Getting ready for Christmas … with your baby
Lately, I keep hearing people talk (and blog) about how magical it is to be getting ready for Christmas with their toddler/child, because they are finally old enough to “know what’s going on.”
People have even made comments to me like, “Oh, Baby Boy won’t have a clue,” and “He has no idea,” and “You’ll get to open all his presents for him.”
They assumed we would just decorate the tree ourselves, because it’s easier (nope — we let him attempt to put on ornaments, play with the lights, stroke the prickly branches).
They assumed we were not writing and mailing a letter to Santa Claus (we did, and got a handwritten reply!).
They assumed I was not involving him in gift-wrapping (I did, and he had a blast playing with the empty wrapping paper rolls).
They assume we will open his gifts for him (nope — he’s already tried to open several, and he’s got it figured out).
They assume we will not set out milk and cookies, because, as they put it, “You just start doing that when they’re old enough to ‘get it'” (We will be baking Santa’s cookies together on Christmas Eve, and leaving them out — along with a carrot for Rudolph).
Yes, Baby Boy is only six months old. But who cares how old he is? Whether he was two weeks old or 11 months old, it’s his first Christmas!
We are beginning the family traditions that will carry on into his childhood. The traditions we will share with his future siblings someday. The traditions he’ll remember (and maybe continue) when he’s a grown-up, himself.
Getting ready for Christmas this year has been so exciting, because I’ve gotten to explain every step to Baby Boy, and share it with him.
He loves patting the tree every morning when we turn on the lights. He loves exploring (and trying to open) the gifts under the tree (including the ones meant for other people).
He loves playing with his empty stocking (that I sewed last week) and I’ve been putting blocks inside so he can “practice” getting things out of it.
We watched How The Grinch Stole Christmas together, and I even fed him a tiny nibble of a sugar cookie. Why should he miss out on anything because he’s a baby? I mean, it’s Christmas!
Other people can do — or not do — what they want, but I think having a baby on Christmas is no excuse to not do special things because you think they’re too young to understand or remember.
Yes, they are young, but it still feels magical — I promise.
How French of him!
While cuddling in bed with Baby Boy this morning, he proceeded to grab my face with both hands, hold me down, and French-kiss me.
And then stick his fingers in my nose.
I feel violated.
Remember me?
Crap! A week has passed without a word from me. I really must work harder at this blogging thing. It’s amazing how little time you have for blogging, when you have this entire person needing you every second of the day.
What’s new? Well, Baby Boy had his six-month visit and everything went splendidly. He’s 19 lbs and 26 inches long. He has his two vaccinations as usual (don’t ask me what they’re for — bad stuff, like polio, I think).
We’re probably going to get him the flu shot, but the doctor recommended waiting until January. I’ve heard a lot of controversy over giving kids flu shots, but when it comes down to it, I listen to the recommendations from Health Canada, etc. — and they say to do it, so I will.
We are ridin’ dirty on the Teething Train, which is … exactly as fun as it sounds. Baby Boy’s sleep habits have been dismal. He keeps waking up crying, and kind of snotty, which is supposedly a teething symptom? I don’t know, it might be a cold. Who knows with babies? That’s part of their trickery. Poor guy.
Last night wasn’t bad, though. He slept from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. — FOUR WHOLE HOURS, PEOPLE! I nursed him and changed him, and he slept for another two. Then we were up and down for about two hours. He kept crying and snot was running down his face, and ugh. He only calmed down when I held him upright in the rocker, so it was a tiring few hours. Then he finally went back to sleep, and slept for three hours before getting up for the day. That sounds like a bleak night, but really, it’s progress.
You know those people whose babies sleep through the night? And have been doing so since they were a month old? I wish they would stop posting it on Facebook, because it just makes me want to post a comment that simply reads “Eff you.”
