hands! Between staring, licking and sucking ... those hands have become full-time companions to Brooke.

Parents.com talks about social development. Babies at this age have less of a need for nighttime feedings due toncreased stomach capacity. However, this doesn't mean they stop waking up. As social development continues babies now discover a new reason to cry in the night--it brings a sleepy but loving parent to their side.

Brooke is getting a bit better at entertaining herself. Lots of that involves her hands, which she just stares at and snacks on. But she is also sitting for longer durations in the bouncy seat. I put her in it each day and pull her out before she has a huge fit, just to get her used to it. Today she sat in it for a good 10 minutes - enough for me to make my coffee and pull a few things together. She genuinely seemed to like it today and has realized that the dangling toys are within her reach. Now if only I could convince her to nap by herself versus on my lap ...

Mittendorf Dot

I noticed at Brooke's 4-week check-up that there was a fleck of something on her pupil. Obviously worried, I asked her pediatrician about it and was referred to an eye specialist.

We went to one appointment around 4-weeks and she had another one today. It appears she has what is referred to as a Mittendorf Dot. Its actually a form of a cataract that is formed when the anterior part of the hyaloid (which supplies nutrition to the lens during the first three months of gestation) is not completely absorbed.

While it's scary to have anything wrong with your baby, we have been told its unusual for a Mitendorf's Dot to progress and treatment is generally unnecessary. Our eye doctor has been really great about keeping up-to-date with Brooke & her development and we go back again in a few months to make sure that there has been no impact on her vision (which is unlikely to happen anyway).

Macy's Believe Campaign

Children can help grant the wishes of other children battling life-threatening medical conditions just by writing a letter to Santa! How? By writing a letter explaining why they believe in Santa Claus and dropping off the letter - stamped and addressed to Santa At The North Pole - in the official R.H. Macy Santa Mail Letterbox at the Believe Station at any Macy's store. As part of the Believe campaign, for each letter received, Macy's will donate $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation (up to $1 million).

The most recent news is that 392,721 letters to Santa have been delivered to Macy's. Thats great ... but are a lot more letters to be delivered (and wishes to be granted!). Drop your letter off before its too late - and make a difference in the life of a well-deserving child.

Adventures In Bouncing

Brooke got a new bouncy seat and isn't sure if she likes it ... But
Wrigley does. In fact, Wrigley seems to like ALL of Brookes toys.

There Is Nothing Good On The Internet Today

Brooke & I were surfing the Internet and couldn't find anything exciting. She got so bored she passed out. This would be a good time for me to take a nap too ... But Ive been eating cookies and drinking coffee for the past 2 hours and find myself a bit too wired to sleep.
Big suprise, huh?

No Starbucks Today

Brooke went to bed at 11:30 last night and didn't wake again until
5:45. After she ate she slept 2 more hours!

Since she was so good to her mommy I decided not to tale her out in 0
temperatures and make coffee at home instead.

Brooke is just chillin by the tree while I enjoy my morning caffeine.

Never Too Young...

To keep up with celebrity gossip! Brooke loves perezhilton.com.

10 Weeks Old - Sleepping, Drooling & Rolling

Babycenter talks alot about sleep (or lack thereof) this week. I know that every parent wonders "when will my baby sleep through the night"? And in fact, while we think 8 hours is "through the night", generally the concept is much less time for a baby...think 5-6 hours. Though Brooke and I have been struggling with sleep the past few weeks, I am aware that I'm not alone (thought it often feels like it). Most 10-week-old babies still wake up in the middle of the night and parents with a baby who does go 5-6 hours straight are part of a lucky few. While she may not be sleeping all night, she is suppposed to be sleeping and staying awake for longer intervals rather than cycling back and forth as much. At this point she should have two to four long sleep periods and as many as ten hours of awake time in 24 hours.

An interesting tidbit from Babycenter: "Whether your baby is a night owl or a morning lark, a long sleeper or short sleeper, that pattern will probably stay the same throughout childhood."

Want to know what else is new in Brooke's development? DROOL, and lots of it. Drooling is not necessarily a sign of teething (a common misconception). Babycenter says "the vast majority of babies sprout their first tooth between 4 and 7 months of age", 3 months for early developers.

Another new step in development is rolling. At this age, most babies are able to move from side to back and back to side. The complete roll over won't come for another month or so, though, due to a need for stronger neck and arm muscles for that maneuver. Brooke has been rolling on her side for almost 2 weeks now ... so much in fact that I can no longer swaddle her at night. This change in how she sleeps (I think) is one of the primary sources of our new sleep problems each night!

Does She Know Her Name?
Parenting Weekly says there is another milestone this week - 10-week-old babies generally begin to start responding to their names!

Guess Who's Up At 4AM?

Don't think Brooke is gonna let her good night of sleep be anything more than a fluke. Last night was a clear indication of that.

She fought going to bed, but was so tired and cranky. We started trying to get her down at 9ish and it was after 10:30 when she fell asleep. She got up at 1 and then again at 4. She decided it was party time then and Mommy & Daddy officially threw in the towel at 4:30. We were up for the day.

After an hour of partying Brooke realized it was a bit too early for her and is now dozing off. Too bad we can't sat the same about her parents. She couldn't even make it until 6AM :( Guess I will just have to continue this awesome party all by myself.

Last Night Was The Best Night Of My Life

Ok, maybe not my life ... but for sure it was the best night I have had in weeks!

Brooke finally went to sleep at 11:30PM, and didnt wake up again until 4:55AM! That's 5 1/2 hours of sleep ... for her and me! After she woke up at 5AM, she was back asleep at 5:30AM and slept until 7:45 ... another 2 hours! This is a vast improvement from our nights in the past two weeks and I am ecstatic.

I am sure that this is going to be the "new Brooke" and we are all going to live happily-ever-after, right?

