Textured Quilt and New (Used) Exersaucer

So yesterday I finished my first quilt ever. It's a textured quilt, which basically is a whole bunch of different fabrics put together with different textures, colors, and patterns for Alex to feel and experience. Because I was basically doing it on my own (with some email help from Janci), I don't know how much of it was done right, and it's a little, um, crooked, but for my first attempt, I think I did pretty well. I'm just glad it's small. I think it was a very good thing that my first quilt was a small one. Because it has a lot of different fabrics, they don't really "go" together, just so you're warned.

Here's a pic:


Also, yesterday, after searching Craig's List and KSL for the past month, I finally found an exersaucer that was close to where I live, in my price range, and in good enough quality (there was one being sold that had no toys on it. They said you could just put your own toys on top, and I'm like, but the point of the exersaucer is he won't lose the toys like he does when he plays on his high chair since they're attached. Not only that but they wanted $20 for it). So I went to take a look at it. It's older, at least 2 years, but probably more, but I got it for $12, so no complaining here. Alex is enjoying it so far. I spent some of the day yesterday cleaning and sanitizing it, so it was all ready for him to play with. Here's a pic:



If you want to see more pics of Alex from the last month, click here.

PS: I don't know a good way to make my pictures smaller so they aren't so large in my entry. If anyone knows an easy to make them smaller, please let me know. Thanks.

Sleep-Training Conclusion

Or at least I think it's concluded. Last night Alex slept through the night! Well, he actually fussed a little at 2:30 a.m., but then fell back asleep before I went in to do a check-in, and then he fussed some between 5:30 and 6, but I'm not supposed to get him out till at least 6, and he wasn't fussing very loud or very much, so I wasn't sure if he was all the way awake and I should do a check-in, or if he was partially asleep, and I should wait. But basically he slept through the night!

The Sleepeasy Solution Training Continues

Okay, so the last two nights have been rough, but I can see progress, so I'm happy.

Two nights ago, Alex went down fairly easily. After crying for 50 minutes the first night, I wasn't sure what to expect, but he only cried for 20 minutes. But then, unlike the night before where Alex slept other than when I got him for a feeding, Alex woke up at 1:30. I was planning on giving him a feed at 2, but because he woke himself up, he needed to get himself back to sleep without a feed. So I got up and started doing my check-ins (basically I go in and say something like, "Alex, Mommy is here and it's okay to go to sleep. I love you, and I'll come back in a little while to check on you"). So  I did that 5-10-15 minutes and then continued at 15 minutes. Well, he continued to cry and wail for an hour and a half. Talk about hurting my little mommy heart. I did not enjoy hearing it! But I kept reminding myself that he would be better for it and that I would be better when I could get a full night's sleep. But I like that I go in every 15 minutes to remind him that I am here, I am not ignoring him, I haven't left him, and that I love him. I think that's better for both parent and child then just letting the child cry it out.

Sleep-Training Continued and Homemade Baby Food

So today's been pretty eventful. First of all, the sleep-training is going well so far. It took Alex 50 minutes to fall asleep last night, but at least it wasn't longer, and it should get better with time. I woke him up twice to eat (1/2 hour before he got up the two nights before) and although he squawked both times when I went to put him in the crib, that was the only sound he made (assumably, he went right back to sleep). So that was good.

The first nap of today was not so good. Alex cried for the whole hour, but the book does say that it's harder to get the naps worked out and I know it's partially my fault because I put him down a half hour late, and he fell asleep in the car seat while we were walking around the store; the book says that falling asleep for even 5 minutes between naps can really cause problems with the baby getting to sleep for his next nap.

Six-Month Checkup and Sleep-Training

Yesterday Alex had his six-month checkup. Checkups are always bittersweet. It's great to find out how Alex is progressing--how much he's grown in height and weightand such--but I don't look forward to the immunization shots. So yesterday morning kind of got away from me and I realized I only had 15 minutes before I needed to leave. So I was rushing a bit and totally didn't think to bring a bottle with me. Alex usually takes a bottle after he gets his shots to calm him down, since he won't take a pacifier. So I get to the doctor's office and realize this and I'm like great. So I ask if they have any samples; they do, but not in bottles (like they had at the hospital). So I'm just crossing my fingers and hoping Alex will be okay.

Highchair

So now that Alex is 6 months, we've started him on solids. The week or two before that, I was looking in to getting a highchair. I looked at the store and gagged at how the good ones were about $100, so I decided to look for used. If I'd been smart, I would have been looking since Alex was born, but I didn't know for sure if I even wanted a highchair, or if I just wanted a booster seat that attached to a dining chair. Once I decided on getting a highchair, I could finally start looking. So I went on Craig's List and KSL, but I didn't see anything promising near where I live. But I kept looking every day and eventually I found one that looked good. It's a Graco Meal Time chair (found here). It has different heights, reclines, and wheels around. At first I wasn't sure if I liked that it has wheels, but now I am so glad. I wheel Alex around everywhere. When it's time to eat, I wheel him in the kitchen to feed him. If he gets fussy, I wheel him into the living room to watch Baby Signing Time or I can wheel him next to where I'm at so I can interact with him. It's wonderful.