Car training?

We've all heard about sleep training.

You know, when you let your babe cry it out, in hopes that he/she will learn to sleep through the night?

Is there such a thing as car training?  Where you let them cry it out and maybe, just maybe, they won't hate the car anymore?

Well...this past weekend my husbands work had an annual golf tournament.  I, of course, did not golf.  However, Brendon of course did.  He wanted Beckham and I to join him in the evening after golf to meet the guys he works with.  He planned on having a few beverages during his round of golf and asked if we could drive him to the tournament, which was held in Camrose (about an hour and a half drive from our house).  This meant that I would have to leave the house fairly early in the morning to drive to Camrose and drop him off, to turn around and drive back home to then later drive back to Camrose and then drive back home.  So...that's about 6 hours in the vehicle total with an hour and a half driving stretch each time.

I was nervous.

I can't stand hearing my babe cry as I drive and not be able to help him.  It is heart wrenching.

The drive out there he more so fussed then cried, for about 40 minutes, but eventually fell asleep, as it was his nap time.  The ride back home he cried for about a half an hour and again fell asleep, but would periodically cry in his sleep.  I prayed he wouldn't wake up once he fell asleep, because I knew if he were to wake up and realize he was in the car that he would cry, hard.  He slept until we got home, phewf.  On the way back out there he fussed/cried for 20 minutes and fell asleep for about 45 minutes and then woke up and bawled for 20 minutes and then fell back asleep.  Once I picked Brendon up from the golf course we had to then drive a half an hour to get to the campground where the bbq/festivities were held.  Everyone camped out there for the weekend, but I was not interested in sleeping in a tent, with a baby, and being eaten alive by mosquitos, since he can't wear bug spray.  Certainly wasn't up my alley!  Brendon and I have always 'made fun' of those people that you see where the wife sits in the back seat with the baby/child as the father taxis them around.  Well...we were those people!  I made Brendon jump in the back when I picked him up to see if this would prevent Beckham from crying.  It certainly helped but he still fussed on and off on our way to the campground.  Then it was time to drive home.  Brendon jumped in the back with him again but this time he cried, and he cried and he cried.  It did not matter that Brendon was sitting back there with him, he was not a happy camper.  It didn't help that it was nearing his bedtime and he really didn't get any good naps in that day.  I finally had to pull over off the road to try and calm him down.  I nursed him to comfort him, and then back in the carseat he went.  He would arch his back so that I struggled to buckle him back in and off we were, with a crying baby.  Oh joy!  Finally he fell asleep on the outskirts of Edmonton.  Needless to say he slept amazingly well that night.

Today is Tuesday and Beckham has not cried or fussed in the car since.  I, of course, have been out and about Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and he seems perfectly content in the car.  I know it's only been 3 days but there has never been a time since he was 2 months old where I haven't heard a peep out of him as we drive.  Today he fell asleep while at our moms group and when I put him in his carseat, I didn't even attach his toy bar to the carseat and when he woke up he didn't even make a peep!  So...did we car train him by having him cry it out?  Or is this just a coincidence and we'll be back to square one tomorrow?

Oh my gosh driving has become much less stressful!  Although I have never let his crying be a reason not to go out, it has been SO nice not to listen to a baby cry as I drive.

Here's to hoping it stays this way.

xo
a

5 months old

I'm a couple days early on this post.  Beckham will be 5 months old on the 21st.

Another month has flown by, and my sweet boy, you have developed so much this month.

I don't actually know how much you weigh or how long you are.  I imagine you haven't gained too much, you are a slim boy.  But lengthwise you seem to grow like a weed.  You are wearing 9 month sleepers.  Petit Lem are my fave fitting Jammie's for you.  Your 3 - 6 month shirts and sweaters from The Gap are getting to short in the torso, but remain wide on you.  You can wear 0 - 3 month shorts from The Gap because your waist is small.  And you are wearing a 6 - 12 month sleeper from The Gap which is ridiculously wide on you!  I feel they should have a 6 - 9 month and a 9 - 12 month size at The Gap, 6 - 12 months is a 6 month gap! 

This month you starting giggling, it is by far thee sweetest sound my ears have ever heard!  This month we put you in your Jolly Jumper, which you love!  At first you pretty well just marched, but you're bouncing more and more which will eventually be a full on jump.  We also put you in your exersaucer and have a book under your feet, and a blanket behind your back, because your feet don't quite touch the ground and the seat is massive.  This 'toy' is so great for you because it has many different activities for you to play with.  You love spinning your seat around to play with the many different things!  We still put you in your Mamaroo to watch Baby Einstein, which you LOVE!  I think watching tv might be your favorite thing to do, unfortunately!  But we don't allow you to watch too much of it.  It looks like you'll grow out of it soon as you are getting so long.  Your Bumbo is your least favorite toy to sit in.