All Is Right With The World

Despite the fact that I (along with Brooke) had to sleep in the rocking chair last night Im in a pretty good mood. Why is that you ask?

Well, first I put Brooke into her stroller for our morning coffee run and she immediately fell asleep. Then when I got to Starbucks they started on my latte the minute I walked into the door (yes, I'm here that much). The place is empty with plenty of available seating ... And I got my favorite spot by the fire!

Choosing Formula

Every day in the mail we get some sort of coupon or sample of baby formula. There are several different brands, and each brand has several different types. All this got me wondering someone who is using formula chooses the best option, and I found this article that offers some advice.

Form: ready-made, concentrate, or powdered?
Powdered formula is considered a safer choice because it contains far less BPA. (Read more about BPA).

Types: Cow's-milk-based, Soy-based, Lactose-free, Extensively hydrolyzed, Formulas for premature and low-birth-weight babies, Human milk fortifier and Metabolic formulas.
See the article for comparison of these types and info on which to choose.

Ingredients:Carbohydrate, Protein, Soy protein isolate, Fat, Vitamins and minerals, Nucleotides, Rice starch, Dietary fiber, and Amino acids.
See full article for a description & comparison of these ingredients.

Generic vs. Name Brand
"Brands of formula must meet requirements from the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for nutrients in formula, so in many instances, the only difference between generic and brand name is the price. Whether you're buying generic or name brand, though, take a minute to look at the label before you purchase the formula. Specific ingredients do vary from brand to brand, and this can make a difference to your baby."

Additional Concerns
Parents need to worry about more than just choosing the right formula from all of the available options. There is also the current concern over contaminated formula from China, the chemical melamine found in formula , and the issue of diluting formula. As if parents of don't already have enough on their minds these current issues and threats make the formula subject both prevalent and a bit touchy. It's important to do your research before selecting a formula, and a chat with baby's pediatrician prior to your selection might be a good idea!

First Laugh!

Tonight we were doing what we do every night - trying to keep Brooke
entertained. She is unusually fussy this particular evening and is
getting passed back and forth as we take turns with her. We cycle
through the same stuff over and over and during a game of "make funny
faces and noises" Brooke laughed for the 1st time! It was really
amazing ... And then Laughing Brooke went away and Fussy Brooke
returned :)

The Measure Of A Baby

Brooke is a big baby - she was born "average". At 7 lbs 14 ounces and 19.5 inches long she was in the 62nd percentile for weight and 53rd percentile for height. Since being born she has gained about a pound a week pretty regularly - at her two month checkup (where she was actually 9 weeks old) Brooke weighed 14 lbs 15 ounces and was 24 1/8 inches long. That puts her in the 97th percentile for weight and 92nd percentile for height! The doctor suggested at this rate she might play for the WNBA :) Each time we meet other babies near her age (or older) I'm always amazed at how big Brooke is in compaison. I wondered what the "average" baby is compared to her but wasnt to sure, but then found a small blip in the recent issue of American Baby Magazine.

According to the article, average measurements are:

Length
Birth = 20 inches
3 months = 24 inches
6 months = 26 inches
12 months = 29 inches

Weight
Birth = 7.4 lbs 3 months = 12 lbs 6 months = 16 lbs 12 months = 22 lbs

Of course, every baby is different! Brooke being a big baby doesnt necessarily mean she will be a big adult. In addition, her growth rate might slow down and she might end up "average" somewhere down the line. Parents are always told not to compare their baby with others, in physical, social or intellectual development. Each baby takes his/her own path as they grow and no path is the right one or the wrong one. For now we lug around our big baby (who the doctor referred to as "Buddha") and are amazed by each and every change she makes every day.

ARRRRHHHHHHHHHHH!

It happened again! I took Brooke out in negative temperatures for my own selfish need to go to Starbucks ... and when we get there the seats are all taken! There were actually two extra seats, next to a homeless/bag lady. I've seen her in there before, she parks in front of the fireplace with all of her bags and sits there forever. She talks to herself, and last time I saw her she was obviously sick (like cold/flu sick). So technically, yes, there were seats - but there was nowhere for me to sit :( So I took my coffee & scone (at least I got my order right) and we are back at home, trapped inside on this sub-zero day.

On A Better Note
Brooke had a "normal" night of sleep last night. She fell asleep at 11:30 and woke up at 5, falling back to sleep around 6 and getting up for the day at 7:45. Of course "getting up for the day" means "waking Mommy up for the day and falling aleep to take a nap about an hour later" ... but still, its quite the improvement over the past two weeks. I'm not going to get my hopes up and assume we are on any sort of path to improvement, but at least we had one good night. For some reason I am even more tired today than I have been on all of the sleepness nights, but I cant blame that on her for once!

Another Sleepless Night

Yesterday Brooke had her 2-month checkup which included a series of immunizations. Everyone told me that Brooke would likely sleep alot after these shots, some friends said their babies slept for about 48 HOURS! I was ecstatic. As Brooke is currently on a sleep strike I thought I would get a decent nights sleep, and perhaps if she did sleep a long time it would put an end to this strike and we would be back on track.

Her appointment was at 1:15 yesterday, and she did sleep alot afterwards. I woke her up once to eat and she went back to sleep, and woke her up again to eat so that I could put her (and myself) to bed around 9:30. When I was getting her ready for bed she was really awake, smiling and wiggling all over her changing table. I thought I was going to be in for some trouble. And I was right...

I got her to sleep around 10:30 (which wasnt too bad compared to our recent routine) and promptly passed out myself. I was woken up at 1:45 ... actually earlier that she has been waking me up since on this sleep strike :( I fed her and around 2:30 tried to get her to go back to sleep. SHE KICKED, WIGGLED, GRUNTED, WHINED AND FUSSED UNTIL 5AM. After 2 1/2 hours of trying to get her to sleep she finally did ... and at 5:30 AM Daddy's alarm went off and Brooke woke up crying. I fed her again, put her back in her cradle and tried to get her to go to sleep ... but she was having none of it.

