Month 11

Happy 11 Months to my Handsome Big Boy!  Wait…what???  11 months?!  :s

It seems like only yesterday that I was pregnant…but at the same time it feels like a thousand years ago.  I guess when you’re in the thick of it…time ticks so slowly, but then when you look back, it’s hard to believe the year is almost gone!  And oh boy, what a year of changes!

I'm getting socks for Christmas? Waaaah!

Well ladies and ummm ladies. (I don’t think many gentlemen read this blog), WE HAVE A CRAWLER!!!  Nov. 6^th is the official documented date when he crawled from the carpet to the dog dish.  Yum….Kibble! I was getting worried that he was never going to figure it out – and now my world is suddenly a lot busier.  He is into everything! Drawers, cupboards, bags!  Gone are the days where you could plonk him down in the center of a room and be confident that he wouldn’t get into trouble.  Along with the crawling, came the “pulling up” and “furniture cruising” - which has caused a few lumps, bumps, and tears!!!  Oh…and it also created some attitude!  Mr. Independent suddenly realizes that he gets a say (or so he thinks) about when and where he wants to go.  Now we’re all waiting for (or dreading?) the next milestone…walking!  :)

We put up the Christmas tree a little early - an artificial.  I have always decorated for Christmas, but now having a little one, it feels so much more important to make all the holidays special and create traditions.  Initially, he was petrified of the green tree “limbs” that I brought up by the armloads from the basement.  He would tentatively reach out to touch them and quickly draw back as if he’d been bitten.  Oh how I wish he was still terrified of the tree!  I finally had to move all of the ornaments and lights half way up as it was his single daily mission to remove/rearrange/eat whatever he could touch…including the artificial pine needles.  Sigh.  He’s like a cat that eats the tinsel!

Spaghetti face!!

Thankfully we found daycare for Bryce.  She comes highly recommended and had MUCH more interest than available spots.  She is only taking 3 little ones so I feel blessed to be “one of the chosen”.  As I said to “Daddy” at the interview…WE were the ones really being interviewed for her service!  It’s definitely going to be an adjustment for all of us!  And poor wee Bryce…he is unfortunately going to be “thrown into the fire” without the traditional week of “pre-visits”.  The daycare is not actually re-opening until January after being closed for a year due to family reasons.  There will be no time for slow integration! :(

We are busily and excitedly planning for Bryce’s 1^st Birthday party which will be a joint celebration with his Great Grandma who will be 99 years old!  I look forward to posting pictures on the 12th month update!

That's it for now.  See you back here soon.

Month 10

Well another month has flown by….Happy 10 months Biggie Boy Bryce!

Saunders Farm - Pumpkin Pickin'

With Halloween fast approaching, we made a trip out to Saunders Farm Pumpkin Patch last week.  I had never been before but had heard lots about it.  It is far more than simply a pumpkin patch….but a Halloween wonderland for kids.  There are haunted houses, a petting zoo, cedar hedge mazes, wagon rides, wacky play structures, and of course pumpkin picking-carving-eating etc!  Bryce really didn’t seem all that thrilled but I was!  Maybe in another couple of years.

Bryce is still little Mr. Social instead of little Mr. Sleepy.  It is like pulling teeth to get him to “wind” down and fall asleep.  And it’s not like he’s sleeping all day.  In fact I’m lucky if he has 2 x ~40 min naps.  I’ve read that “sleep begets sleep” and that if he has a restful day, a restful night will follow.  Therefore, I always schedule my day around his “nap times” so he has the opportunity for a quiet, comfortable rest.  He just usually has something else he’d rather do.  And in regards to night-time…he sleeps well for the first 4-5 hours.  After that, he is awake every 2 hours or so.  I know, I know…it’s my fault for soothing him with a bottle.  Now he “needs” it every time he wakes in order to fall back to sleep.  Oh well!  My theory is that this time of “neediness” is short (in the grand scheme of things), and Bryce is not an “animal” to be trained (i.e cry it out method), and that he isn’t something that needs to be “managed”…rather someone to comfort, nurture and enjoy.  (O.K…so I might not always feel that way at 3 am!) Ha Ha