In cheerier news, I had three people tell me I look way thinner. Sure, those people were my mom, my sister, and my aunt, but they all said it independently. They think I’m actually a bit thinner than I was before I got pregnant, which is … exactly what I wanted! It actually came as a surprise, because I hadn’t felt or looked any thinner, in my opinion. So I decided to try on my pre-preggo jeans, and THEY ALL FIT. Every single pair. Holla!
Of course, they feel like they’re totally hanging off my ass, because I’m now used to up-to-the-real-waist jeans. But still. Very exciting development. Now I’m wondering when they started to fit, as I tried on a pair one week postpartum (and cried), and never tried them until the other day. When was that magic time when they began to fit? I’ll never know. Please pass the carrot sticks, because I like feeling thin!
God bless breastfeeding and its weight-loss properties. I suppose it somewhat makes up for the lack of sleep.
Our baby in review: His Sixth Month
Baby Boy is six months old today.
Half a year ago, I was lying in a hospital bed, and he was born.
Half a year from now, he’ll be smashing his hand into a birthday cake that I’ll bake for him.
These last six months have been, by far, the happiest (and the hardest) time of my life. When I try to picture my life before him, I can’t remember what it felt like to be just me. To not have him.
There were hard times before him, and there are hard times now, but at least now, I have him to fill me with happiness and make everything better. Before Baby Boy, I was never as happy as he now makes me every single day, with every single smile.
It makes me feel sad for people who never have children, because they really don’t know the magnitude of the happiness they are missing. This baby, this sweet boy — he makes me feel like I’m going to explode with love and joy and gratitude and hope. Everyone should know that feeling.
Happy Half-Birthday, my little Merry Sunshine.
xoxo
***
Vital stats: We haven’t had him weighed or measured since his four-month appointment (when he was 17 pounds, 2 oz. and 63.5 cm long), so we are so curious what tomorrow’s check-up will bring. I’ll keep you posted!
Milestones: Standing! And walking while holding onto things (the couch, the rails of his crib). He absolutely loves standing, and it’s hard to convince him to sit sometimes because he just wants to be standing. The walking is adorable. When you stand him at one end of his crib, he’ll grip the railing and inch his way down on his wobbly little feet, until he’s standing at the other end — and SO proud of himself. This month he also tried his first “real” foods: pureed green beans and pureed sweet potatoes. He discovered that drinking out of real cups is much easier than a bottle or sippy-cup (apparently), so I always give him a little mug of breastmilk or water with his meals. He loves picking it up and chugging it down, and actually doesn’t spill much. Oh, and he’s now a pro at spotting a soother, picking it up, and properly inserting it into his mouth — SCORE! That means he doesn’t cry for us to give it to him in the middle of the night, unless he’s thrown them all out of his crib.
On the move: He still only crawls backwards, and gets his big cloth-diapered butt stuck under the furniture (hilarious). But he turns around in circles, and that sometimes propels him in different directions (besides his usual backwards!). He gets up on his hands and knees and looks like he’s about to take off crawling forward, but so far it’s just be a psych-out.
What he’s been eating: His diet is still almost entirely breast milk, but he usually gets two little “meals” a day — either breakfast and dinner, or lunch and bedtime snack, depending on what’s going on that day. There was a day or two this month where I was giving him all three meals plus bedtime cereal, but I decided immediately it was too much. I didn’t want it to screw up his breastfeeding, so now it’s usually two — cereal at one, and a veggie at the other. This might increase soon, though, when he starts adding more foods to his menu. Oh, and for the last week or so, he’s had one of these dissolving rice biscuits (called MumMums) after his dinner. He loves that he finally gets to eat something crunchy, and seems disappointed when it turns to mush almost immediately.
Pumping/bottle-feeding/breastfeeding in public: I still pump a bit most days, and I’ve been bringing a bottle every time I leave our condo with Baby Boy. He gets so distracted that I don’t even try to nurse in public anymore. He can barely focus on nursing when we’re at home, if people are over visiting and chatting. He’s gotten much better at holding his own bottle this month, so it’s nice to be able to give him a bottle while we’re in a store or a restaurant. He even ate some sweet potatoes in McDonalds last week — it was adorable to see him sitting in that highchair!
