Bruin is Eleven Months

Wears size 4 diapers.  Actually just moved up to 4 last week.  Much better because 3 was getting quite snug and leaking a little too often!

Wears size 3 or 4 shoes which is crazy to me.  I got a few pairs of Mocs from a site when they were having a sale and they have been perfect for Bruin.  I like them so much more than the slip ons I had when Daisy was a baby.  These are easy to put on and take off, they are comfy and they are flexible so he can learn to walk in them easily.  I adore the Freshly Picked Mocs but, I am too cheap to spend $60 on a pair of baby shoes...I scored mine for $11.95.  That I couldn't pass up!  Thank you wonderful people who make cute and affordable knock offs:).  

Wears size 12 months in just about everything now.  Sometimes I buy footie jammies and other pajamas, in size 18 months because 12 months will be too small in a month at best.  

This boy LOVES to eat.  I cannot emphasize that enough.  Daisy liked to eat as well as a baby but, Bruin eats so much more than she ever did.  Sounds very much like a boy right.  I feel like our entire day revolves around snacks and meals...and lots of them.  lol.  He eats just about anything and everything.  Last night we ate sushi and he ate an entire raw sushi roll and tons of rice.  He loved the salmon.  He likes salty and sweet foods.  He has definitely caught on to flavor and he isn't fond of bland food any longer.  I can get away with an apple or banana baby food but, that is about all I give him now.  For breakfast he usually eats an applesauce, some baby yogurt bites or breat/biscuits/hashbrowns and some bites of my cereal if I am having some.  He usually has a snack of crackers or something like that around 10 and then he is ready for lunch by 12 or earlier.  For lunch I give him any combination of things such as: green beans, cheese, veggie sticks, sandwich meat, chicken nuggets, bread rolls, black beans, cut up oranges from the jar or peaches, fish sticks, banana pieces, yams, meatballs, etc.  He clears his tray every time!  Dinner is pretty much like lunch only I will give him some of whatever we are eating for dinner.  He loves variety and if we are eating you can bet that he will cry and whine for a bite of whatever we are having.  

I have also been giving him a his own sippy cup of water for a month or two now and he has gotten a lot better and tipping his cup up to get water sips.  He doesn't seem to love it though and I hope he grows to love it more soon because I don't plan to nurse a whole lot longer.  Of course he will also be drinking whole milk so maybe he will like that more than water:).  

While I am on the subject of nursing; I am still nursing which is great because I was hoping to nurse at least a full year or a bit more.  I think I was done nursing Daisy by 15 months and she pretty much weaned herself.  Bruin is SO much more atatched to nursing.  He only takes one side which has been a bit annoying lol.  Some days he wants to nurse every hour and I think it really is because my supply is so low now but, other days if he is happy and distracted he can go four hours...that is extremely rare though.  He no longer needs to be nursed at night which is so wonderful lemme tell yah.  I think I was nursing him at night at some point until he was 8 or 9 months old.  Then we got to one feeding at around 5 AM and now he is up by 6 or 6:30 to nurse and start the day.  

He sleeps from 7 PM until 6 AM.  It was 7 AM until the time change totally screwed us up and he hasn't slept in until 7 since then...arg.  He naps from around 9:30 until around 10:00-11...totally depends on the day and it is usually the shortest nap.  Afternoon nap is usually from around 1:30 until 2:15 or 3.  In all honesty though most days he naps 30-40 minutes tops and since he is go go go all day long it proves to be a very long day with this little guy.  

Bruin has four of the basic bottom teeth in and strangely enough he skipped a few and cut a molar.  It just came through this week after a brutal two month long effort.  He has four teeth on top fully in and three more coming in.  This kid hasn't has a break from teething since he was 3 months old and as a result I haven't had a break from the endless crying in just as long.  Teething has been really rough for this little guy.  Daisy was fussy when she teethed but, not nearly as much.  Bruin has literally worn out every ounce of my sanity for days and months on end...just being honest.  The crying would start shortly after waking up and carry on for a good portion of the day.  It has been depressing at times because with all that crying my heart simply didn't get as excited about each day...again, just being honest.  I had anxiety when he would wake up from his naps and the first thing he would do is scream into the monitor.  My head was throbbing most days from all the crying and I even got frequent headaches which is not normal for me.  I'm not recording this to rub it in Bruin's face when he is older because he has a valid reason to be unhappy and I know it will pass but, I am sharing this to encourage some other Momma who is worn so terribly thin by all the screaming of her little one, that it will get better in time.  

We've had two better than usual days recently.  I am chalking it up to the fact that his molar is in and thus we are getting a tiny break before the next storm.  Of course I would love if this is the new norm but, I am not betting on it.  But, these two happier days with my son have been so healing.  I desperately needed to laugh, cuddle, smile, kiss and enjoy his company a bit more and we have gotten lots of that. Bruin enjoyed exploring the house a bit more on his own and laughed so much at his big sister.  It has been a treat and has reminded me that I am not crazy and yah, it really has been that bad...because this is a whole lot easier!  My head feels clearer and my heart feels light once again.  Thank you Jesus for a little reprieve for both me and my son.  

I have a whole lot more compassion for all of the folks who have traveled this road before me! 

