Wesley Arlo- 11 Months

Posted on March 15, 2016 by Jen @nutcaseinpoint

Holy h-e-double hockey sticks. I can’t believe how fast time has FLOWN by with this little man. Just to think that this time last year I was already off work on short term disability and laying on the couch all day watching Scandal on Netflix, eating Nutella, and waiting for my baby boy to get here. (I guess life is pretty much the same with regards to the couch sitting, Netflix watching and Nutella eating;) )

wesleyarlo11months

So here’s where we’re at: the kid is a blast. Like, I’m pretty sure there is no better kid out there.

He’s still in size 5 diapers, 24mo clothes, sleeps 12 hours through the night, and eats just about anything that’s given to him.

See? The best.

He now has five teeth and loves to eat crunchy snacks. Most notably: MY goldfish crackers. Guess it’s time I learn to share. (Except I did just buy him some Annie’s bunnies only because they’re slightly healthier for him. Plus, no sharing required.) He sucks down smoothies like a champ, loves fruits and veggies and those GD puffs. He’s still not a huge fan of meat, but will tolerate some turkey meatballs or pulled pork now and again. Eggs are still having him make a yucky face, but he’ll eat a few pieces before moving on to more delicious foods.

He’s no longer breastfeeding. February 24 was his last feeding, and on the morning of the 25th, he just didn’t want it anymore. I am super sad about it, but it’s nice to know it was his choice. (Don’t get me started on how crazy my hormones/metabolism has been since then. ALL.OVER.THE.PLACE). He’ll have a bottle in the morning, one in the late afternoon and one before bed and we’re slowly integrating some milk into the formula.

He’s successfully mastered getting up on all fours, but no forward-crawling yet. Most of his ‘travel’ is an up-on-all-fours-twist-around-and-repeat motion. And he even more recently started using the couch or the fireplace to get up on his knees! Which means we really have to get our butts in gear and buy some gates and baby-proofing stuff.

Plus, this whole almost-crawling business makes it darn near impossible to get any non-blurry photos of him! I need to learn how to use my fancy camera better so I can avoid this! (ps: anyone have any tips or tricks on how I can achieve that?)

He’s down to one nap a day most of the time. This transition was a bit harder for me because it meant less of a mental break during some of those long days. But less napping means earlier bed time, so no real complaints from these parents 😉

I’ve started to stress a lot less about getting out of the house with him as well. Before, I wanted to always make sure we were home for nap time and for meals. But then something in my head clicked and I realized this little man is going to have to start learning to roll with the punches..plus, it just takes a bit of planning with packing food! We’ve gone out for some pretty long stretched of time and it has been SO nice.

Leggings: Little D Threads; Multi-use clip: KEWE Clothing; bibdana: Mawdsley Loves

Oh wait, this is a Wes update. Not a me update. Moving on..

It has been a lot of fun watching him develop! He now stacks toys, intentionally groups them, and throws all the balls. (I stepped on my first toy last week. It was a triangle shaped wooden toy and it hurt like a SOB..and even left a large bruise!) He’ll also hand us things and then take them back. I say I think it’s fun now, but I’m guessing it’ll get old really quick as I expect this will be an ongoing trend for the next few years. Oy!

This month, he has really hated being put on the changing table and will cling to us like an upside down sloth as we try to lay him down. How appropriate his 11 month outfit include sloth pants.

And he has had a few fits when Tyler picks him up..mostly because it makes him think it’s bed time!

But then all we have to do is throw him in the blue car and he starts screeching with excitement. Now if only he would stop snagging all the dishtowels from the stove when he drives through the kitchen…

As far as dogs go, he still loves them. More obsessed with Layla because she’s on the floor more then His Highness Reggie who is always on the couch. Lots of snuggles and kisses and fistfuls of hair.

I’m still working on having him say mama…At first it was a bunch of dadadadada’s, but now its evolved to rarararara so I’d say there’s progress. He’ll also mimic certain noises we make to him which is entirely too entertaining!

And the smiles. I love all the smiles. Even if they rarely happen for the camera.

I can’t believe the next update will be for his FIRST BIRTHDAY.

