Daddy Turns 40! Traveling with Baby Kate...

To celebrate Keith's big 4-0, we headed north, ironically near Keith's hometown in Connecticut. Our dear friends, the St. Clair's, welcomed us to their family's beach house in Milford, Ct. With 7 adults, 5 children plus Baby Kate, to say the house was FULL is an understatement! To say we had a great time is also an understatement!

We heard plenty about the beach house before our arrival, but this approx. 100 year old cottage far surpassed our expectations. All I can say is it is quaint and charming (yes, Tara, I think it's charming!). Yes, it's very sandy, yes, the wood floors creak and yes, you won't catch me hanging out on the 2nd story porch that slants just a little more than I'm comfortable, and the furniture is just a tad on the musty side, but it also has a magnificant view, a ton of beautiful, private beach and a rustic charm that is indescribable. Set along a row of other cottages and some magnificant "re-dos" or modern versions of rustic cottage, the scene was peaceful (okay, the house was insane crazy most of the time, but out on the beach it was peaceful).

Even Kate spent some quality time on the beach in her beach cabana. What a fantastic invention! On the last day, we put her feet in the water...a bit colder than the Gulf of Mexico, but she seemed to like the sand and water on her feet just the same.

Kate's first plane ride went well. We had timed the trip so she would eat on her way up and that seemed to do the trick fairly well. On the way home, we weren't so lucky. There was a slight delay so Kate had already eaten by the time we were lifting off...she screamed for about 10 minutes until the plane leveled off and then she nodded off for the rest of the flight.

Two Acts of Kindness:

Twice during this trip, I had two total strangers really make my day. The first was the morning of the trip. Keith dropped off Kate and me at the curb. The sky cap took our luggage (what a God send those people are...now I understand why we need them!). Once in the airport, I realized Keith and I did not agree to a meeting place. When I went to call him, I realized my cell phone was still in the car!! Thankfully, I only had to ask two different people if I could "borrow" their phone. Of course, I asked an unsuspecting male first, but he made up some lame excuse that his girl had his phone (can you imagine saying no to a lady carrying a baby???). So, I asked a nice lady who no doubt has children of her own.

The second act of kindness was at the end at baggage claim. I was carrying Kate in her Mei Tai carrier (Kate was not at all happy about waking up at 9pm when she is normally sleeping peacefully in her crib) and was trying to navigate the stroller (filled with the breast pump and diaper bag) and two pieces of luggage. Keith was off getting the car from long-term parking. As I was struggling to lift one of the pieces of luggage onto the other, a wonderful Disney employee came to my rescue and brought the bags curbside for me. I knew he was a Disney employee because he was wearing his uniform and a name tag. No doubt he works for the cruise line. Countless others walked by me, but it took a Disney employee to help me.

When you folks are traveling out there (especially in ORLANDO), watch out for those moms out there struggling with little ones and don't be afraid to offer a helping hand!

Being with friends and surrounded by many children seemed to be just perfect for Keith's birthday. He hasn't had a mid-life crisis, yet. No sports car, no new gadgets. Something about a precious baby girl for a birthday present makes everything else meaningless.

Food, Glorious Food!

We did it...on Saturday, August 24, we introduced Kate to her first food: rice cereal. At nearly six months old this week, she was definitely ready (for those of you thinking, what? She won't be 6 months until the 5th...technically speaking she'll be 24 weeks on Wednesday)! She chowed down the rice cereal...ate like a horse, so we know she's got some of her dad in her since her mama eats like a birdie.

Kate really likes to help mommy by grabbing the spoon. Of course, she grabs the wrong end, so she ends up a sticky mess. She ate well on Sunday, also, but today, she slowed down a bit because I think the two feedings from the weekend are still digesting! Who knew it could take her little digestive system so long to produce anything. With breastmilk, it pretty much runs right through her, but this stuff has real lasting power!

It looks like we'll do a couple weeks of rice cereal before I introduce some yummy vegetable and fruit purees. I'm going to make the food myself to start. Please, don't laugh. I know I barely get dinner on the table for Keith and me, but I think I can handle blending up some fruits and veggies!

