What is Going on with my Baby??

Even before Ian’s birth, I knew that I was definitely going to breastfeed, just as I did with Isaac.  However, initially it was not as easy this time around.  He was having problems latching correctly and even though I was now an experienced mama, I still requested the assistance of the hospital lactation consultant because they are the professionals, not me lol.  I did not know what I was doing wrong, and instead of it being an enjoyable bonding experience with my little one, it was becoming increasingly painful.  I knew something was amiss because I could hear him making this clicking sound while breastfeeding and he would frequently break latch to re-latch. 

At first I thought, let me just ignore it because I have not breastfed for a year now, so maybe we both just need to get the hang of things.  I would make sure his lips were flanged out, that he had a good grip, he was gaining weight instead of losing and he was pooping quite regularly.  Oh, yes that reminds me!  Another area of concern for us was that even though Ian was pooping, he was not peeing regularly and at first, it really concerned us.  Our nurses would keep track of the number of soiled diapers and whatnot and when we reported that we still did not have a pee diaper, we started to receive some extra attention.  I remember we would change his diapers like please let there be pee.  Day 3 came around, our nurse came in to check on us and to get a record of number of feedings and soiled diapers and we told her still no pee.  That is when we started to panic.  After the nurse left, my hubby and I were talking and trying to figure out what was going on with our little guy.  Then without warning, my hubby stood up and started digging in the trash like a lunatic.  I was looking like what the heck is he doing up in that nasty trash???  Then he exclaims, “Yes!!”  He presented a dirty diaper full of pee (we saw that blue line on the diaper indicating it was wet from pee)!  Turns out he changed Ian’s diaper on the 2^nd night, but was so tired that he forgot there was pee.  You do not even know how happy we were to have that pee diaper. We immediately showed our nurse.  Let me tell you, as a parent, when your baby does not seem like he is peeing, this will worry you, in fact, anything will worry you, so seeing that pee diaper felt like we won a million bucks!  I remember we were cheering, laughing and high fiving like the nerds we are lol! 

Ok, sorry to digress, back to breastfeeding!  I know some women experience dry, chapped, bleeding nipples, but I never experienced that with Isaac.  I remember he had the whole thing down from the very first latch.  I thought, ok, maybe this is what is going to happen to me this time with Ian, I am going to have some bleeding nipples.  I simply could not accept that though, because instead of enjoying the bonding time with Ian, I started to dread when he would latch.  I tried breastfeeding him in different positions, re-latching him, even the lactation consultant tried everything and told me to just keep at it and if I was still having problems to contact them.  Well, even though I was in pain, I toughed it out and breastfed my baby. 

It was not until we took Ian for his first pediatrician appointment the day after discharge from the hospital that we got some answers.  We made an appointment with another pediatrician filling in for our usual guy (He was on vacay) and I really feel like God made it happen that way.  She examined Ian and asked how breastfeeding was going.  I let her know that it was painful this time around and I was not sure why.  She immediately went into action upon hearing this and discovered that Ian had a clipped tongue.  We were like say what?  I do not know about you, but we never heard of this term and all these panic alarms started going off in our heads.  She told us that it was nothing to worry about and one of her kids used to have a clipped tongue.  They had it taken care of when he was a newborn by an ENT doctor in the area.  She gave us the referral and we were able to get Ian to see the ENT doctor the very same day. 

The ENT confirmed what our pediatrician told us and said that she could take care of his clipped tongue immediately in office if we were up for it.  At first I was like ehh, do I want my baby going through another procedure (he was circumcised in the hospital), maybe I should just tough it out and we can struggle together to figure out what will work best breastfeeding wise?  The ENT comforted us, assuring us that she had done this procedure many times on newborns and that it was very simple and baby would be good to go very soon after.  We decided to go for it!

To prep baby for the procedure, they gave Ian a little bit of sugar water because apparently, that induces endorphins in newborns, acting like a painkiller for them, but naturally.  Then they made the tiniest slice under this tongue. It barely bled and he cried for maybe 5 seconds.  I could not bear to watch it done, but you know his dad was all up in it giving me the play-by-play lol!  We were instructed that he would be able to breastfeed normally after that. 

I waited until we got home to feed Ian and just like that, the pain from breastfeeding started fading away!  He had more mobility of his tongue and was able to latch correctly for feeding.  That procedure made all the difference!!  I was still sore from the previous times he breastfed, but I could tell that it was no longer going to be a struggle for either of us.  That $900 we paid out of pocket was well worth it! 