We finally got up for the day at around 7 and I debated whether or not to make the trip to Starbucks (which we do daily). Its my only chance for "me time" and my most enjoyable time of the day ... but it was 18 degrees out, 14 with the windchill. Would taking her out in this weather make me a bad mother? I debated for about 2 hours and finally gave in. Mommy needed her coffee after that long night (and now going on almost 2 weeks of this) and also desired that special time I spend with my cup of coffee & a paper (while Brooke sleeps) at Starbucks. So I bundled her up and we headed out...surpisingly it wasnt too bad. She was passed out when we got to Starbucks (good sign) and I placed my order. I got my coffee and pastry and then noticed there wasnt an empty seat in the place. There goes my "me time". So we begin to head out and I notice my bag with my pastry seems bigger than usual. I look inside ... its a muffin not a scone. I wanted a scone! I look at the line and there are about 10 people in it. We gave up and went home.

Here I sit, exhausted, while Brooke happily dozes in her carseat. I finished my coffee but just couldnt satisfy myself with the muffin. I put in a load of laundry and now sit here watching her sleep. Its been a rough couple of weeks with Brookes cold and the sleep strike, but she's just a baby and I dont blame her. My biggest disappointment is that Starbucks failed me today. Its the one dependable good constant I have had in my life since Brooke came and I feel lost without it. Of course, well be back again tomorrow to give it another go. Just like when I'm upset after a rough night with Brooke she can erase the whole experience with one of her goofy smiles ... Starbucks can easily win me back with a latte, scone and nice, comfy seat by the fireplace :)

9 Weeks Old

Parents.com says that Brooke is "gaining coordination and learning to control her muscles" and that "newborn reflexes like the Moro (startle) reflex are being replaced by voluntary actions". Most of the information I have seen says the Moro reflex doesnt disappear until 3+ months ... and Brooke definitely still has it. During her third month she will be using her arms more by batting at toys and performing the "baby push-up". Generally in the third month is when babies start to roll over. Brooke is already rolling over onto her side when she thrashes about at night. Its enough that I had to stop swaddling her in order to prevent her from any sort of injury at night. As a result our nights have been even more sleepless - she isnt used to her arms being able to flail about and those flailing arms repeatedly cause the Moro relfex which furthur riles her up. In addition, the increased coordination and control that is a positive thing about her development also has a downside ... her ability to take that (now free) hand and put it in her mouth at night. Not only do we not want her sucking her thumb, but her coordination is still quite spotty. This means that she can get her hand into her mouth but cannot keep it there. My nights are filled with sounds of struggle (as she tries to get her hand near her mouth) followed by loud slurping (a few sloppy sucks) followed by screaming (as her hand falls away from her mouth). Its all good fun.

2 Month Checkup
Height:24 1/8 inches
Weight:14 lbs 15 ounces
Brooke is a BIG baby - about the size of an average 6 month old ... but also a healthy baby :) She did great at the doctors office today and showed off her strong legs by kicking the doctor and scooting herself along the examining table when the doctor put her on her tummy. She also got a bunch of vaccines today: hepatitis B; polio; DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis); Hib, to protect against meningitis; pneumococcal, to protect against severe bacterial infections, ear infections, and meningitis; and rotavirus (given by mouth), to prevent stomach flu. Watching her get shots was not fun (I didnt even look actually) but she took it like a trooper. She cried for a bit (with real tears) but soon was comforted by mommy & with her pacifier. I popped her into her carseat to leave and she was alseep by the time we got to the car. Right now we are home and she is still in her carseat, snoring away.

All Smiles

Brooke has been showering us with smiles lately ... But we have a tough time catching her on film. She gives us huge goofy grins but then stops to stare at the camera when we pull it out. The smile is then replaced with "concentration face" which is often followed by angry or sad face.

Anyway, here is a bit of a smile I was able to catch her with yesterday.

2 Months Old

Brooke was born 10/1 - making today her 2 month birthday. She was so excited about today that she couldn't sleep last night (which is now about the 5th night in a row I have gotten 5 or less hours of sleep).

Some big steps have been taken to celebrate this event: she is officially now wearing her 3-6 month clothes and we had to adjust her carseat to accommodate all she has grown! She has a doctors appointment this week for her 2 month checkup where we will get her official height and weight, but from my measurements she is in the 75-90% in height for her age and she tips the charts for her weight ... which is why at 2 months we are moving into the next size of clothes (and could have done so weeks ago but I tried to get as much use out of the outfits we had as possible!). She now has a whole new wardrobe, at least until she outgrows the new stuff too.

We commemorated this special event with our usual Starbucks trip but there were two big differences: Brooke wore a new hat ... And we walked in her first snowfall!


Brooke is now enjoying a little Birthday nap (when you are up all night, you tend to get quite exhausted during the day) and I am now onto a new holiday - CYBER MONDAY. Its time to get a little Christmas shopping out of the way, and perhaps get myself a thing or two in the meantime. Cyber Monday is awesome cuz there tend to be some great discounts, and more importantly ... free shipping. You gotta love free shipping.

Misery DOES Love Company

It's official - Brooke & I both have colds. She has been handling it pretty well, but nights are really rough. If she is on her back for a long period of time she has trouble breathing. Then she coughs. Then she gets herself all worked up. Then she has a crying fit. It's been a few days and I'm hoping she is at the tail end of it ... maybe if we ride out the weekend it will be over.

I'm just at the beginning of mine, but am also hoping it moves its way on out soon. It is actually quite challenging to manage her while I'm not feeling so well. The toughest part of it is that Brooke's lack of sleep at night has led to a lack of sleep for me too, and battling a cold on minimum levels of sleep is not easy. Today she took a really long nap in the middle of the day and I realized that I should have taken the opportunity to nap too. Of course, I didnt. That leaves her well rested (and likely to not want to sleep tonight) and me dragging along wishing for a decent nights sleep. Thankfully we have Daddy around this weekend - thats why we need to get rid of the colds before he is back at work!