You are reaching and grabbing for everything!  If I am talking on the phone you are always trying to get it, if a toy or anything is in front of you, you pick it up.  You are certainly a Mama's boy.  However, you do not like to cuddle or be held close, which makes me sad!  If we're around people you know, you are constantly staring at me, if I'm not holding you.  If a stranger talks to you, you will either pout which may turn into a cry, or you will just stare at them, and no matter how hard they try to make you smile, you won't.  You are a serious baby!  You still have your pacifier, but aren't as dependent of it as you were 4 months ago.  You really only use it now when you are napping or going to bed.  Your Daddy was putting you to bed when he was home, but now you will only let me put you to bed, and cry if anyone else tries too.  Your Nana and Papa babysat you a couple weekends ago and you cried for an hour and a half straight when your Nana was trying to put you to bed.  She finally got you to sleep after taking you for a walk in your stroller.  You hate the car.  You love your stroller and going for walks on hot summer days.  You love watching your puppy, Ruff!  You have to have your blanky (which is fuzzy) up against your face to fall asleep.  You still love to be swaddled but are now swaddled in a woombie, since you can break out of a blanket.  You are not a great sleeper and eat every 3 hours and wake up numerous times for your pacifier, but sleep for 12 hours a night total.  You wear a size 2 diaper and I was actually putting you in a size 1 diaper at night until today (we use two different diapers swaddlers during the day and baby dry at night).  You have one tooth bud visible, which has been for quite a while and had a second one, but it disappeared.  You've discovered how to scream and for now it is SO stinken' cute!  You still dislike tummy time and are still only rolling from tummy to back.  You refuse to take a bottle now.  And since being diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease at only a couple weeks old, I'm happy to say it has fixed itself like the pediatrician said it probably would between 4 - 5 months.  :):). You were never one to spit up, you were just constantly very congested and cried while eating. 

You continue to be the light of our lives and have developed so much this past month.  

I love you to the moon and back my sweet baby! 

xo

A

A little bit of everything

Immediately after posting my last blog post, I happened to turn on the tv (which rarely happens, I have never been a tv watcher and 99.9% of the time I don't turn the tv on at all throughout the day!). Anyways, what do you think comes on, on the news at noon?  Non other than babies head shape and how 46% of babies have flat spots on their noggins.  I immediately picked up the phone and called over to the health centre to have them send in a referral to the head shape clinic here in Edmonton.  I could not wait for our pediatrician to assess his head at the end of August.  They sent a referral over, and checked off 'urgent' and you won't believe it...I still haven't got a call from them.  But good news!  His head seems to actually really be improving!  We spend most of our days out of the house, whether that be walking the dog, grocery shopping, just plain old shopping, running errands, visiting friends and family, going to the gym, attending our 'Mommy Connections' class...you get the idea we're out a lot.  I picked up a 'BENBAT - TRAVEL FRIENDS TOTAL SUPPORT HEADREST' from West Coast Kids and have been using it every time he is in his car seat.  It makes it so not the entire back of his head rests against the back of the car seat.  Now I know you shouldn't add anything to your child's carseat such as these but hey!  Anything, well I guess not anything, but this seems safe enough (to me) to use in his carseat especially if its helping round out the little gaffer's head!  I'm happy!! 

Beckham is almost 5 months now and I already miss the newborn stage of cuddling, the sound of a newborns cry, the sleep, I miss it all!  He's growing up way to fast and this boy likes to be busy!  If he's awake he needs to constantly be entertained, which I love but he also has a very short attention span.  So everything and anything is only good for 2 minutes.  Sure he likes his jolly jumper, his exersaucer, having books read to him, his bumbo, his play mat, sitting on your lap and interacting with you...he certainly loves all of those things but for 2 - 5 minutes.  And then he's done and bored and onto the next thing.  I wish he could enjoy something long enough for me to put on a face and get dressed, tidy up, make dinner, you know anything that takes longer than 2 minutes!  We thought we wanted to start trying to get pregnant again in the next couple months but now I wonder how the heck I could possibly manage two?  Especially since my husband works out of town generally Monday - Friday.  I hope it doesn't sound like I'm complaining, because I truly LOVE being a mama, every single bit of it!  I should add two things he does LOVE for an unlimited amount of time are going for a walk in his stroller (using the stroller seat, not the carseat!) and his nightly bath.  He has never cried or fussed EVER during either of those activities!  I ensure to do both daily because I love doing things with him that he loves! 

Most mothers that I've spoke to say their babes love the car and fall asleep within a few blocks from their house.  Well, I can only wish Beckham did.  There's nothing more heart wrenching then listening to your baby cry as you drive and you not being able to do anything about it.  This is us, most days.  I think it must be due to the fact that he needs to be doing something different every 2 minutes, and in the car he only as one toy bar, that has to entertain him the entire ride.  I really want to take a trip down to Calgary to visit friends but I would hate to put him, or I, through that.  Maybe since I would keep a consistent speed and not stop, he'd do better?  Because I can tell you that red lights, definitely make matters worse!

In the next couple days I will be blogging about what Beckham's been up to in his 4 month of life! 

I love this babe more than words can say.  He is perfect!

xo
A

I wish I knew then what I know now

Helmet head? 

Hope not. 