How we’ve been sleeping: His sixth month started out pretty much like the fourth and fifth (up every two hours all night), but in the last week or two, he seems to be spacing out his feedings. Now he’s usually only up three times at night, and sometimes two (although typing that, I just jinxed myself). “Only” up three times at night sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? But sadly, it is much better than what it was!
Diapering: Still loving the BumGenius one-size all-in-ones and the BumGenius one-size pocket diapers. I have been reading up on de-stinking techniques, though, and think I may attempt something soon. They don’t smell that bad, but I think they could smell fresher. Oh, and starting the green beans/sweet potatoes? Yeah, it did make for grosser poo diapers. Still not requiring a diaper sprayer, but … that time is coming.
Playing: Since Baby Boy seems to collect more toys every month, I’ve started really rotating the ones I put out for us to play with. His current favourite toy is his set of MegaBloks (which resides in a little MegaBloks wagon that he loves to pull). He likes when you give him the loaded wagon, and he takes them all out and plays with them individually. Not a huge fan of towers yet — and he once glared at someone who dared build one with his precious blocks — but he does sometimes enjoy taking them apart.
Things that surprised me: How independent he’s becoming. Sure, he still needs me like crazy, but I’m amazed by all of the things he does by himself. Watching him pick up a mug of breastmilk and drink it. Watching him study the laundry basket and carefully take out items individually (and then chew on them). Watching him walk along the couch. Watching him play quietly by himself with his blocks or his letter machine. He’s so grown-up, sniff.
Things that have made me melt: When he’s ready for a nap and cuddles against me, rubbing his eyes. When he finishes eating one of my “pureed-with-love” meals, and gives me a huge grin (as if to compliment my cooking). When he’s crying in his crib in the middle of the night, and he stops the second I pick him up. Starting Christmas traditions with him and Darling Husband, like decorating the tree, visiting Santa at the mall, writing a letter to Santa — I can’t wait for our first Christmas together as a family.
Baby! Baby! Hi, Baby! Over here! Smiiiiiiile!
You know what’s stressful? Trying to take a Christmas card-worthy photo of your baby!
Don’t get me wrong — Baby Boy is very photogenic. But usually I’m snapping a few fifty photos of him in a regular outfit, just hanging out in our living room or something. The background doesn’t matter, the outfit doesn’t really matter, etc.
When you are taking a Christmas card photo, that stuff matters! The baby should be in a Christmas-y outfit, preferably in front of a Christmas-y background (or at least not your blah couch or random scattered toys).
They also shouldn’t have a giant drip of drool hanging off their chin, or a huge bubble coming from their mouth because they won’t stop going, “Brrrrrrr! Brrrrrr!”
Because this photo will be the first time some people even SEE a photo of Baby Boy, since they received his birth announcement almost six months ago. He has to look his best! They have to see the photo and say, “Aww, what a cutie,” or “That’s a good-looking boy they have,” or something. Therefore validating me as a parent. Right? Right?
Sigh …
Of course, I didn’t buy a Santa hat or a special outfit, or anything that would have made this process easier. So I’ve been stuck dressing him in regular outfits that hint at a Christmas-y vibe. And props! Except he tried to eat the wrapped gift, the tree ornament, and the tree itself. Props FAIL.
So far I have shot two “sessions” and I’m not sure I have a winning photo yet. He was in a cranky mood for both sessions, so many of the outake photos are him crying or pouting — cute, but not card-worthy. I mean, if he’s pouting on a Christmas card, that doesn’t really give a “happiness and joy” message, does it?
I have one contender, but I’m still debating if he has “crazy eyes” or if he just looks really … caffeinated.
I’m starting to understand why portrait studios exist for this purpose …
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