8 Weeks Old!

Brooke is 8 weeks old today :) The other day I ran into a girl in Starbucks whose baby looked about the same size as Brooke - "How old is your little one?" I asked. "14 weeks" she replied. "How much does she weigh?" I asked. "About 14 pounds" she replied. Brooke weighs the same as that other baby and it is almost twice as old as her :) Obviously, Brooke has a healthy appetite and has been growing at a fast rate. We can barely recognize her as the baby we brought home must a few short weeks ago!

She is doing much more than growning physically though. BabyWeekly says she is also storing memories! For example, she may associate a bottle or a nursing pillow with being fed or the bathroom with a bath. Seems to me like a Pavlov reflex - she wont remember things that are happening now but she can associate certian things with others. Maybe I can train her to drool when I ring a bell :)

BabyWeekly also says "your little one has discovered her hands and is gaining the muscle control to enable her to direct that thumb into her mouth". This is definitely something we have noticed in the past week or so. Up until then she would randomly try to get her hand near her mouth - and it would usually end up there by accident. Now she just moves it straight there without any effort. She still hasnt mastered the thumb suck though - generally she puts a few fingers (or the whole fist) into her mouth!

New Mittens

Rumor is Brooke looks especially adorable in this pic so I figured the blogosphere should see it.
We got her some mittens because she insists on keeping her hands out - regardless of the temperature outside. It appears babies are not smart enough to protect themselves from the elements (sadly, a trait that often carries on through adulthood). This pic was taken just a short time before she started displaying symptoms of the cold she has been battling. Her little nose is stuffed and she can't breathe. At night she can't sleep and spends hours coughing, tossing & turning. This morning her mommy woke up with a sore throat and cough ... Good thing misery loves company :)

So instead of thinking of sick baby Brooke, think about how cute she is here. And after this pic she dropped her pacifier and tried to get her hands into her mouth with the mittens on ( which obviously didn't work). That was even cuter but I didn't get pics!

Study: Away-facing strollers stress babies

My sister sent me this article and I thought it was pretty interesting. Turns out, facing your baby away from you in his/her stroller can add to a babies stress ... and stressed out babies grow into anxious adults.

Brooke always faces us now in her stroller, which is pretty common with infant stroller set-ups. The next stage strollers pretty much all face out, in fact I'm not sure I have ever seen a rear facing one.

The study is done by a Dundee University's School of Psychology with 2,722 parents and children. While the study is interesting, I tend to not always believe studies out of the UK. European countries have different guidelines and principles for their research and (in my opinion) often come out with slanted research. This does raise an interesting issue though and should be something that researchers (and stroller manufacturers) continue to look at. Even now, at 7-weeks, Brooke actually prefers to face out when I am holding her (versus facing towards me). She is interested in the world and things going around her ... not in me :) But I can see how a child facing out in a stroller can basically go ignored for the entire duration of the time spent in that stroller, whereas when the child faces the person pushing the stroller there is a natural level of interaction that occurs.

Now the question is, if away-facing strollers cause stress in babies ... is the same true for pets?

Cradle cap

In addition to the bout of baby acne (which Brooke is still battling), she also now has "cradle cap". I think it popped up about a week ago, but since her head was also covered with acne it was initially hard to see...thus it might have started a bit earlier than that.

Cradle cap is a condition that appears much like dandruff. BabyCenter.com says "f your baby's scalp has flaky, dry skin that looks like dandruff, or even thick, oily, yellowish or brown scaling or crusting patches, it's most likely cradle cap". If often shows up in the first few months of life, and it usually clears up on its own in about six to 12 months — although some babies have it for several years.

The same condition may be visable around a baby's ears or eyebrows (Brooke has it in both), or even in his armpits and other creases. When it's in places other than the scalp, it's called seborrheic dermatitis.

Cause
Technically the cause is unknown. Some believe its related to the hormones a baby receives from his mother at the end of pregnancy. While the exact cause is unknown, doctors do know that cradle cap isn't caused by poor hygiene or allergies. In addition, it's not contagious. Treatment
There is no need to do anything as cradle cap will disappear on its own in time. If it really bothers you you have a few options: shampooing more frequently, gently brushing your baby's scalp with a soft brush or a terrycloth towel, and using an oil remedy (oil helps to loosen dry flakes.)

To do an oil treatment, rub just a small amount of a pure, natural oil (such as almond or olive oil) on your baby's scalp and leave it on for about 15 minutes. Then gently comb out the flakes with a fine-toothed comb or brush them out with a soft brush. Follow up by washing your baby's scalp with a gentle baby shampoo. Leaving oil on baby's head could clog the pores and cause the flakes to stick. Try leaving the shampoo on for a few minutes before rinsing, to help cut the oil.

Once baby's cradle cap is completely gone, it's unlikely to return. To help remove dead skin while its improving, you might want to give your baby more frequent shampoos. (Don't overdo it, though, or you could further stimulate his oil-producing glands. A gentle wash two or three times a week with a mild shampoo should be plenty.)

Brooke Is Crabby Today

It's not a good day for Brooke today. She didn't sleep well last night and has been very irritable since she has been up. It took me a good 2 hours of intermittent screaming (both the baby and her mommy were screaming) to finally get her to nap, and now even while she is sleeping she keeps whining/crying. You know you are having a lousy day when you cry in your sleep :)

Despite her lousy mood she is still so darn cute. I realized I haven't posted a pic in a while so thought I was overdue. Here is my 13-pounder during one of her few peaceful periods today, getting ready for our daily walk to Starbucks.

The Newborn Ultimatum

There was a great article, The Newborn Ultimatum on msn.com. I enjoyed it enough I thought I'd post the whole thing.