One of the things that has helped me to get through this more exhausting season with my precious son is praying for him and myself.  With all of the crying, I found myself worrying.  Worrying is so draining!  "What is wrong with him?  I'm doing everything I can and it doesn't seem to help him.  I feel like a failure with this little guy.  I want to cherish this sweet season but, my brain is screaming hurry up time..I'm ready for a new season!  He cries so much that I can't tend to his big sister like I want to.  I feel like I am neglecting her but, what other options do I have here?  I wish my Mommy was here!"  I have spent so many moments on my knees in prayer while my son was napping.  I cried out my worries, my fears and my weariness to God and each time, I kid you not, my mind and body were flooded with a restful feeling.  I have spent so many moments praying for God to comfort my son, give his mind peace and his body relief from any pain he has been feeling and I know God has answered those prayers.  Prayer is so wonderful.  God is so good.  

When Bruin is happy and pain free, he is the most charming, heart melting, little prince.  You may recall that I couldn't imagine what it would be like to have a son and of course now I can't imagine not having a son.  I adore my son.  I love his squishy cheeks, his priceless giggle, his chubby body, his sweet brown eyes (I'm a sucker for those brown eyes!), his fluffy blonde hair that is growing like a weed, his adorable sounds and noises, his sleepy eyes that turn a bit red around the rims when he gets too tired, his shrill scream that is reserved especially for his big sister, the way he lays his head on my shoulder when he is scared, excited or tired, the way he puts his fingers in my mouth when he is nursing, the way he flaps his legs wildly when I am holding him and he gets excited, the way he throws toys with incredible force, the sweetest bye bye wave that he gives Daddy each morning and the dozens of facial expressions that he gives me every day.  I am completely smitten...even if he has been a tough cookie for most of his short life.  (hehe)

Bruin prefers playing with anything that is not a toy.  He likes to get into the fridge and freezer.  He plays in the pantry and in the bathroom drawers.  He wants to get into the shower so badly but, that is one space that is a no play zone.  He has found my bookshelves and I have allowed him to destroy one of the shelves in hopes that it would get the books out of his system and so far it has worked! Score.  He likes to see new places but, mostly he likes to get out and explore the leaves, the dirt, sticks, bugs etc.  he loves crawling around or pulling himself up on low walls.  Last night we went to Grandad's 80th birthday dinner and I spent about 20 minutes sitting outside with Bruin on the wet wall while he stood and played with every tiny leaf he could find.  He got quite dirty and it just seemed fitting for a little boy to be playing in nature and getting dirty:). I enjoyed letting him explore and loved watching his little face as he observed everything around him.  Priceless. 

Bruin would fall and get hurt a lot at this point if I didn't somewhat monitor him and what he pulls up on.  He pulls up and then often loses his grip in either his hands or feet and smacks his face really hard on whatever service is around him.  Carpet is no big deal but, there are so many deadly corners and hard pieces of furniture.  This is one of those high maintenance phases with a kiddo.  Gotta watch them like a hawk and mostly just to keep them alive! lol.  Bruin loves standing and has preferred it to crawling since he was quite little.  Now he pulls himself up and stands without holding on to anything for a couple of minutes.  His balance has gotten so much better.  I would say that he will be walking sometime in the next month or two but, you never know.  Babies can be so funny about when they start walking. He loves walking around slowly while pushing either his giraffe with wheels or Daisy's old pink car.  He is getting better and better at it.  I love how proud he gets of himself when we clap for him and he turns to look back and get our approval.  Love this little boy so much.

Bruin loves to grunt and if I grunt back he will go back and forth making the sounds with me.  I've always adored this because he sounds like a little bear cub.

It took a long time for Bruin to appreciate physical touch like people touching his hands (he is still not  a big fan but, he tolerates it much better) or giving kisses.  Now when I ask for a kiss he holds perfectly still and waits for it.  I think he likes kisses even if he doesn't quite get it yet:).  I need to get a little video of him "giving kisses," but, it's more like getting kisses.  lol

Bruin is very attached to me which is to be expected when he is with me 24/7.  He tolerates Daddy for short outings but, before too long he wants his momma and he starts getting fussy for Daddy.  For anyone else he would be in meltdown mode the entire time I was away.  Daisy was the same way so I was pretty much expecting this.  Another phase in the endless sea of phases with kiddos.

I try to get out of the house for a little bit after each morning nap as that is Bruin's best window.  I run errands with him or go to play dates and he does really well from around 11-1.  Then he is ready for lunch and bed.  I took him to Target today to get some birthday presents for friends and he did really well so long as I kept shoving baby puff crackers in his mouth.  He ate half of the container of puffs before I left the store.  We were probably there for about 20 or 30 minutes tops.  I thought I would be embarrassed to let my kiddo eat a snack in the store when I was a Mom but, I am the biggest fan.  Whatever makes the kid happy and keeps them quiet, DO IT.  Simplify and minimize stress....

Bruin loves when I hold  him facing forward and we run around the house chasing after Daisy.  He squeals with delight and his legs kick wildly.  He also loves when Daddy comes up for a tickle while I am holding Bruin.  Bruin burries his face in my shirt and giggles and tugs on his ears while Daddy tickles his sides.  He always tugs on his ears when he is getting a tickle.

Going to church has been difficult with Bruin.  his nap is smack dab in the middle of the first service and if he doesn't it the entire day becomes even more difficult and to top it off I have to sit in the nursery with him because he cries too much at this point and it is just easier for me to stay in and help.  It just proves to be a very long day.  It will get a bit easier when he no longer needs the early morning nap but, that won't be a for a while.  So for the time being we make it when we can otherwise we watch a sermon online at home.

I have been SO busy with this little guy that this is yet another unfinished post but, once again I want to post what I have so that when I print this blog I will have the monthly updates...incomplete or not:).