We learned that if you can sense something is wrong or keeps bothering you about your baby, do not ignore it.  It is always best to address any of your parental concerns, no matter how small they may seem.  Each child is different and we have definitely been learning that through experience! 

Next time I will discuss why we had to slow our roll this time around when it came to feeding Ian solids.

Life with a “Spirited” Toddler

I would say from about 18 months until around 2 years and 7 months old we had a very hmm, let’s see how to say this nicely, a spirited toddler.  What do I mean?  Let me give you some examples.  Have you ever been around a very young child who would scream down the place, throw himself on the floor, pull his hair and scratch his face so viciously that he would draw blood?  Yes, this used to be our son lol!  Oh yes, and let me not forget to mention that he would often do this in public. 

This period was definitely one of the most trying times for my hubby and I as parents and even as a married couple.  We would feel embarrassed, frustrated, hopeless, helpless, confused, saddened and the list of emotions goes on.  The tantrums we experienced were not normal, no, they were epic and by the end of each day, we were exhausted!  We had no clue what to do to end this phase.  However, some things we did know was that these episodes often occurred due to our little one’s inability to express himself/communicate fully.  Some more triggers included if he needed a nap or did not get food fast enough.  Can you say hangry?  Moreover, forget doing something that he did not want to do, oh man. 

I remember we used to say this was retribution for how we behaved as young kids because we definitely believe in karma.  I was the worst toddler (cursing, running around in just underwear and breaking furniture when I got mad) and my hubby was a naughty little boy (he burned down his mom’s backyard with a magnifying glass, something he learned in boy scouts).  I definitely had moments of tears and whenever I felt myself feeling out of control, yes, kids will drive you to this point, I would place him in his crib until I had time to cool down.   Our awesome pediatrician gave us this advice when we asked him how to handle situations like this.  He told us never deal with a toddler when you are angry, instead, put your child in a safe spot and give yourself a time out. 

We also tried everything we could to quell these emotional outbursts, from ignoring, to conceding, to time outs, to spanking, to scolding, to misdirection, to bribery, to hugs and kisses and nothing worked, nada!  We just had to wait it out and that would sometimes be as long as 30 minutes.  The only point where we felt the need to intercede was when he would resort to scratching the skin off his face and his gums.  I would cut his fingernails low so that he would have a difficult time inflicting harm on himself and we would put my hubby’s socks on his arms and tie them like a straight jacked until he calmed down.  Nevertheless, he would still dig into his flesh and gums and always make himself bleed.  I remember taking him to music class several times where it would look like a cat attacked his face (we don’t own a cat) or he fell onto concrete and scratched his face up pretty good.  Not only was this embarrassing, but it was also a constant reminder of what we were dealing with every day, several times a day. 

These tantrums started out occurring only once or twice a week, to a few a day!  We were fed up.  It was so bad that even our parents talked to us about possibly taking him to get a professional diagnosis and help.  That was definitely one of the worst feelings.  We also confined ourselves to home during this period because we were tired of having to deal with people’s stares, the judging looks, the embarrassment of it all and the physical effects it was having on us (trying to restrain a big toddler is a serious workout and you become a punching bag).   I recall taking him with me to one of my doctor’s appointments while preggers and they needed to draw blood from me, so he could not sit on my lap. Well, he was not having that and screamed down the packed doctor’s office.  I had to lift him up while he was kicking and screaming and carry him out.  It also did not help that the entire and I mean the entire waiting room stared us down.  After I buckled him in his car seat, I remember starting the car, calling my husband to tell him what happened and bawling like a baby on the phone to him.  That day I went researching on the mommy boards regarding temper tantrums and reading some of the entries really made me feel better and not so alone.  Another thing, having friends who have been there and done that with their kid(s) helps as well because they can offer advice, relate and not judge you or your kid because they know the deal.

We honestly did not know how we were going to be able to handle our sour patch kid (when he was sweet he was so sweet, but watch out for the sour part!) with a newborn.  We were trying to come up with a game plan for my survival as a stay at home mom.  These were some of the ideas that worked for us: 

-We definitely utilized the grandparents!  They are seriously lifesavers and I honestly do not know what we would do without them because they give us the break and help we need when we were at our wits end. 

-We made a fun playroom for our toddler since I was not about to venture out by myself with him with my huge belly and then have to deal with him physically during a tantrum (his kicking, trying to hit, trying to scratch himself and he’s a big boy as well!).  This helped to dispel any boredom and I used this as a play/learn opportunity. 