In case you missed it:

Wesley Arlo- 10 months

Posted on February 15, 2016 by Jen @nutcaseinpoint

That one year mark keeps creeping closer and closer and I don’t like it one bit. Well, I do love watching him develop and learn new tricks, but I miss my teeny tiny little baby. I can’t believe it has been ten whole months! Double digits.

wesleyarlo10months

He wasn’t in the happiest of moods while I tried to snap his 10 month photos this morning, but I think I got a few.

He weighs about 23 pounds (home scale) and wears 18-24 month clothes. He’s got three teeth- both bottom front and his top right. Size 5 diapers. And really big socks so his circulation isn’t cut off…#cankleproblems.

Eats: He still breastfeeds every morning, but he hardly gets anything so it’s almost immediately supplemented with solids. 3 meals a day: his favorite breakfast is peanut butter toast and a half a banana (Every day. That’s a lot of bananas!) he gets cheese and fruit and veggies and a meat (if we have any leftovers) and some cheerios, and dinner is somewhat the same as lunch. He’ll polish off a squeeze pouch if he’s not satisfied with the solids we’ve given him. 3 bottles a day: between 4-8 oz in each. He’s a really easy eater. I have him cauliflower and broccoli and pickles and pork and he’ll just pick them up and eat them like it wasn’t a big deal.

Sleep: We’ve finally started letting him put himself to sleep. Most of the time it works, but there are occasions where we’ve had to go in and soothe him. On a typical day, he will nap twice, ranging from 45min-80 min, and will sleep through the night for 12-13 hours.

In the past month, he has really tried to get on his knees to crawl. So far, he’s pretty much mastered the roll and will get from one side of the room to the other in a flash.

He’s learned to clap his hands and can even give me a high five when I ask for it! Of course, I always ask for his left hand, so that’s the only hand he’ll use 😉

He babbles a lot and only really says ‘dada dada’ which is totally unfair considering *I* should be the favorite parent, right??

He loves shaking his toys and has a favorite book that I’ve check (and re-checked) out of the library. It’s about a puppy and the last page is a lot of WOOF WOOF WOOFs and when I read it he laughs so hard. Speaking of laughs, he’s ticklish! I love getting right into his underarms and he’s SO CLOSE to making a belly laugh I cannot even stand the cuteness of it.

He loves to play with the blinds. I blame this on the fact that I’m always looking out of them for the mail person each morning. He loves his reflection and high fiving himself in the mirror. He LOVE LOVE LOVES his car (remember to check out my Instagram for #WesOnWheels) and will cry when I take him off.

He’s getting a lot better at actually petting the dogs rather than smacking them. Layla could care less so long as she’s nearby, but I think Reggie appreciates the more gentle approach.

He loves his baths and splashes so hard that it looks like I also took a bath with him. I put him in a laundry basket in the tub and keep the basket in the bathroom when we’re not giving him a bath so it makes for a makeshift playpen when he has separation anxiety and I have to pee 😉

He’s an overall amazing little boy. He does like to have me close by or in sight at all times which can get a bit tiring. Big boy=big whines. You know that clip from Dumb and Dumber when Lloyd asks if they want to hear the most annoying sound in the world? Well, that would be Wes’s constant whining. I’m not complaining though, because we have it pretty darn easy.

Wesley Arlo- 9 Months

Posted on January 15, 2016 by Jen @nutcaseinpoint

Oh man, where do I start. Nine months. 3/4 of a YEAR. Whoa, that happened all too fast. This past month, I think my baby got on the big boy highway and I need him to slow down ASAP. (doesn’t every mom say that?)

wesarlo9months

Today, Wes had his 9 month check up and weighed in at 21.7 lbs and 29.1″ long. They’re not SUPER accurate, but at least it gives me a ballpark. (His next round of shots are at 12 months and they are way better at weighing and measuring him there!)

He’s in size 5 diapers (they’re huge, but he fills them. I bet he’s glad I told you that). Most of his clothes are in the 18 month range, but it depends on the brand. He hasn’t been going through sizes as quickly, so it has been way better on my wallet. But way harder on the washing machine 😉

Eating: still breastfeeding 2-3x/day, 2 meals of baby food/puffs/smoothies, and a full bottle before bed. He’ll have some water here and there, too. We’re starting to incorporate more foods he can eat on his own, but I want to make sure he’s still getting enough calories for that big belly!