At Beckham's 2 month shots, the nurse said Beckham had the most perfect round head, which I guess is very rare.   However, at his 4 month shots I mentioned to the nurse that his head shape was of a concern to me.  She looked at it, and though I know she isn't a doctor or head specialist, she mentioned that he may need a helmet to correct the shape of his head.  A helmet that he wears for 23 hours a day.  

You have got to be kidding me.  

There are different types of a misshapen head.  His is known as:

Brachycephaly

Something as simple as sleeping on the back can cause brachycephaly. The head flattens uniformly, causing a wider and shorter shape. 

Increased head height is also common in children with brachycephaly.

Brachycephaly Quick Facts:

Here's a brief look at brachycephaly:

Head is wider than normal
Head has shorter length than width
Back of head is flat
Head is taller than normal
Extreme forehead incline
Bumps/bulging above ears
Face appears small in proportion to head

Since his 4 month shots, I have not stopped worrying, it pretty well consumes my every thought.  Our pediatrician has been on vacation and remains on vacation until August 16.  Our 6 month visit is on August 21.  I have to wait until then to discuss his head shape and possibly look into him wearing a helmet.  I know it's just a helmet.  But honestly I don't want people to stare and think something other then just a flat head is wrong with my child.  I try not to let him sleep on the back of his head but he always manages to.  I guess it's the most comfortable for him.  

Now, of course from day one my Nanny has said that he should be sleeping on his tummy.  Back in the day when my mom was a baby and even when I were a baby that's how babies slept.  They now say babies should sleep on their back, as SIDS has been reduced by 50% by having babies sleep on their back.  I will do anything in hopes to reduce the chance of SIDS, so of course Beckham has always napped and slept on his back.

I wish I knew then what I know now....

Had I known that his head would become flat and that there was a chance he'd have to wear a helmet, I would have definitely had him napping (surprivised) on his tummy or side.  However, at night I still would have had him sleeping on his back.  Unfortunately now that he is 4 and a half months he will not sleep on his tummy or side.  If I place him on his tummy he props himself up with his arms underneath of him and he can't relax to fall asleep.  And if I place him on his side, even with a blanket rolled up and placed behind his back he manages to kick and squirm so that he's laying on his back.  Speaking of things I wish I knew then what I know now...I would have kept up with bottle feeding him once a day because now I have a baby that refuses a bottle or formula.  Beckham was born 3 weeks early and was jaundice so he was a very sleepy baby for a good 9 weeks of his life he really just slept.  Those first few days in the hospital nursing was impossible, because he was so tired he never woke to latch.  He left the hospital as a bottle/formula fed baby.  When the homecare nurse came to visit, when he was 3 days old, she got him to latch on!  He still would take a bottle and formula when my parents would watch him.  But then I got away from ever giving him a bottle.  This past weekend our dear friends got married and I had my parents watch Beckham because a 4 and a half month old, well him anyways, needs to be entertained if he's awake.  So an outdoor wedding ceremony seemed very risky to bring him too.  I tried to give him a bottle a few days before leaving him with my parents but he would not take it from Brendon or I.  Needless to say I had to go feed him after the ceremony before the reception.  That evening my parents tried to give him a bottle but he refused to take it from them too.  My evening was cut short because I had to feed the baby.  Had I known this was going to happen, I would have pumped and bottle fed him once a day.  Oh how I wish I knew then what I know now... 

xo
A 

July long weekend!

We had a busy, but great long weekend.  Here's what we were up too...

My Nanny had surgery on Friday.  I was a wreck, as the hospital called and said that she was not waking up from the anesthesia, nor was she breathing on her own.  She was put on a ventilator and finally woke up 4 hours post op.  It was a long 4 hours as I paced the house hoping/praying that she would awake.  I guess they think she lacks the enzyme that makes you wake up after receiving general anesthesia.  So on Friday night we went to the hospital and visited her.  Beckham really is the light of her life and she was SO very happy to see 'her little boy'.

Brendon and my Dad had a tee time at 7am on Saturday, my mom went to the hospital to grab my Nanny, as she was discharged from the hospital, and Beckham and I went to St. Albert. It was such a beautiful day out so I decided to take my parents dog, Maggie, for a walk as I waited for my Mom and Nanny to get back to her place.  Later that afternoon my Mom, Beckham, and I went to the St. Albert Farmer's Market, something we do most Saurdays.  We had a great time and enjoyed the hot weather!  We then walked back to my Nanny's house and visited with her.  Once the guys were finished golf and watching football, they joined us.  Brendon and I went home, walked the dog, made dinner and got the baby ready for bed.

On Sunday, morning I cleaned the house while Brendon entertained Beckham.  That afternoon we drove up to Westlock for a family reunion on Brendon's side of the family.  We enjoyed visiting with family we hadn't seen in a while and enjoyed yet another hot day! :):)

On Monday, we celebrated Canada day with my brother and sister in law and my niece at the zoo!  We enjoyed yet another hot day outdoors!  We are so proud to be Canadian and to call this amazing Country home!

All in all it was a great weekend spent with our family and enjoying the heat wave that came through our city!

xo
A