-Whenever we did have the courage to venture out, we would make sure it was a very kid friendly environment, but also a place where we could bolt out if need be. 

-We avoided taking him out to restaurants. He just could not handle being there, confined and we were never able to enjoy our meals. 

-And one of the most important things that helped was having a routine.  This made him feel comfortable and secure as he has a difficult time dealing with change.

We eventually became desensitized to temper tantrums on a daily basis that having one a day became a treat for us and we considered that a really really good day!  Then something happened that we immediately took note of, our baby boy was becoming more skilled at communicating, expressing his wants, likes and dislikes and as he began talking up a storm, like magic those epic tantrums disappeared.  It was the most refreshing and joyous feeling ever!!  You want to know the best part?  We finally realized it was just a phase, a long one, but one that we eventually became capable of handling by the grace of God.  Being in that situation and failing repeatedly to find a solution and not giving up taught us about ourselves and about the intense love, we have for our little guy. 

These days, he still has his moments because he is still not even 3 yet, but I wouldn’t consider them tantrums, more like whining and I will take that any day!!  As he matures and gains a better grasp on communicating, he is that sweet, loving son we always saw despite his monstrous blowups.  And before I forget, the way we currently handle discipline issues is by taking away the things that he loves (pacifier, backpack, shoes, blankey).  All we have to do now is say, “I’m going to take away your sneaker shoes,” and he gets his act together (he calls his sneakers, sneaker shoes lol).  That boy loves him some shoes!  In the beginning, we had to follow through and do it to prove that we were not playing around, so now when we say it, he knows we mean business.  Spankings do not and never worked on Isaac, he is a rough and tough kid and would just take it like a G and afterwards give you a look like, Pssh and what.

It has been a long and arduous journey, but we came through the storm and we are ever so grateful for the little boy our Isaac is turning in to.  I would also rather him act up now, rather than when he is older and uncontrollable.  Of course, we are biased, but we are his parents and we are always going to be rooting for him.  We will always be his biggest fans.  We are always going to love him the most even when there may be times he deserves it the least and that is why God made US his parents.  Let's face it, being a parent is easy, said no one ever!!

Part II-Time to Meet Ian!

After I received my epidural I would say that I got in a good 4-5 hours of sleep before my doctor came in and decided to give me some Pitocin to speed things up a bit.  After that, within the hour my water broke (I could not even tell), I was 10cm dilated and it was go time!  Instead of pushing my baby out in 1.5 pushes like I did with Isaac, I took my time and pushed Ian out in about 20 minutes at 9:16 am.  I definitely recommend you take your time when pushing your baby out because I received only two stitches this time in comparison to the 20, yes 20 I received when I delivered Isaac.  I did not have a fever this time around, so there was a lack of urgency to get the baby out due to possible infection and no vacuum this time either, thank goodness! 

Once our baby boy was out he was weighed, measured, given his Apgar score of 9 like his big bro (this is used to assess the health of a newborn immediately after birth; scale from 0-10), given his first bath and was then nestled on my bare chest to get that skin to skin contact.  We also made sure to do the same with daddy so that Ian would have that connection with him as well.  We were then transported up to our post partum room, which became our home for three days. 

We were most apprehensive for the meeting of Isaac and Ian because we did not want our Isaac to feel left out or anxious.  Both grandmas brought him and Isaac being Isaac walked in, saw us and then tried to walk back out because he was upset that we were not home with him.  He eventually came back in and started to warm up.  Once he was calm, we introduced him to his baby brother and he was so sweet with him!  He gave him a kiss and everything and that definitely made our hearts melt. 

Some things we did differently the second time:

• Packed 3 days worth of clothes, pajamas, underwear and hygienic items for daddy
• Packed 2-3 cute baby outfits because we had a little newborn photo session in our delivery room with the hospital photographer
• We waited until my contractions were close together before heading to the hospital so that we would not have to play the waiting game there.  Taking a hot bath prior to leaving definitely helped.
• Hubby ventured out to nearby restaurants to purchase food for himself since the food in the hospital cafeteria is not the best (we are used to flavor and spices).  We also packed healthy snacks.
• My mother in law bought me a super soft robe type cardigan that I could throw over my hospital gown when I had visitors.  I used this for myself and as a nice blanket for Ian to snuggle with me. 
• I took a shower before the nurses gave me the okay.  I knew I was not as damaged as I was with Isaac and taking a shower the night after delivery was the best!  I felt so refreshed and clean!!
• I was very calm.  I think already going through it and knowing what to expect had that effect on me, so instead of panicking we went with the flow, which made for a much more enjoyable experience. 

