ILX Parenting 5: I'm a big kid now

That's the one we used and we were pretty happy with it. Admittedly, I favored it for kind of stupid vain reasons -- we bought it before the kid was born and I didn't like all these crunchy looking baby slings they were pushing on us, and the gemini was black and looked like a flak jacket. Seems stupid in restrospect.

Ha! When Jeff first put it on I said it looked like a flak jacket!

"Ok Ivy we're going in. Watch my six, we're gonna be taking heavy fire."

lol

Not that you all would have any reason to know this, but K and I are very different heights, so we bought a different carrier than the ergo for her (lots of peeps saying that if you are under 5'4" the ergo just doesnt fit right).

ergo worked great for us for a long period when J would pretty much only nap while in motion. we took a lot of walks and having him face inward in the ergo worked pretty well. now that he's older and has been napping a crib for a while, we don't really use it. it would be nice to have a carrier that would allow him to also face outward. (though he's also walking now anyways)

I like the beco because of the flak-jacketitude of it, of course. It just has more structure and less floppy than the other ones. Also not having to latch a buckle below my neck is much much better with a coat on. Head support is better. Can do front facing. Only annoying thing is you can't one handed unsnap the buckles. Now I just need to get some bad ass drool pads for the arm straps.

Carrier is pretty much my only option for transit. We're going to have to use it as long as possible, at least until she can move herself around and sit in a bus seat. I refuse to take a stroller on the bus.

We've only used our Ergo a couple of times because the ankle I fractured before Christmas still aches if I carry extra weight. So I have to take the pushchair on the bus, and Stet prefers to use a ring sling. The Ergo will end up on Ebay at this rate :(

We really didn't use the carrier a lot because K got so big so fast. I'm only 5'9 and H is 5'3", so it became difficult quickly -- not only her weight, but her length -- those long kicky legs were dangerous.

I know not many of your are in the DC area, but if so, I just learned that the dinosaur/fossil exhibit at the Smithsonian will be closed for the next 5 YEARS for renovations. So if you're around here in the next couple weeks and your kid loves dinos (as my little girl does), now's the time.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/smithsonian-dinosaur-hall-to-close-april-28-for-five-year-renovation/2014/01/17/acba089e-7f3d-11e3-95c6-0a7aa80874bc_story.html

Can we talk for a second about how formula poop smells like nutty death?

It's the only kind of baby poop I've known.

Trust me, it'll get much worse when they're older and start laying down real poops!

Enjoy!

Breast milk poop has proven to be pretty benign for the most part, although this baby can rip a fart that will bring tears to your eyes. I'm not looking forward to how things change once she starts eating solid food in another month or so.

Speaking of poop, Ivy has suddenly gone from pooping basically all the time, between every diaper change, to pooping once a day. She's as jolly as ever and her stomach isn't hard or anything so I guess this is just a thing that happens?

know not many of your are in the DC area, but if so, I just learned that the dinosaur/fossil exhibit at the Smithsonian will be closed for the next 5 YEARS for renovations. So if you're around here in the next couple weeks and your kid loves dinos (as my little girl does), now's the time.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/smithsonian-dinosaur-hall-to-close-april-28-for-five-year-renovation/2014/01/17/acba089e-7f3d-11e3-95c6-0a7aa80874bc_story.html

― take a piece of mr. baxter's hand (how's life), Wednesday, April 9, 2014 2:17 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Good tip, we'll be in DC this weekend! We have to go.

BTW K used to projectile poop in the early days of breastfeeding -- she could spray it at least several feet and hit the wall from her changing table. All that gas buildup I guess.

omg

breastmilk poop was no sweat, smells like buttermilk. the first few solid poops were gross, i was gagging a lot in the early days of solids. i feel like i've gotten used to them now, though occasionally i still cringe.

I am not looking forward to nappies when he moves to solid food. Breastmilk nappies have been fine; the only one that made me gag was the epic result of a poonami that followed a day of constipation. That thing went right up his back and nearly came out the top of his vest.

Your words confuse me.

K is kind of exhausting lately -- she asks for things non-stop all day -- snacks, videos, to see certain people, to go certain places, etc. It's a barrage of requests, and you have to refuse each one for 5-10 minutes before she gives up...and then moves on to the next request.

At least she asks. This is all I hear lately:

H: I want cheese.

ME: Uh huh, how 'bout that.

[Ten seconds later]

H: Daddy, I want cheese.