Sleeping: A 45ish min nap at 10:30am and an hour-ish nap at 2:30pm. Bed is anywhere from 7/7:30pm-7:30/8am without interruptions. EXCEPT this past week where he has been waking at night for a feed (growth spurt?!). He’s used to being held until he falls asleep which usually takes no more than 5 minutes.

Play: He’s still obsessed jumping in the jumperoo. OBSESSED. He’s also really enjoying a ton of new toys he got for Christmas. His finger dexterity is getting a bit better so he can actually play with the toys rather than smack at them…even though that’s what he does most of the time.

Tricks: He will ‘hoo’ when his toy owl does, he can blow raspberries, and he uses his hand to blab with his mouth. Sounds boring, but I promise it’s super hilarious to watch as his mom :). He loves to take off his bib and chew on the velcro part. Or just wave it around like it’s the most interesting thing in the world.

He has been trying to crawl lately! So far, he’s only managed to get one knee up so most of the time he’s rolling like a bowling ball all over the floor. Note to self: start looking into buying baby gates. Note to self #2: baby gates will also be great for the dogs. Why didn’t I get them sooner?

And teething! Whoa. His front bottom right tooth finally broke through on Friday January 7th and the thing is razor sharp. No wonder kids have a hard time with teething- it’s like knives in their mouths! With teething comes drooling- as you may very well notice in most of these pictures.

He’s still really good in the car and prefers to be carried in the Ergo as opposed to the stroller when we’re out running errands. I don’t mind it so much because it’s hard as hell to push a stroller through snow-packed parking lots.

He’s getting better and better with the doggies (and vice versa). Some mornings we have some puffs on the floor and Layla is his best friend. Reggie, on the other hand, has eaten entire canisters of puffs so he’s not allowed near us when we eat. BUTTHEAD.

I’ve noticed Layla will come in his room when I am in there with Wes, and Reggie will go in his room when Tyler is in there with him.

He still loves being on the change table, although he’s about an inch away from no longer fitting on it. Still doesn’t love stuff going over his head, but giggles like a maniac when getting everything else done (diaper, pants, socks..).

He loves to be bounced around, thrown in the air, and swung back and forth between my legs. Basically, he’s fun-loving and adventurous. I can already see his dating profile now. No wait, he won’t ever date. He’s my baby!

He’s mama’s #1 fan. Do you know how happy that makes me? VERY.

He is so happy. Except when I have to use the snot sucker…then he hates me for about .000002 seconds. So I make it up to him with snuggles and kisses. And bath time is one of his favorites! We spend a good stretch of time in the tub with his bubbles and toys and floating books and he loves to splash. Side note: I actually got in the tub with him once because A) I was cold, and B) I wanted in on the fun, too!

He’s so observant! Everyone we’ve met has commented on how much it looks like he’s soaking everything in. (And then they’ll try to hold him at which point he will cry until he’s back in my arms, but that’s a whole other story..) He can recognize the different rooms in the house, loves looking (and patting) himself in the mirror, and staring at his night light. Why he thinks me turning it off every morning is the greatest thing ever, I’ll never know.

He’s the best little boy (ahh I said it…’boy’. He’s no longer a baby! I’m so sad. I’m crying. Please pass the wine) and I get all tingly just thinking about how lucky I am to have him. Borderline obsessed since I scroll through photos of him on my phone every night before bed.

I’d like to think that his next monthly update will tell of how he’s crawling and gobbling more foods, but then that means another month has gone by and it just needs to slows the heckkkkkk dowwwwwwwn.

I love you Mr. Wes, you’re the best little guy! (He’s not reading this now, but I’m sure he will eventually…)

Friday Facts

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Jen @nutcaseinpoint

Happy Friday everyone! Man..only one week until Christmas! I am way too excited to have our first Christmas with Wes. And have cinnamon buns for breakfast. And presents. Here’s some stuff from the week…

Tyler made an Irish Cream Chocolate Oreo Cheesecake and it is SO GOOD. I’m not a cheesecake person, but I have been anxiously waiting for Wes’s afternoon nap each day this week so that I can sit in quiet and enjoy a piece.

2. I won a giveaway on Instagram which consisted of a pack of mulling spices. They were dropped off at my house today, and I can’t wait to put them to use! (I tried to track it back on Instagram and it seems the photo was taken down? Womp.)