Funny Story (TMI Alert!):

Ok, this is embarrassing, but what the heck, I have decided to share it all, so here we go!  I believe it was the night after giving birth; I needed to use the restroom.  I am sorry, but after giving birth, going to the restroom is disgusting with all the blood.  Anyway, I would always wait to the last minute to use the restroom and have to run there every time.  Well this time I think I waited a little too long because by the time I got up I started to pee, now this would have been something that the hospital pad could have handled if I didn’t have a bucketful of pee come out of me!  I peed all over my room floor as I was running to the toilet and was like, “Omg, Love I need your help!”  Next thing I heard while in the bathroom was Jon’s voice like, “What the heck happened here?! “  His reaction caused me to crack up.  I was laughing so hard while telling him that I peed myself and he was rightfully disgusted.  He told me how there was blood mixed in with the pee and he did not know how to handle it because it was everywhere.  I told him to get some paper towels and clean it up.  He did that, even got creative, and used the hospital hand sanitizer to wipe down the floor lol.  Did I also mention that this was in the middle of the night?  Without hesitation, the following morning, we asked for housekeeping to come and mop down our floors.  All I can say is man, you know you’re loved when your boo will wipe down a floor that you just peed all over (mixed with blood, eww) in the middle of the night lol!  And yes, we are a crazy couple and family, but that’s why we’re always cracking up!

Round Two!-Part I

No wonder I felt pressure down there!

I cannot believe that it has already been 7 months since I gave birth to our little Ian!  My hubby and I often recap how much easier labor and delivery were this time on me, but the pregnancy, oh man, that was something else!  Honestly, if my first pregnancy was anything like the second, I think that I would only have one kid.  I was sick everyday for most of the day, constantly throwing up (I would often have to pull over at the side of highways to throw up), I lost weight while preggers, the pain I felt was crazy and I was beyond exhausted!  Nevertheless, I would try to suppress it because I still had a toddler to care for and other responsibilities as a wife and friend.  I remember often crying quietly to my hubby and praying for God to help me quickly get through that time because I was extremely grateful and happy to be preggers again, but did not expect the severity of my symptoms. 

Walking throughout the zoo.  38 weeks preggers

Twenty weeks later, I finally stopped throwing up and even though I still experienced intense pain and exhaustion, I felt like a new woman!  One of my besties recommended I use a maternity support belt to help with all the pain on what felt like my pelvic bone.  I definitely heeded her advice because she said that it helped with her pregnancy and I am so glad I did!  It provided the support I needed to be able to walk and maintain an active lifestyle.  I talked to my doctor about this as well and she explained that after having your first child your ligaments stretch, so some women experience intense pressure in their pelvic area and some even describe it as feeling like the baby was going to come out!  Nighttime was the worst though because I was inactive and turning from side to side was such an ordeal.  This is why I barely slept during my second and third trimesters (meanwhile hubby was next to me snoring it up).   I was trying everything from the pregnancy pillow, to sleeping upright in a chair, to heating pads and what made the most difference for me was proper positioning of the pregnancy pillow.  I had to have it between my legs when I lay on my side and that really alleviated the pressure/pain. 

Another reason this pregnancy was very different from my first had to do with a very active toddler named Isaac.  Even though all I wanted to do was sleep, I would struggle through each day for the sake of our son.  I did not want him to suffer or incur any disruption in his routine.  I also kept a watchful eye on lifting Isaac when I became super preggers.  By nature, we are a very touchy family and lifting up our 36-pound toddler for snuggles and kisses is a regular thing.  However, whenever Isaac would come up and say, “Mama, hold me please,” I would try to reply with, “Let’s sit down and we can snuggle.” That somewhat worked for us (I was stubborn and still lifted him a good amount) and if we were out and this happened daddy would take over and carry him easily. 

End of my first full day of contractions

When it was finally go time, instead of the four days of contractions I previously experienced with Isaac, I only had two days worth this time, so I was definitely grateful for that!  I know that sounds crazy, but this appears to be the norm with my labors.  I hope that next time it will just be a day!  I am also contemplating giving birth in water for our third baby (God willing).  When my labor pains were at its worst, I took a hot bath and soaked in the tub and wow, it made such a difference!  Oh yes, and how could I forget having my awesome hubby massage my lower back with two tennis balls.  The force he used to massage my lower back was probably making me black and blue, but I’m sorry, when those contractions came on, they felt amazing!!  