Thanksgiving leaf fight

Seeing as how the weather is growing increasingly cold, we made sure to visit the Experimental Farm here in Ottawa before the snow comes.  No, it is not a place to take your children to be experimented upon although maybe they could tell me why he doesn’t sleep.  It is actually a real livestock/agricultural farm in the middle of the city that teaches children about farming and raising animals.  I had high hopes that it would be something that Bryce would enjoy….WRONG.  As we made our way from barn to barn, his nervous “laugh/cry” (something he does when he’s unsure) became a “cry/cry”.  Especially once we entered the last barn which housed the Clydesdale Horses and one really loud lonely cow.  He did however enjoy sitting in the dirt and eating leaves.  Well worth the price of admission! :s

Bryce is still not crawling.  I’m sure he’s thinking…”Really?  You want me to crawl around on a dirty floor with my bare hands?  And what about the knees of my pants, they’ll be ruined?!  I’ll just wait till I can walk!” lol  He is actually “cruising” around in his own way…sort of a modified bum scoot.  And he’ll occasionally get on his hands and knees for a minute or two, grunting with exertion as he attempts to support his portly proportions, which typically ends in an ungraceful belly flop. (He’s 27.6lbs now)

Even though he is not making much progress in reaching the "mobility milestone", he does now speak English.  O.K....so it's only one word.  But it's still English!!  He says Mom!  I win....sorry "Daddy"!  I'm sure he doesn't really know what he's saying but I make such a big production...that he figures it's good!! :) Hopefully the video plays so you can hear his first word. (Please excuse is dirty lunch face!)

Well that's all for now.  Happy Halloween!

Month 9

Happy 9 Months Baby B!!

Sock monkey hat - Halloween costume

Well it is official…Bryce has been out of my tummy longer than he was in it!  It seems that time ticked by so much more slowly while he was inside than out - must have been because we were so full of anticipation for his arrival.  But now time is moving TOO quickly and it’s hard to believe his 1^st birthday is just around the corner!  Speaking of birthdays, his 1^st will be celebrated on the same day as his Great Grandma’s 99^th. Now that’s a lot of candles!

Bryce’s pediatrician appointments are every two months so I don’t have an update on his weight…but my aching back and hip will tell you that he weighs a lot!  (Actually I put him on my ‘non-accurate’ scale and it said 26.5lbs) He is currently wearing size 18-24 months, and sometimes even those pants are too tight!   In fact I was joking with “Daddy” that he only has 1 more size of diaper left (size 6) before he’ll be in adult depends.  Thankfully Mom reminded me that there are “Pull-ups” for toddlers…otherwise I would have had him ‘jimmy rigged’ into the “Depends”!  lol

I was hoping to be able to tell you that Bryce is crawling, but alas he is not.  I suppose I should be thankful as  that will make my day much busier and Maddie dogs' life a little less lazy.  I can tell he really wants to get moving and it must be super frustrating to not know how to coordinate his limbs.  Maybe if he wasn’t such a chunky monkey…he’d be off to the races by now!

We haven’t made many gains in the “sleeping through the night” department either.  In fact he still wakes 2-3 times a night.  Mostly just looking for a quick drink and then straight back to sleep but sometimes he’ll be wide awake wanting to get up.  And it’s not like he’s sleeping all day.  Normally he only has two 30-45 mins per day...and his bedtime is around 8:30-9:00pm.  Sigh!  I’m so desperate, I’ve EVEN considered Feng Shui which talks about crib placement etc.  Interestingly, it said to take down the ceiling fan as it represent “spinning knives” overhead and will never feel friendly or safe to sleep under.Maybe THAT'S the problem!? lol

There is one "baby milestone" (besides gaining weight) that Bryce is acing...and that is growing teeth!! At this rate he'll have all his pearly whites before he can walk!  Tooth #6 appeared on Sept. 13 (bottom left), tooth #7 appeared on Sept. 24^th (top right), and tooth #8 (top left) is just about to pop! 

Well that's it for now.  Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving weekend!

Month 8

Happy 8 months to my big boy Bryce!  Time is passing much too quickly!!

Bryce continues to grow like a weed.  97th percentile for height at 31" and 95th percentile for weight at 24lbs 1oz.  Dr. J. commented on how sweet tempered he is because he is ALWAYS smiling!  I mean he is ALWAYS happy to the point I'm worried there is something wrong with him!  lol :)  He is really just full of pure joy everyday....I should lead by HIS example!

