He also likes trying to pick things up with his toes. Hmm...guess he gets that from me. I never realized I did that until Jason pointed it out a few years ago! His tiny little toes can pinch pretty hard, too.
After a couple dozen pics, I finally got a winner!
He finally loves tummy time, thank goodness! His little neck keeps getting stronger and stronger, and he has begun to roll from belly to back.
"What?? You mean...I'm supposed to sleep at night?!"
No, he's (still) not sleeping through the night. I think he's made it 11 hours two different nights, but it seems like since we've switched formula to a new Similac Sensitive, he hasn't cared much about eating. So rather than eating the 30 ounces he's supposed to, he's only getting about 20 ounces. But the pediatrician said to quit feeding him in the middle of the night (which I'd been doing two to three times a night) so he'd get used to eating all his calories during the day. I did...but he's still not sleeping worth a darn. He was eating plenty before we switched...just gassy. I can't blame him for not wanting to eat this kind...it smells like dry cat food! (going down and coming back up!) Yuck. :( I decided to switch formula yet again and try the Gerber, but a gentle "for gassy, fussy babies." Today is day one, so fingers crossed that he'll eat more and sleep better!! I am one tired mommy.
Reid has been dying to go to the pool again since he took swim lessons, so when the pediatrician gave us the green light for Carter, I bravely took both boys by myself the next day because I (stubbornly) didn't want to wait until the weekend. I'd forgotten how l-o-n-g it takes to get a baby ready for the pool! Baby sunscreen, disposable swim diaper (that's way too big, so I also did a cloth swim diaper over it), swimsuit, SPF swim top, hat, grungy pool stroller, baby float, Reid's puddle jumper since I wouldn't be right by him 24/7, diving rings, snacks, drinks, towels, etc. etc. etc. I was just about to give up! Reid was in charge of one thing...his new goggles. And did he remember to bring them? No. And he was mad at me. Really?! After all that, Carter didn't really care too much for the water, so he and I basically sat on the edge. Not exactly a great first trip to the pool, but everyone survived.
I'm trying to get us out of the house at least once a day (possibly for my own personal sanity), so we've been out and about doing lots of free things. I hadn't taken Reid to Towne Lake Park, or "the ducky pond" as Reid refers to it, in quite some time. Both boys woke up early one morning and it was actually kind of cool and overcast at that point, so it was the perfect day. We ate a picnic breakfast where Reid was fascinated with a squirrel who came right up to us and ate his Bel-Vita crumbs (hope those don't hurt squirrels!). Then we took a lap around the big lake in hopes that a cranky Carter would nap so we could feed the ducks without him screaming. Didn't really work. We did eventually get to feed the ducks and geese.
Our afternoons are the hardest stretch. Reid hates "rest time" and has given up naps. I told him he has to stay in his room and do something quiet. Even though he has a million toys and books, he would rather cry and scream once he's been in there for a little while. Um, no. We're trying to put a quick stop to that. And Carter still won't nap more than 45 minutes at a time most days, so I really get no break to do the stuff around the house that requires me to be kid free for a few minutes. We finally had to break down and get someone to spray the yard for mosquitoes, which has helped a lot, so we can actually go outside in the mornings and afternoons now. Until then, I kind of felt like we were prisoners in our own house some days. Reid is still loving all his new birthday toys, thankfully, and this cool marble run has kept us entertained. He can't really build it himself (and wants it EXACTLY like the one on the box) yet, but loves running the marbles down the slides, especially with an audience. As an added bonus, the marbles themselves have been very entertaining. He counts them, sorts them, lines them up, adds and subtracts with them, and so on.
We are thankful to have these summer months to play and get used to our new family dynamic. I'm figuring out that it's hard to balance time between two kids who are very different ages (one who will remember and one who will not, but needs a lot more help!). I often feel torn or guilty on who to help with what, first. But there are those wonderful moments where Reid surprises me and will go give Carter baby toys, sing him the "ABC" song to make him stop crying while Mommy is packing the car for the pool, or beg to take a bath with him each night. Thankfully, he loves his little bro and is looking forward to when he can play "with big boy toys."
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