Few hours before it was go time!  In between contractions

As usual, my contractions were most intense at night and by 2 a.m. on February 24; we knew our little angel was coming.  We decided it was time to head to the hospital when my contractions were 2-3 minutes apart.  (In case you were wondering, Isaac was fast asleep when most of this occurred and my parents were at our home well in advance of me giving birth.  This time they knew to travel from Florida with ample time and good thing, because I delivered at 39 weeks.)  As we were walking to our garage I thought Ian was about to make his debut.  I remember crying to my hubby, “OMG I think I’m about to have our baby in the garage, I can’t sit!” (This was in the midst of a major contraction by the way)  Once that contraction passed I was like, “Okay, we need to book it to the hospital so that I can get my epidural. I need that thing now.”  Oh yeah, I was not playing around this time thinking I was going to do this drug free, pshhh!  Fifteen minutes later, we were at trusty Northside Hospital and upon check-in, our nurses asked how they could help me and I remember saying one word, “epidural.”  Thank goodness, I was already 5 cm dilated so they put in the request for my epidural right away.  Once I got that bad boy, it was easy street after that!  I was finally able to sleep and that felt like heaven! 

Getting ready to push

Sleeping away

In Part II I will share what I did differently for delivery and things we improved upon the second time around.  

Carry My Baby Like a Kangaroo?

If you’re like me, when I had my first born I immediately opted for a car seat and stroller travel system.  I figured this would make things more convenient and it just seemed like all mommies owned one.  Isaac would frequently fall asleep in his car seat to our destination and instead of taking him out; I would just unclick the car seat and snap it into his stroller.  This was seamless

because our little one would remain fast asleep.  I also enjoyed going to places in a fairly fast pace with the stroller, the ability to load it with my heart’s desire of bags and the protection it provided our baby from sun, rain, winds, you name it.  I absolutely loved this part of having a stroller, however there were some things that began bothering me with continued use.  Going in our trunk and fetching the stroller in and out of it, trying to get through doorways and small spaces using one hand to steer and another hand to hold the door open and not being able to cuddle up with my little guy as much as possible. 

Carry Ian in our Boba.  Sound asleep

That is when I discovered baby wearing and O.M.G. my world changed!  At first we bought a Baby Bjorn because and I am embarrassed to say this, but honestly because I saw many celebrities with it. Yeah, do not do that.  It was not until I went to one of my best friend’s medical school graduations that I was enlightened about the possible harm one of those carriers could cause to my baby (hip dysplasia).  One of my friends (who I consider the baby-wearing guru) suggested I try a carrier called Boba as it carries baby in an ergonomically correct position, has snaps to hold your purse/diaper bag, has a snap on hood to protect baby from weather or privacy to breastfeed, holds up to 45 lbs and is easy to handle.  I thought why not, I will try to do whatever is best for my little guy.  Well let me tell you, once I bought my Boba I became a baby-wearing mama and love it!  Why??

Dad even gets into the baby wearing

Experienced mommies always tell me how time flies so make sure to cherish these times with my little ones.  What better way to spend precious time with your little one than with him/her snuggled up close to you especially while out and about?  When my little people look up at me in their carriers and give me the sweetest smile I immediately melt.  There is also the added convenience of being able to carry baby and have your hands free.  This is especially handy when grocery shopping or if you have a toddler in tote.  You also do not have to worry about navigating through crowds and spaces to get to a destination.  I am also a breastfeeding mama so being able to either use the hood of the carrier or just slip a nursing cover over while having baby on me and moving about is an added bonus.  Oh yes, did I also mention that for the most part, carriers are cheaper than strollers? That is some extra cha-ching in your pocket!

BOB Duallie Stroller

I am a mommy to an almost 3 year old and 6 month old that both enjoy being carried.  My toddler prefers the back carry, while my youngest son prefers the front.  I now own three carriers (Boba, Tula, Bali baby wrapsody) and use them on a daily basis, especially since Ian, our second son prefers a carrier over stroller.  The only drawback I can think of is while you can speed walk and hike with a carrier, you cannot run/jog while baby wearing and with this remaining post partum pudge, I need to kick my workout into high gear.  My hubby and I have a couple, ok fine a few pounds to lose, so we gave in and bought a duallie jogging stroller to fit our workout lifestyle of running (I wanted to cry when we bought it because they’re not cheap and those of you who know me, know I always try to be economical!). 