Like everything when it comes to Kate, I'm fully researched on the subject. I've picked up several books about making baby food and have narrowed down my stack to a couple that I really like and can't wait to tell you all about my first experiences. This week I need to go pick up all of the proper tools...double steamer, new blender or food processor (not sure which I want, yet...so I appreciate thoughts from those who traveled this homemade baby food path before). My equipment will probably do, but I will be a bit more efficient with some updated tools.

I hate to say anything, but Kate had a fantastic day today. Napped at appropriate times, and for the appropriate lengths. I felt guilty at how much free time I had. I was able to finish the laundry I started (usually a 3 day process) AND did the grocery/meal planning. Perhaps I should have fed her sooner and it is helping her sleep better...or perhaps all of the work I've been putting into her schedule has finally paid off. Whatever it is, I hope it sticks because today was a great day!

TEETH!?

Whoa! Those of you who have seen Kate know she's been slobbering and exhibiting teething signs for well over 2 months. She started the drool/put all things in her mouth routine as early as 3 months. And, since cousin Sammy had teeth by 5 months, I was expecting teeth this month, but I wasn't expecting them at the beginning of the month!

Her first tooth popped up on Friday, August 1 (bottom right). If you look closely, you can see it in the picture! Then, on Monday, August 4, the tooth next to it popped through. Last Wednesday, Kate started acting really strange while nursing...she'd start to nurse and the cry out. I guess she was trying to tell me that her teeth hurt! She's such a good girl because she really wasn't too fussy otherwise! Now, her appetite is back.

Now that she has teeth, you'd think I'd be feeding her, but I've been a little hesitant. I wanted to be sure the milk supply was solid (it went down a little due to the teething) and, of course, I'm reading all about making her food and what to give her and when. And, like everything else, there is no shortage of contradictory advice! With Keith's big birthday next week, we decided to wait until we return from the beach vacation to start Kate on solids...that should lend to fun pictures and stories, so stay tuned!!

Also, with the beginning of another month, I've posted pictures of Kate:
Baptism
3 month photo shoot
July 2008

The 4am Stumble

Some of you will be familiar with it...the walk that you do blindly through your home in the middle of the night, several times to "find the paci" for the little one. Not familiar with this routine? Consider yourself one of the lucky ones. Right now I'm simply grateful we opted for a one-story home!!

Granted, I could "train" Kate to soothe herself so that I could get uninterrupted sleep at night, but she goes down so beautifully with the paci that I'm not sure I could get through letting her "cry it out" (CIO), which is the the best way to teach her. For the last 3 weeks (ever since we stopped swaddling her), she seems to wake 2-4 times a night--depending on what, I don't know. Sometimes she finds the paci herself and soothes herself, usually right when I make it to her bedroom door. But, most of the time, I blindly place the paci back in her mouth and walk out of the room and stumble back to bed until she awakes about an hour later... I know I could let her fuss, but what if she really wakes up! So, for now, I'm doing the midnight...4a, 3a, 5a, or whatever time it is it's too early to know, stumble.

Keith asked me if I was still glad that chose to use the paci and honestly, I am. In time, Kate will be able to find the paci herself--she's already surprised me a couple of times. And, soon, I'll be ready to put her down without the pacifier. I found a great resource for breaking the paci habit for anyone in need of ideas: (http://www.growingkids.org/2008/02/22/pacifier/). In my research on sleeping problems, I also learned that when Kate wakes from her little "cat naps" that there is no way I can let her CIO...she will go on for hours (well, I only let her go 30 minutes), but I found out from others that this is not the time to teach her she doesn't need her paci...it's at the beginning of the nap. Thankfully, she seems to be napping great this week, so hopefully that nightmare is over. She has really taken to her new lovie that we introduced (yes, another sleep prop for those Babywise moms), but it's a sleep prop she controls and she loves it.

So, it seems, that while I am blessed to have a great sleeper who often can sleep from 7:30 or 8:00 p.m until 7:30 a.m. and goes down with very little fuss, I don't have it made! Oh well, I will still be sleep deprived like 90% of the other mommies. I'm just thankful I don't have to try and function at work all day with such broken sleep!