The Newborn Ultimatum
How a new baby can make you a better man
Sam Grobart, Best LifeMore from Best Life

Not long ago, I became a father for the first time. And since then, I’ve become a better man. Not “a better man” in some hokey, Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets way, but a better man, practically speaking. Besides all the joyful, deeply personal ways fatherhood is a hell of a thing, it has also accorded me some real-world advantages to boot. It’s as if my baby girl has been my own personal Sun Tzu. Here’s how you, too, can use the lessons of fatherhood to master everything else in life.

Talk Less, Listen More. My daughter, Kate, is amazing. Have you seen her point at things? Like an Einstein she points. She can also walk and smile. She is clearly destined for an awards ceremony in Stockholm. There is one sticking point, however: She can’t talk. My daughter is 14 months old. A typical day with her is like the first half hour of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

All this silent time has an adult payoff: I’m a more active, expressive listener. You know that personal quality, usually ascribed to Bill Clinton, in which someone can make you feel as if you’re the only person in the room? Well, apply the rules of dad–kid communication (empathy, laserlike focus, enthusiasm) to adults and you can have them eating out of your hand. Recently, I was interviewing for a new job. You’d be amazed how smoothly an interview can go if you just pretend that your future CEO is a 14-month-old girl.

Keep Your Cool. When you’re at work, it’s not unheard of for someone to describe a lousy situation as a sh*t storm. Well, I’m here to tell you that managing said storm can be a lot easier if you’ve been in a real one. It’s no metaphor, friend. It’s an actual pedioclimatological event.

We’ve all worked with babies, people who live on drama. When facing an obstacle, they just lose it. It’s no reflection of the actual level of peril. Oh, did the server go down? Take it easy, my hyperkinetic IT director. We’ll get the server back up. In minutes, probably. There, there.

Since Kate’s birth, I categorize all things in life into two categories: Things That Can Kill the Baby and Things That Cannot Kill the Baby. Open jug of bleach? Category one. Angry boss? Category two. By dealing with ultimate peril, you are much more calm and collected about all the other nonsense.

Know Your Strength. My daughter, while being the sweetest future MacArthur Fellow you’ll ever meet, has about as much common sense as a bag of Britneys. So, soon after fatherhood takes hold, you start to consider all the angles. If you don’t have a child, you don’t think much about the act of opening a car trunk. When I have Kate in one arm while unlocking the trunk with the other, I’m thinking about where my hand should be, which foot I should put my weight on. My childless friend calls it “dad strength,” something that, he says, comes to all new fathers. It’s true, but it’s not about muscle. I’m just more methodical and more conscious of my movements. I’m like a ninja of incredibly lame things.

Stick to Your Guns. Something happens when you become a dad: You take less crap. Some ticket agent is giving you back talk about your seat assignment? Please. You made a human being! Just hand over the damn boarding pass. You second-guess yourself less. You make a decision and you do it. Not in some foolhardy, Rumsfeldian way, but when you commit, you commit. Keeping your pride and joy from running into the parking lot is not a time to consider the effect it will have on her self-esteem. Things need to be done, and they need to be done now. That’s true on the playground and on the trading floor. Dads are the ultimate CEOs.

Share the Spotlight. Caring for an infant is kind of like being a member of Prince’s entourage or an aide to Kim Jong-Il: You are responsible for anticipating the needs of an irrational person who is completely divorced from reality. You’ll do anything to keep her happy, and so you remove ego from the equation. Sure, I used to be able to go to the movies whenever I wanted, but after a certain point, you have to ask yourself, Is all this me-ness going to make me a better person? Doubtful. For that, you need someone to put you in your place. Zen Buddhism has this concept of mu, or “emptiness,” which often manifests itself in the context of “no self” or “no ego.” I don’t know much else about Zen Buddhism, but I do know this: Whoever came up with mu clearly had some strained peas thrown in his face at some point.

Payless Gives Shoes 4 Kids

There is a site I regularly follow that let me know about a new campaign by Payless Shoe Source:Shoes 4 Kids. The goal is to provide $1 million in shoes to needy children this holiday season, one pair at a time. Payless will distribute 65,000 $15 gift certificates to nonprofit organizations redeemable for shoes and clothing in its shops.

Here is a promo video from their Chairman: Although the marketing effort behind this is quite obvious (why not just donate the million to a charity straight out? why not just give pairs of shoes to worthy organizations? why make them come into your store with a gift certificate ... so they spend more than the $15 they have been given ...) the intention is good and I hope that the money (and shoes!) go to people who really need it.

Seven Weeks!

Brooke is 7 weeks old today and we have seen some amazing things just in the past few weeks. First of all (and most notably) she has become (slightly) less fussy. In place of some of those fussy periods we now get moments where Brooke is just happy to hang out with us, play some games and check out some of her toys. It makes for a much calmer home, and both Brooke and her parents are finding our time together increasingly enjoyable.

WhatToExpect.com says that Brooke should be awake and alert more often during the day, and thus it is important to allocate more playtime. They suggest stimulating her senses by providing plenty of opportunities for her to experience her surroundings through sound, sight, and touch. "Small doses are best (if she's fussing or squirming, she's had enough), and simple toys are all you need. For example, now that she can track moving objects with her eyes, try slowly shifting a ball, rattle, or cloth from one side to the other as she faces you. Watch as she plays along by moving her eyes back and forth".

Her eyes continue to develop and "while she could once make out only bright colors and basic, two-toned patterns, she's now beginning to discern more complex designs and a whole rainbow of colors". I recently read that only 50% of 6-week old babies recognize their parents (which was a depressing statistic) but WhatToExpect says Brooke is starting to be able to put our faces to our voices. And that while we talk she is "listening carefully and may soon try to respond with some sounds of her own".

