4 Days and Counting!!!

So either the whole solid foods thing is the cause (well, at least a primary contributor) or it's just a big time coincidence, but ever since we started the rice cereal, Carson has been sleeping through the night. I mean literally, not the book definition of 6+ hours. To me, sleeping through the night is when MOM gets to sleep through the night! :-) He's slept 11-12 hours straight for the last four nights, 7pm to somewhere between 6-7am!!! HALLELUJAH!!! HALLELUJAH!!! HAL-LE-LU-JAH!!!

He doesn't fight going to bed at all... bath then eat and he is out!!! Still not much of a napper, which can make the days tough, but I'll take that any day over having to get up at night. He usually only takes 2 naps of about 30 min to an hour. Some days it's three and some days he might conk out for a little longer, but on average, he just doesn't really want to sleep during the day. He really fights napping in his crib, so lately at least one of those naps has been in the swing. Yesterday, it was in his door bouncer. Yes. He fell asleep in it after jumping for over an hour. At his 4-month check-up, I asked the doc for some tips on napping and was told that some kids just aren't nappers. If he's getting all the required sleep at night, then that's fine. Looks like that's the bucket we fall into! Let's just hope it stays that way!!! :-)

I'm So Excited, I Just Can't Hide It...

No, this is not what I'm talking about...

(All those out there about my age probably immediately think of that episode of Saved By the Bell..."I'm So Excited... I'm So... Scared"...sorry, quick flashback down memory lane.)

Anyways, Carson is really the one who is SO excited. He LOVES feeding time. When he's in his bouncer on the table, bib on, and see's mommy or daddy with the little bowl and spoon, he know's he's in for some fun. Eating time has gotten much more productive since Day 1. I think he's actually getting some down now. We thickened it up quite a bit so it actually has some texture to it.

He sits in that bouncer and just starts kicking, kicking, kicking those legs. It's hilarious. He's also discovered that he is able to squeal. He loves exercising those vocal chords. It's so funny! I didn't get it on this video, so I'll have to make another post about that one.

Here's the YouTube link... it's only a minute.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5bMpcP2ShA

Rockin' & Rollin'

Carson first rolled over from tummy to back around Week 11. He did that before he even was rolling from back to side. Of course, he didn't do it again for like six more weeks. When he did it the next couple of times, it was only when he was really, really mad. He's not a big fan of tummy time. It's getting better though.

Two days ago, I had him in his crib with the mobile really low so he could see it while he was on his tummy. He just whipped right over. He did it several times. He did it several more times yesterday, even without the mobile. I keep practicing with him in hopes he'll roll from back to tummy. With my help, his body does it easily, but like I said, he's not a big fan of being on his tummy. That said, I don't think he's in a big hurry to do that. Mommy is going to keep working on it though. I'm excited though that the tummy to back rolling is coming much easier for him now.

Here's a short video of him rolling over...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSf_4ruJQz4

Carnage in the Backyard

We have 1 1/2 hunting dogs at our house. Shooter is a legit hunting dog. Lucy, not so much. She loves to fetch, but doesn't quite understand how the whole hunting thing works. She'll fetch a bird if she sees it fall, but mostly just wants to beat Shooter to it or try to steal it from him. She isn't alert in the blind. She just lays her head on your lap. Anyways, I'm getting off topic.

For as long as I can remember, Shooter always tried to "get the squirrels" in the backyard. At our old house, we actually had squirrels. We have no trees here, so it is only on a rare occasion that we see a squirrel. If we do, it's usually just hauling it across the fence. Shooter doesn't limit the term "squirrel" to just squirrels. Anything that he can chase can be considered a squirrel. At our house, doves are the most common "squirrel."

So yesterday, I hear the thud at the back door. I often hear pawing or when Shooter turns and sits with his back to the door. This was different though. It even kind of scared me. I open the door to find Shooter with a semi-alive dove in his mouth, feathers everywhere, and Lucy just as excited about the action as Shooter.


When I came outside, you could tell he didn't know if he was in trouble or not. He put the bird down and looked at me. He wanted to eat it, no doubt. He was pretty proud of himself.


Then, he laid down next to it, as if that was going to change my mind about him eating it. If he wasn't a hunting dog, I'd say go for it. You deserved it. But, as I predicted, Dad said "NO." All that would do would be to suggest that eating the birds he retrieves is okay.

This was the first kill at our house. We had one close call before when we were trapping and banding doves in the backyard. It had been raining and so the bird's feathers were wet. When we released it, it couldn't really fly to well and flew straight into the side of the house. When it fell to the ground, Shooter just about had it. Luckily though, the bird got up and flew away just in time.

It probably doesn't look too good for the wildlife biologist to have dove murder scenes in the backyard. Whoops. Hopefully it doesn't happen again. Or, if it does, be sure there are enough to make doves wraps. Yum!

Make Ya Smile Mondays

First of all, yay for actually making this post on a Monday. Go Mom!

Little Yoda...



Resemblance?

"Solid" Foods, Take 1

At Carson's 4-month appointment, we got the go ahead to start "solid" foods. I put solid in quotes because the rice cereal mixture is far from solid. The 1 tbsp cereal to 4 tbsp milk ratio on the box was SO watery. Andrew had been out of town, so I definitely wanted to wait until he got home for this experiment. So, after the Christmas lights were put up and he woke up from his last nap, we were READY!!!

Mom setting the stage for the big moment



First Bite!


Take 2 in the bouncy seat








He opened his mouth great and sure looked liked he knew what to do...


...But it pretty much ended up like this every time



As Andrew said, "He looks like a drunk on a stool trying to eat." That pretty much summed it up!

If you want to see all the action, each of these is only like a minute or two.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etISCDfw3cU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKX-BDTZVck

I know we've got to give the rice a few days first or whatever before we can venture on to more interesting things. While at HEB, I also grabbed the baby oatmeal (which the doctor said would be great because of all the fiber... help Carson's slight "irregularity" issue), and one of every fruit and vegetable in the Stage 1 foods. I know he'll probably like the sweet potatoes for sure. Green beans and peas...hmm, we'll see!

Just a note, an hour later after his bath, he totally still ate 6 oz. That makes me think that not too much of the rice actually got in his tummy. Practice. Practice. Practice.

Quick Comparison...

2 Month Check Up:


4 Month Check Up:


Wow! What a difference two months makes?!? He looks like such a big boy now!...and he is!!! 18 pounds (92nd percentile) and 26 3/4" (94th percentile)!