Isaac's phase of only wanting to go everywhere in his car

We are a family who enjoy and embrace baby wearing, but we also do not knock strollers because we own our fair share of them.  I think it is important to have an arsenal of baby gear, ready for whatever activity your family will engage in. Some kids prefer baby wearing, while others say forget that and opt for the stroller or walking.  I say do whatever works and best fits the needs of you and your child!  You are the judge and if you should happen to enjoy wearing your kid (pun intended) like a kangaroo go for it!  I know I do! 

Speedy Update on What’s Been Going on & Why I’ve Been MIA

Hey Guys!

38 weeks preggers here

First off, let me apologize for my extremely long absence from blogging.  I was distracted and overwhelmed by my spirited 2 year old at the time and then became preggers again!  Unlike my first pregnancy, which I absolutely loved, I had a rather difficult time this go around.  I was throwing up like crazy, to the point that I lost weight while pregnant, had tons of pubic bone pain (it felt like my baby was resting completely on my vay jay jay bone!) and had to try to keep up with a very active toddler in the midst of it all.  The important thing is that I’m bizack now and I am going to make a concerted effort to consistently blog and start vlogging as well. 

Life is very busy and while I feel overwhelmed and exhausted beyond belief, I wouldn’t trade it for the world!  I feel very full right now in life and I can say that I definitely want more kids in the future lol!  Call me crazy!  My almost 3 year old is finally over his crazy tantrum phase (I’ll definitely blog about this), I’m studying at nights for my GMAT (planning to get my MHA), my 6 month old baby boy is starting to crawl all over the place and my hubby is now teaching Biology at GA State University.   Oh yes, and did I mention that I am getting back into running to lose the remainder of this post partum weight. 

The struggle to get fit

In future posts I plan to talk about differences between my first and second pregnancies, labor and delivery for the second, juggling life with two babies, handling a spirited toddler, products I cannot live without, and the list will go on and on so stay tuned! 

Our loves

The Horrors of Teething

First off, Happy New Year everyone!  Hope everyone has had a great start to 2013!

For this post, I decided to discuss something that we recently experienced with our baby, teething.  It has not been an easy process by any means.  We feel so badly for him each time because it seems extremely painful and there isn’t much we can do to completely alleviate his pain.  He experiences a rise in his base temperature and oddly enough gets a runny nose as well.  At first we weren’t not sure if this was from a cold or a result of teething.  I did my research and I’ve read/heard both, however, I’m going to say it’s a cold because we all got it!  Welcome to parenthood, lol!

Isaac was actually a late bloomer when it came to teething so we were thankful for that because it honestly makes everyone miserable when our little one is in discomfort.  The only thing is that instead of cutting one tooth at a time, he cuts multiple teeth.  For his first time it was four teeth and this last episode was three.  He would wake up several times throughout the night in pain and I would give him these homeopathic teething drops (Gentle Natural Homeopathic Teething Drops) that actually provided temporary relief.  He also loves to take it (guess he likes how it tastes) so it has definitely been a good thing for us. 

Sophie the Giraffe

I’m not going to lie, I was a hot mess during this time because I was worried/concerned about our little guy, extremely sleep deprived and sick.  I did my best to comfort him with homemade chicken noodle soup, cool pureed fruits and veggies, the teething drops, teething toys (Sophie the giraffe, toys that we froze), and of course lots of cuddles and snuggles.  You have to figure out what works for your baby because there are so many products out there.  I think I went out and bought around 10 different things and Jon had to put the hammer down on that!  Guess the product freak in me was coming out, lol!

Examples of different teething toys out there

Also, now that our baby boy has some teeth in his mouth we are sure to brush those bad boys every day.  He has picked up on this as well and loves to do it himself while taking his bath.  Gotta start them early with good hygiene, especially boys from what I hear, lol! 

Overall, teething eventually passes and I had to keep reminding myself that this is a normal process that every parent experiences, sickness and all!  Some of tools I took away from teething that may help others get through this time is having lots of patience, empathy, teething tools (toys, drops, etc…) and most importantly just being there for your little one during this painful time.   Another thing, if you notice your baby having other symptoms beside a slight rise in temperature, it’s often a sign of something else going on.  I called our pediatrician regarding this and they gave me this piece of information that I keep in the back of my mind at all times. 

This year I’m going to eventually try out something new and start doing some video blogging, so we’ll see how that goes!  I think my first one will be a review on baby products.