Stroller Strides

Today Brooke & I went to Stroller Strides. It was actually tougher than I expected, which was a good thing. I'm obviously out of shape at the moment, but hope it wont take too long to regain some stamina and strength. I was worried that the class would be really easy - making it a waste of time once my level of fitness gets back to normal. But, I dont think thats true ... and for sure I'm going to be sore tomorrow after my workout today!

Brooke slept through the entire class, which was what I was hoping. When we got there she was awake, she fell asleep as soon as it started and actually woke up the minute it stopped. I would have liked a bit of a longer window, but I'll take that for now!

The best thing about this class is that its filled with other babies and moms. While I was lucky that Brooke slept through the class, most of the other babies didnt. There was lots of whimpering, crying, and occasional cooing and giggling. It was a great place to get a workout with your baby, and not be embarassed or get frustrated by the fact that babies will be babies! I look forward to future classes and spending some quality time with Brooke while I try to get back into shape :)

I Know How To Pick Em

It took me a while to find the right furniture for Brooke's room, since I had a picture of it in my head way before she was born. I knew I wanted a cream/ivory finish ... and it proved to be a challenging find. But find it I did, and soon after I ordered it I found out that the company who makes it filed for bankruptcy. This led to a LONG wait for Brooke's furniture, with it finally arriving the day before I went into labor.

The furniture looks great, and I'm lucky I found it ... because today I read that Morigeau is going out of business. It really is a shame to see a company with long-standing tradition that was producing quality baby furniture go out of business. They simply couldnt compete against the low-cost (and often low quality) furniture imported from Asia. I'm sad to see them go, but we are lucky that Brooke got to be the recipient of one of the last sets of furniture to be produced by Morigeau.

The Holiday Bandwagon

It irritates me that the day after Halloween every store was decked out for Christmas. The season looses its luster and excitement when it lasts for so much of the year. But this year I have to admit that I jumped on early too! I already have a stocking for Brooke, and got her a 1st Christmas ornament. Grandma Stanula jumped on too and alrady gave Brooke an ornament with her name on it.

Since she is so little I dont have to do any gift shopping for her, but I think Santa might get her something small so she has a present under the tree Christmas morning. So though the holidays are still a while away ... Brooke is all set!



I'd post pics of the ornaments & stocking but don't want to ruin Brooke's suprise!

6 Weeks

WhatToExpect.com says "at six weeks, your little genius is inventing a special wordless vocabulary that is made up of grunts, gurgles, sighs, and coos — a step up (and a welcome one, at that) from crying on the communication ladder." The site suggests we "talk back" by cooing (or mimicking) back. "Matching coo-for-coo will be extraordinarily satisfying for her and will encourage the verbal explorations that will eventually (sooner than you think!) lead to that first meaningful mama or dada". Brooke has definitely been more expressive - both verbally and with facial expressions. We swear we have almost seen a few genuine smiles and she for sure has a particular face to display several emotions ... including a happy one! We have been following the suggestions and mimicking her noises and she definitely responds. We assume since she is responding she likes it (since WhattoExpect says she does) but we really have no clue :)

WhatToExpect also says that Brooke is having more involvement with her hands. 6 week old babies often find their fingers fascinating, grip items, start to bat at items, and are getting better at coordinating hands and eyes. Brooke is doig some of these things. For instance she is gripping things, but doesnt appear to be aware that she is gripping them. She has been grabbing Jeff & I alot, and if we dont have clothes in the area she is gripping she will grab skin. I have had my hair, cheek and neck pinched and scratched many times in the past few days. She also frequently grabs my necklace and my shirt. Yesterday I thought she was swiping at a new toy our friends gave her, but it could have just been coincidence. She has yet to look at her own hands and really see them, which is why I think much of this is still accidental on her part. Her hands and eyes are moving more together but she has yet to fully comprehend how much a part of her those little hands really are!

All Good Things Must Come To An End...

Aunt Jean left today. It's always hard to see her go as the time between our visits can sometimes be lengthy. This time seemed especially hard since Brooke had to say goodbye too (and she had to say goodbye to her). Though she will return soon (for the holidays), in baby time those months can be huge. Brooke will be almost 3 months by then, and the developmental changes in her are likely to amaze Aunt Jean (as well as Brookes parents!!!).

In the few days she was here, Jean quickly learned to pick up on some of Brookes quirky behavior and became almost an expert at soothing and entertaining an occasionaly difficult baby :) She also got to see the sweeter side of Brooke and spent time cuddling with her when she wasnt consoling her. All-in-all I think it was a good visit for all.

Special Note:
I want to congratulate our friend Nicole on her engagement. I havent seen her since the big event and just saw her when she came to visit Brooke this weekend. Nicole, your engagement ring is divine and exquisite!

More "Firsts"

Aunt Jean gave Brooke her 1st pair of shoes - some Converse All Stars. In addition, Brooke had her 1st restaurant experience:)

This morning she refused to sleep anymore after 6am. So we stalled a bit and woke up Aunt Jean a little after 7 am. (Of course, she was thrilled). Jean took a shower and got ready, then took care of Brooke while I put on clothes and tried to disguise the fact I haven't showered since Wed. And we were off!!

We took a long walk to get Brooke settled down and sleepy, and got to the restaurant about 8:40. They didn't open till 9 ... So we walked some more!

During the meal Brooke would stir if her stroller wasn't moving - so I ate my pancakes with one hand and rocked her with the other. She didn't have a fit, so I would say it was a successful outing ... But eating my meal with one hand while rocking with the other proved to be a challenging feat!

Brooke Approves

Brooke met her Aunt Jean (finally!) and they immediately hit it off. If she ever wakes up maybe she can actually SEE her aunt, since she fell asleep the minute she got into her arms.