ME: You said that not too long ago. Here's what I want - you to ask if you can have cheese with a "please" on the end.

[Five seconds later]

H: I want cheese... Please.

ME: That's not a question.

H: It's not?

Hurting I'm pretty it's like that for the next 10-15 years

Speaking of poop, Ivy has suddenly gone from pooping basically all the time, between every diaper change, to pooping once a day. She's as jolly as ever and her stomach isn't hard or anything so I guess this is just a thing that happens?

This has also happened with Fox in the last week - regular nappocalypse every day around 4pm.

It's like, we give K meatballs and broccoli, which she likes, she eats two bites and then

K: Want pickle.

Me: No we're having meatballs for dinner.

K: Want pickle.

Me: No, eat your meatballs.

K: Pickle!

Me: no.

K: WANT!!!

Me: No, meatballs

(this goes on for several minutes, she finally gives up on pickle)

K: Water.

(I give her her sippy cup)

K: Water in a cup!

(I pour her water into a little plastic cup)

K: Big cup! Big!

Every dinner is like this the entire dinner.

yeah the move to once a day poop (or even enery other day) is totally normal. and wonderful imo, concentrate the horror into one 5 minute WHERE ARE THE WIPES MY GOD panic attack

Oh man seriously, if my little girl wanted a pickle, I'd give her a pickle. She's so picky about her food, I'll give her anything she expresses a desire for.

One of our boys absolutely despises pooping, to the point where we brought it up with our pediatrician because the amount of horror expressed every time he has something even vaguely resembling a bowel movement led us to believe he had some sort of horrible digestive issue, like maybe an unnoticed hernia. He doesn't, but the terrified "OH MY GOD WHAT IS HAPPENING" wails when he poops/farts are a little wearying.

eventually he will smile and beam at you while doing it, which is better but somehow far more insulting

That's where the other one is, accompanied by concerted attempts to backflip out of your arms as he contorts himself around pushing food through his guts.

Ivy did the same poop wailing thing!!! I think it just freaks them the fuck out, like "why is my body doing thingsssss omg." She grew out of it by 3 months.

I admit that while 95% of myself cringes in horror while watching my son go through his screaming poop contortions, there's a horrible 5% that is far too amused at the horrified expressions he makes and how quickly they come and go when he's in crisis; he basically flips between binaries states of "ho hum, I'm napping" and "WHAT FRESH HELL IS THIS" over the course of about 5 seconds and the speed of change and absolute commitment to the platonic essence of each emotion is amazing.

(our doctor said the poop wailing was a very common thing, especially in premies, and that he'd grow out of it, so I am not TOO worried about it, but damn)

How many weeks were your boys?

I sort of feel like Ivy's digestive system just took awhile to come fully on line.

he basically flips between binaries states of "ho hum, I'm napping" and "WHAT FRESH HELL IS THIS" over the course of about 5 seconds and the speed of change and absolute commitment to the platonic essence of each emotion is amazing.

LOL redefining living in the moment.

They were 31 weeks. They were incredibly small well-formed babbys; neither was intubated and only one had a CPAP to give his lungs extra pressure while breathing for about 12-16 hours after delivery (coincidentally the same one who is terrified by the act of pooping).

Whisper softly to him that it's only a CRAP that's coming... Shhh

haha I have tried that, for some reason six-week-olds are curiously resistant to reasoned arguments

That's fantastic for 31 weeks! Super babbies!

I love that speed and purity of emotion thing so much. "You ... You ... Tickled my chin? Wait.... HAHAHAHAH I AM THE HAPPIEST PERSON ALIVE OH ... Hang on, I think I AM HUNGRY THIS IS THE WORST THING EVER FIX IT"

Being woken at 5am by Fartacus aka Baron Trumpington: C or D?

xps, pickle was just the first thing that came to mind. The problem is not so much whether or not to give her a pickle, but whether to giver her a pickle, then a cracker, then a cookie, then five blueberries, then some grapes, then a slice of cheddar cheese, when each thing you're giving her she's taking one bite of and asking for something else (ok not the cookie, she'll finish the cookie).

Wait how did I totally miss/not know about Dan being a dad? Congrats!

He did a low-key kinda roll-out.

it's good to read this thread after what has seemed like weird negativity w/r/t kids 'round these parts of late

speaking of, how is babby omar these days?

though I'm guessing not so much of a babby now

Negativity where? Maybe I don't want to see it.

I just experienced my first "baby spews formula all over you" moment. It's not fun.