Bryce is very anxious to get moving.  He still hates tummy time which I think is impeding his "learning to crawl"...instead he tries to twist himself backwards onto his hands and knees from a sitting position.  He hasn't quite figured it out and often ends up on his noggin'.  Most recently he's being trying to "climb" me as we sit and play, and he will also grab onto the legs of the Jumperoo attempting to pull himself up.  He just doesn't have the strength yet to get very far. I did read an article that said large babies are often slightly delayed in crawling and walking due to the sheer mass they must move.  But I'm sure I'll be writing about his progress next month!

The daycare search continues.  It's hard for many reasons, mostly because I can't imagine anyone loving and caring for my baby like I do.  But it's also difficult because many facilities do not have openings, and the ones that do....I can't commit to/and pay for the spot 4 months in advance. I did tour a fabulous new daycare in Kanata.  The staff wear uniforms, they teach baby sign language, it's catered by an upscale local restaurant, it's surrounded by forest and walking trails....all for the low, low price of $1800/month!  Gulp!  Of course I'm also interviewing home daycares but I feel like a facility would have more accountability.  (More eyes, more hands etc.)

Tooth # 5 made its appearance on August 24th!  Bottom right. Now his toothy grin is a little lopsided until the other side fills in. As you can see in the picture, he loves to brush his little chicklets...well maybe it's just the yummy fruity toothpaste that he likes to eat?!  lol

No more boring, bland, baby puree's for Bryce.  He is definitely digging the big boy food.  I found this great website that has yummy baby/toddler recipes...most of which can be frozen in individual servings. (http://www.onceamonthmom.com)  Things like Shepherds Pie, Bebe Bolognese, Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken soup, and Beef stew.  Yum Yum.  I freeze the portions in muffin tins then store in ziploc baggies.  So easy to thaw and serve.  And such a relief because I was finding it hard to find veggie purees he would eat!  Now he gets all his veggies (and meat) in one dish. :)

Bryce's fine motor skills have really improved in the last month.  He has no problem picking up cheerios now with his thumb and forefinger whereas last month he was just swiping his hand across the highchair tray.  Getting them ALL into his mouth is another thing though.  There is usually a cheerio graveyard trapped beneath his bum or on the floor.  And because I have a food snob for a dog, the cheerios remain where they land.  He also has this thing for tags...which my Mom pointed out.  If he finds a tag on a toy or blanket, he will examine it very thoroughly - before trying to eat it.  I better keep him away from my mattress tag for fear he will remove it and I'll be fined or worse yet...imprisoned!  Ha Ha Ha!

Well that's it for now.  See you again in a few weeks.

Month 7

Happy 7 Months Bryce!  That makes me uneasy because 7 is too close to 12 and then it's back to work time.  Gulp!  How am I going to leave my little guy?  No one will be able to take care of him like I do! :s  And worse yet, we haven't heard back from any of the daycare facilities!  We're on waiting lists for a 1/2 dozen or so.

Bryce has a matching set of chompers!  His top two teeth broke through on July 13th - his 7 month Birthday.  A friend of mine has a daughter who is about 2 weeks older than Bryce, and also has 4 teeth now.  She apparently likes to grind them together when eating which makes an awful, bone shivering sound - like nails on a chalkboard.  I really hope that Bryce doesn't  do that...although I would imagine the sensation of having new hard, pointy things in your mouth would warrant the desire to click them together!? :s

At the recommendation of the Pediatrician, I am to start feeding Bryce meat.  However, this is proving to be much more difficult than anticipated.  Something about the texture of pureed meat, that is unpalatable to Bryce. (And really, I don't care much for it myself!!)  I guess the key is to keep introducing bits of it at a time and hope he takes a liking to it.  Or I could wait another month or two and introduce meat as a finger food instead of pureeing.  At the suggestion of my Mom, I tried the pre-pureed organic store bought versions like chicken and rice, & beef and pasta.  Ick!  The dog even turned her nose up at it initially....then had second thoughts and ate it anyways! lol 

Bryce has made huge advancements in the "sitting on your own" department.  He still topples occasionally but usually only when tired or craning his neck to find the dog!  (Oh how he loves Maddie.  As soon as he hears the nails clicking on the hardwood, he breaks out in the biggest grin! He still must think it's his uglier, really hairy Sister!! lol) I've noticed he leans forward a lot, like he wants to get on his hands and knees.  But if I attempt to put him on his tummy, or prop him up on his hands and knees, he wants no part of it.  Perhaps he'll just be a "bum scooter".  Guess I should just enjoy this time of immobility because soon, I will be VERY busy chasing a VERY active little boy!