5 Weeks!

Brooke is now 5 weeks old. She gets bigger and stronger every day :) Of course we had to celebrate ... so we went to a new coffee shop (one that I am familiar with, but she was new to) called Julius Meinl. After coffee we went to go buy her a 5-week-birthday present. Since her Daddy is quite sure she will be an LPGA player I thought we should get her on the right track early. She obviously is too little for golf lessons so we'll start with the appropriate wardrobe. So now Brooke has some "golf shoes" and that should start help preparing her mental game for her future career in golf (if her Daddy is correct). If the golf career fails to pan out, at least she gets to wear these cutes socks in the meantime.

Brooke @ 5 Weeks
What To Expect says "by five weeks of age, when the corners of your baby's mouth curl up, you can safely attribute it to an actual social smile (unless, of course, you happen to detect that telltale odor that means it's time for another diaper change)".

Brooke is now atune to more sounds, ranging from music to bells, barking dogs, vacuum cleaners and whistles. We have found some proof in that over the past week, as she has been jolted awake by the sound of a pop can opening and the rustling of a bag of Tyson frozen chicken tenders :) We have yet to finds sounds that calm or soothe her (though I think the bussle of Starbucks does do that) but we have found some that snap her awake and therefore must bother her. We now open our pop cans in another room during Brookes precious nap times.

Sleeptime changes too! While a newborn may sleep for 16-20 hours out of every day (Brooke was closer to the 20), a five-week-old is increasingly alert, and may be awake up to 10 hours out of every 24. Brooke is definitely awake for longer periods of time, but we have had some great sleep experiences lately too. The past few nights she has "slept" for about 6 hours straight, where in the first few weeks she was sleeping 3-4 at most. Her sleep is not deep the whole time, and for long periods of time I can hear her twitching and fussing ... but she doesnt cry out or wake completely up. Sleeping 6 hours is considered sleeping throught the night, which a baby generally doesnt do until 3 months or 12+ lbs. While Brooke is only 5 weeks, she is about 11.5 lbs already! That bigger tummy is giving us all the ability to have longer sleep periods because she does not have to eat as often as a smaller baby would :)

Our Amazing Adventure

I know I talk about Starbucks alot, both here and on my other blog. It's one of the few things I have been able to hold onto from my pre-Brooke life, and one of the few places around my house that seems to be really Brooke friendly.

Today we headed out for our usual trip and two amazing things happened. First, the holiday cups are here!!! If you arent a Starbucks person you dont get the excitement that comes with the holiday cups, but for me they are the true sign of the season. Sure, Macy's is all decked out in holiday decorations and the streets glimmer with tiny white lights, but it doesnt feel like the holiday season until I have a seasonal Starbucks cup (preferably with a Gingerbread Latte, which arent quite here yet) in my hand.


And second...

Brooke stayed awake the whole time ... without crying! One of the reasons we come here is because she sleeps here. I would love for her to be awake, but unfortunately she cries for about 99% of her awake time.

Today it's like a whole new Brooke. She is awake and hanging out ...And we are spending some quality mother-daughter time at Starbucks :)

First Bath, Round Two

Brooke had her first bath a bit ago, but it was a learning experience for us and none of us (Jeff, Brooke, or myself) really was happy with the experience. Since Saturday Brooke was 1 month according to the calendar, we celebrated with a bath. We are calling this her first official bath for two reasons: 1) we needed a do-over and dont want to remember the 1st experience as our real first experience and 2) I got a baby book for her 1st year and it has a place for a first bath picture :)

This time we did things a bit better, we were prepared, she wasnt cranky, the water temperature was right, etc. We also did take pics this time, unlike last time ... to chronicle this experience. We only took happy pics, and none of them that we feel are embarassing. Though I am going to post one here so that family and friends can enjoy, I do promise not to pull any bath pics out to show to Brooke's friends or significan others when she grows up.

Happy Halloween! (Well, For Some Of Us)

I was given a peanut costume by a friend whose baby was a bit too big for it (thanks Tami!) and knew that although it wasn't going to be a happy experience I would give it a shot anyway. First I gave Brooke a pacifier, hoping to get a minute or two of her in a calm state. Since she seemed to be pretty calm, I slipped the costume on and took a picture as fast as I could. It worked! But ... only for a minute. This pic was only the very tip of the crying episode. I actually took one when she was full out crying but it came out blurry ... and I just couldnt post it.

Nobody likes an unhappy peanut :(

The Pink & Chocolate Retreat

Before Brooke was a she, she was a TBD. We decided not to find out the gender in advance, so up until 1:13 AM on 10/1 it was a surprise. This made some things complicated for me in the shopping arena, most notably with clothing and her bedroom. I knew either way the room would be brown, and then we would accent it with pink or blue depending on the gender of the baby. I'm still working on the room, which since Brooke's arrival has received some touches of pink ... but the two biggest items that really ARE the room are still in process. We ordered a pink and brown rug, and some pink and brown draperies.

I found out that the rug is getting "released" today, meaning it should arrive within a week or so. For her draperies, one of the fabrics is backordered and wont be in until next week - which means they should be ready the week after.

I am not a girly girl at all, and actually didnt own any pink until I ended up with 2 pink maternity shirts. Its funny though how now that I have a little girl all I do is buy pink outfits and doll up her room in (almost excessive) amounts of pink. Soon enough Brooke will have a room ideal for a little princess ... I'm sure she is totally stoked :)

This is what the rug looks like - just too cute!

The rug in a room is not Brooke's room, but a pic from the website. First of all, her name isnt "Sophia", and second of all, Brooke doesnt have a teepee in her room cuz that would be weird.

Is It Still Halloween Without The Candy?

I remember trick-or-treating as a kid, and how much of a prize each piece of candy was. I couldnt wait to get home, sort my candy ... and start inhaling it. I also remember that some houses were "bad houses" because they gave out yucky candy, or heavin forbid ... something like raisins! Some of the houses were really "good", and we'd hit them twice (often swapping costumes or trying to sneak in with another large group of trick-or-treaters). But as the childhood obesity rate continues to climb, more and more people (both the givers and receivers of that wonderful Halloween candy) are beginning to think twice about the plethora of candy available to kids on 10/31.