3. I met up with Susie on Tuesday night for dinner at Wurst. It was VERY important that we got the giant pretzel, but also had salads to round out the meal. Since we got the check by 7:30, we decided to head over to Proof to have fancy cocktails. They were ok, but not really worth the $14 price tag. I was home and in bed by 10pm. WINNING. I wore my new blanket scarf that had just came in the mail that day. (Ps: I ordered it from a credit I had on Zulily).

4. Of course I have to include some pictures of Wes in here. He had his first bath in the big tub this week and started using the spoon to feed himself! (most gets flung, but at least it’s progress!) Oh, and I posted his 8 month update this week too.

I must’ve stared at this bath photo for a good 15 minutes before dozing off last night 😉

5. We have SO many presents under our tree right now. And it’s not even everything. Plus Santa still has to come. I have a feeling a certain little boy is going to get spoiled this Christmas…

6. Don’t forget to check out MintedLane! The coupon code is only good until Sunday and you won’t want to miss out!!

7. Best meal we had this week- Cashew Chicken Quinoa Bake.

8. I’ve successfully gone all week without the TV on during the day. To be honest, I could have gone without it in the evenings as well, but Tyler turns it on for us to watch a couple of game shows before bed. Only thing I’ve watched has been some random Christmas stuff on Netflix at night, one of which was A Moody Christmas (I think it’s only on Canadian Netflix and not the American one..sorry!) Super funny.

moody

That’s all from this end! We have lots to look forward to for the weekend, so I’ll be back on Monday to hopefully share some fun stuff!

Wesley Arlo- 8 Months

Posted on December 15, 2015 by Jen @nutcaseinpoint

So old. I’m telling ya, the time just whizzes by. And now that I have an 8 month old, there is SO much we can pack into each day. I LOVE IT.

wesleyarlo8months

Ok, so what is this big boy up to these days? Well, he’s still in size 4 diapers but I think we’ll be upping him to 5s on the next pack. He weighs 22/23ish pounds (I try using the scale at home which never seems to be super accurate) and is about 28ish inches? Give or take.

He can now finally sit up on his own and I don’t have to be right behind him for support or backup. WOOHOO. Which means he can play with more toys- his car included. If you don’t follow me on Instagram you probably should at least check out my feed for some of the funniest videos of him riding his car. And the kid loves to dance. He wiggles around like a madman!

He eats A LOT. Boob 2-3x a day, 2 solid food feedings, some water, puffs and a bottle of breastmilk/formula before bed. Currently, he consumes about 3-4 squeeze packs of food. I’ve found this to be cheaper than buying organic and making it myself, especially with keeping a wide variety of fruits and veggies in his daily diet.

Naps. Woof. Those have been a bit trickier since he seems to have picked up on the cue that bringing him in his room and turning the white noise on means he has to sleep. He will eventually do it, but sometimes with a bit of a fight. Most times, he will fall asleep in my arms in about 5 minutes, but we have had to let him cry it out and then he’s out like a light! 2 naps a day ranging from 45 min to 90 minutes and on a rare occasion 2ish hours.

Bedtime= 7pm

Wakeup time=7:30am

These vary about 30 minutes.

Play: he no longer cares to be on his activity mat so that and his bouncer have been put away (sad face). If he’s not obsessively jumping in his jumperoo or jolly jumper, he’s sitting in the living room with his blocks, tables, walkers, stuffies, blankies and books.

He’s gotten a lot better at picking things up and transferring them from one hand to the other. And most everything goes directly to the mouth. The germaphobe in me dies a little each time.

Just recently, he’ll even grab the spoon from me to either A) help feed himself or B) fling everything everywhere.

Oh, and now that he can sit up on his own, he’s in the tub without the insert! It makes bath time way more fun for us and for him because he will splash and look around and play with some of the bath toys we have for him. And then not want to get out.

On shopping trips, I’ve learned after a few scream sessions that he prefers the ergo to the stroller and HATES when I try on shoes. <—Tyler must’ve taught him that.

He’s not as drooly anymore and still no signs of teeth.

Wes loved the doggies and pats them but neither of the dogs are big fans. Layla is still always nearby and comes in with me each morning to get Wes from his crib.