Any similarities yet between Bryce and Daddy?

Does anyone see a resemblance yet to Daddy?  All of our friends say they can't figure out who Bryce looks like?!  I know we brought home the right baby because he never left my sight! Ha-Ha.  I guess he really is just a perfect 1/2 and 1/2 combo of Daddy and me! :) 




Daddy was away at a finance convention for a week this month and it was just Bryce and I at home.  It was a LONG, quiet week!  When he returned, I was afraid that Bryce might play shy but not a chance.  He face lit up as soon as he saw and heard his Daddy approach.  Daddy is a very 'colourful', playful character around Bryce and not easily forgettable.  I guess it's just me (the lady who spends 24/7 with him) that he forgets when I go away!! :s

It feels great to be caught up on the blogging. Perhaps update 8 will actually be posted in Month 8!  lol

Month 6

Our little bean is 6 months old!  How can that be?!  It seems like only yesterday that I was creating weekly pregnancy updates!!

Well he actually isn't so little.  His last weight was 22lbs, 3oz!  He is wearing 12-18month clothing!!  Most everyone we meet comments on his chubby legs!  I bet most people look at him and wouldn't  guess he is only 6 months old.  In fact, we were at Chapters the other day and a little guy ran up to us who was about 2 - he was the same size as Bryce!

As I contemplated doing in my pregnancy blog, I've started signing words to Bryce. Apparently it will give him the ability to communicate his needs before his speech develops, thereby potentially alleviating frustration and tantrums.  Now you might think that signing would delay speech, but it is supposed to actually encourage it. Studies proved that babies who were taught to sign, consistently spoke sooner.  The optimum time to begin this method is 6-8 months and gradually Bryce will associate the spoken word, object and hand sign. So far we use these words on a daily basis; Mommy, Daddy, Doggy, Kitty, Snake (Daddy's Pet) Eat, Milk, More, Finished, Hungry, Tired, Good Morning, Good Night, Happy, Excited, Bath, Sleep, Sit, Stand, Up, Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt, Be careful, Ball, Cookie, Diaper, Poo, Pee, Brush Teeth, TV, and Blanket.

We are still waiting for more teeth to arrive.  The count remains at 2.  It seems to be taking forever for those top two to make their appearance and Bryce is at times pretty miserable.  At the recommendation of my Pediatrician (who also practices holistic health), we've tried Camilia.  It contains Chamomilla which supposedly relieves teething pain and the accompanying irritability. And interestingly enough, it also contains Belladonna (Deadly Nightshade) which is toxic at certain doses.  (But I guess all medicine is "toxic" if enough is ingested!)  It is supposed to ease the redness, inflammation and discomfort of the child's gum that occurs during the teething process. It can also have a sedating effect...which is why it's recommended to be given at night. Bonus!! :)

In addition to the Chamilia, I purchased an Amber teething necklace.  It's not meant to be chewed on, as some people think.  The theory is that Baltic Amber (a fossil resin) contains succinic acid.  When worn (and heated) against the skin, this succinic acid is absorbed.  Succinic acid allegedly has an analgesic effect that reduces the pain of teething.  Now being neurotic and a Medic, I did much research about this "medicine".  I was a little concerned because succinic acid is a precursor to ASA - which should never be given to children due to Reye's Syndrome.  However, its properties are not the same and there have not been any reported (that I could find) instances of untoward effects from Baltic Amber.  My other concern is that how do I know the "dosage" that he is absorbing if at all?!  To tell the truth, I haven't noticed much difference. But in fairness, he doesn't wear it very much - and NEVER while sleeping.

Well I guess I'll sign off as I must now write Month 7 - late with that one too!  lol

Month 5

Well here I am....late again.  This is becoming very predictable! :)  I might as well do a combination Happy 5/6 months since his half year is fast approaching.