An article in the CNN health section provides some tips and alternatives for making Halloween a wee bit healther . Suggestions include:

• One parent lets her kids eat whatever treats they want on Halloween, then they (the kids) decide what's going to be left for the "switch witch," who comes at night like the tooth fairy and takes the kids' candy, leaving toys in her wake.
• Another tactic has parents buying back the candy for money or books. For example, offering a nickel for each piece of candy they like but don't love, and a dime for each piece of something they love.
• Rationing is also an effective method: a piece a day until the candy is gone.

For the treat giver, some alternatives are offered too! - Try giving out toys instead of candy.
For example: stickers, pencils, Play-Doh or glow sticks
- Or offer both candy and nonedible treats, allowing children who come to your door to make the choice.

We dont have to worry about Brooke & candy for quite a while - like 2 years. This year we are going the traditional candy route, giving out M&M's, Reeses, and KitKat. We also had Butterfinger but I bought the candy a bit too early ... and already ate them (whoops). Perhaps when Brooke is a trick-or-treater we will also think about smarter candy options :) Until then, giving (and eating) the candy is half the fun!

One Month Old!

Today Brooke is officially one month old, well, one "lunar month". She is four weeks old and will actually be one "calendar month" old on Saturday. Since development for children is generally in weeks, thats how I'm looking at it. So yes, she is one month in my book! Its funny how it seems she is so much bigger and "older", no longer a newborn ... yet obviously she is still so young and has so much more to grow.

In order to chronicle this special day we decided to take a picture with her stuffed dog. Our friend Patrick gave Brooke this dog when she was born, and Jeff and I remarked about how much bigger than her it was. She was a lot smaller when she was born, but at one month old the dog is still bigger than her. I thought a picture of them together would be something she would appreciate seeing when she gets older, and we can tell her that her favorite stuffed animal used to be bigger than her ;)
Brooke @ 4 Weeks
Some amazing things happen with a baby during the first four weeks of life. For example, now at 1 month Brooke:

• Has different cries to communicate different needs: short and low-pitched when hungry; intermittent fussiness and whimpering when bored; and continuous and whiny when uncomfortable or overtired. (Jeff and I still havent figured these out, but they supposedly exist!)
• Has improved concentration and focusing skills, using her eyes to take in her surroundings in a much more sophisticated way. Complex shapes are more engaging than simple ones (zigzags vs circles). She also should be able to track things as they move. What to Expect suggests waving a scarf, soft toy, or a spinning mobile slowly around her head to watch as her eyes follow every movement.
• Is now capable of deep sleep (or non-REM sleep) during which the growth hormone somatotropin is released, so she actually does grow while sleeping!
• Spends more time in lighter REM sleep, when dreams occur. It may be possible to notice body twitching, eyelids fluttering, and increases in breathing increases when she is dreaming.

As parents we learn something new each day too - for example we have recently learned the benefits of the vibrate option on her swing and pack-and-play. Seems so simple, but by flipping a button and having her jiggled around we can now find a few minutes (and I do mean only minutes, but they are precious minutes) of quiet!

To celebrate the big day I think Brooke and I are going to go to Crate & Barrel. She has never been there before and I'm quite sure she will love it.

Tequila Time!

Since Brooke was born we have had someone come to help with the housekeeping. They were referred by a friend and have truly been lifesavers!

There are generally 3 of them: Danny, his wife, and his sister-in-law. Today the women (who are not as proficient in English) sent Danny up to me with a tip - rub tequila on Brookes stomach once a day for three days and it will cure colic. Apparently they feel bad watching me spend all of my time trying to soothe a screaming baby :(

They are all from the same village in Mexico, and it's a common practice over there. I tried googling it and kept finding references to how THE PARENTS should DRINK tequila to survive the days & nights with a colicky baby, but nothing about rubbing it directly on the baby.

I'm considering it. At this point no advice is unappreciated. I'll do anything to ease Brookes pain and keep my sanity! If rubbing it on her belly doesn't work at least I can drink whatever is left.

When Your Precious Baby Is A Screaming Ball Of Fury

It looks like our beautiful princess has another side to her - one that involves fits of rage and sobbing cries. When she is sleeping she is adorable, and for the few minutes during the day where she hasnt been in "one of her moods" she is alert, chipper and cuddly. But it seems as though the majority of hours of our days are spent trying to console an angry or upset baby. Yup, it appears to be the 5 letter word all parents dread: colic.

What Is Colic
Babycenter says that "while babies normally cry when they're wet or hungry or frightened or tired, a baby with colic cries inconsolably and excessively, often at the same time of day, frequently in the late afternoon or evening."

Rules of Three
Colic is often defined by the "rules of threes":

• Begins within the first three weeks of life
• Lasts up to or more than three hours a day
• Occurs at least three or more days a week
• Continues for at least three weeks
• Disappears at about three months of age

Colicky Baby or Fussy Baby?
Medicinenet.com points out that all babies have fussy moments, and in fact normally cry for 2-3 hours a day. What differentiates a fussy baby is that these 2-3 hours are spread out over a 24 hour period, and a colicky baby has hours of continuous crying.

Perhaps she is just experiencing a growth spurt or has a bit of a cold, but the signs point otherwise. I'll keep you updated, and if she is colicky its likely to be a frequent topic here ... so you'll know :)

Wrigley & Brooke

I get a lot of questions about how our "fur baby" is handling the new addition. Wrigley seems to really like Brooke! She gives her kisses and gets very concerned when she cries. Every squeak and squeal that comes out of Brooke catches her attention ... And the other day she was lucky enough to beat me in cleaning up some fresh spitup from the floor :). Brooke doesn't even know Wrigley exists, so for now she is happy thinking she is the only demanding force in our home. I do think that when she gets a bit bigger that Brooke & Wrigley will make a great troublesome twosome.