I continue to be amazed that we created such a perfect little boy.  The novelty certainly hasn't worn off and I try not to take one minute for granted.  I find at times if I become impatient, I take a moment to realize how lucky I am considering I NEVER thought I would ever be a Mom!!  And to be blessed with such a happy, healthy little guy....so incredible!

At the race track with Daddy.

We (mommy and daddy) took our first trip without Bryce this month.  As the departure date grew near, I became more and more anxious to the point I thought I might bail!  Not because I didn't trust Nana to look after him for 3 days but because we haven't been apart for well ...14 months. (If you include tummy time!)  Even though we had a good time in New York, I cried everyday because I missed him.  Thankfully I had plenty of videos and pictures on my iPhone!  I was literally shaking when I returned...and ran in the door to see him.  Pretty anti-climatic - he seemed confused as to who I was!?  That broke my heart! :(  Didn't take long for the giggles and grins to return, but I don't think I'll be going on any more trips for a little while!  (Perhaps he was mad at me for not taking him, or maybe Nana did such a great job that he just didn't notice my absence?!)

Tooth number two arrived mere days after the first and his top teeth should be arriving any day.  So cute to see his new little smile.  We've been putting his teeth to good use (well not really) as he eats up his big boy food. I've been making his fruits and veggies...thanks to a gift from my Sister.  The Baby Bullet - love it! So easy to bake or steam the goodies, then puree in the blender. I've been freezing the fruits and veggies in ice cube trays, which makes the perfect sized portions!

Bryce is definitely sturdy on his tree trunk legs and we wonder if he will be an early walker.  He loves to stand and will actually lean against the couch unassisted for periods of time.  AND he loves the jolly jumper!  Unfortunately due to his height and weight, he only has about 3 links of adjustment before it will be retired. (At his 5 month appointment, he weighed 19lbs 11oz) We haven't made much progress in the "sit on your own" department.  (Or the hair growing department!) He hates sitting!  And hates tummy time.  The minute you put him down on his bum or belly, he'll flip him self onto his back.  I think he's just going to skip the crawling/sitting phase and go right to standing/walking!! lol

Well...think I'll sign off now.  Thanks for being patient all you Baby Bryce Blogger fans!!

Month 4

Happy 4 Months Bryce

Again…sorry for the late posting.  He is already almost 5 months!! 

Someday I'll trade in this red stroller....

This month we took our first family vacation. There is a little place called Celebration Florida that Daddy and I have become very fond of.  They host a yearly exotic car show which we have traveled to in the past.  We were there exactly one year ago and had no idea how our lives were about to change!  In fact Bryce was with us then too, we just didn’t know it yet!! I must admit I was a little anxious as this was our first flight and first time away from home, but Bryce was such an easy going little guy. We certainly won’t hesitate to travel with him again!! (We did feel a little bit like "rednecks" though as we had to put Bryce in a drawer to sleep!! lol

Bryce is still growing like a weed.  He weighs 18lbs 8oz and measures 31.5” in length.  He is going to be a BIG boy!  We were actually at a play date recently with several babies, some who were older, but all were much smaller. (Weight wise anyways)  I figure that’s why he still doesn’t sleep through the whole night as he is just a hungry baby bird!!

Speaking of hungry, we have started him on solid food.  The first week was very messy as he couldn’t quite coordinate his tongue. Therefore, most food ended up on his chin!  Now he LOVES  is yummy nummy big boy food.  He has tried and loves Rice and Oatmeal cereal.  He has also tried Carrots, Squash, and Sweet Potato – as well as Blueberries and Apple Sauce.  It’s only been a couple of weeks but I notice that he IS sleeping better.  He usually goes to bed at 7pm, and will often wake once or twice for a quick feed…but then sleeps till about 6am.  

Bryce also just cut his first tooth - at four months and 22 days.  He has been a little bit fussy these last days, with periods of unprovoked, inconsolable crying.  Also a couple of days ago, I noticed a little blood tinged saliva in his mouth and thought maybe he had gummed his tongue.  So I looked today and saw an opening and felt a sharp little tooth poking through! Not quite as early as his papa Wayne…but I’d say about 2 months ahead of what’s considered “average”!

Well that’s about all the update I have time for.  I promise to try and get month 5 posted when Bryce is STILL actually 5 months!! :)