Breastfeeding 8 months later...

I'm so surprised that I've stuck it out this long (no pun intended)!  In the beginning my goal was a year, but when I actually started doing it and experienced the pain and hard work that came along with it.  I set a 6 month goal that I felt was more realistic.

As a 1st time mom I felt that I put a lot of pressure on myself by just feeding him breast milk, but in reality with work and life it just was not feasible for me.  Ya, I was sad the first time I introduced Brandon to formula, but it had to be done.  I wasn't pumping enough milk for his demands and I really really REALLY hated pumping and still do!!  Pumping to me was and is still super discouraging because I never pumped as much as I would like.  I always thought that I should be producing the same amount of milk as he would normally drink formula wise.  When I wouldn't I'd double guess whether or not if I was producing enough for him.  I did the fenugreek for about a month and stopped because I was getting engorged way too quickly and having to pump more often, which was just hard!  I just didn't have enough time at work to pump, so I would just be in pain.  I'm sure it helped with the tips, but no thanks!  Fenugreek does work and it helped with my milk production (about an extra ounce at most) but it was just was not worth the pain and time for me.  So I quite taking it and decided that I should just trust my body and if I run out of juice, then I will accept it and move on.

Brandon has been eating solids about 3x's a day now, so my breastfeeding has cut down tremendously.  Before he was eating solids, he would feed about 6-7x's a day, now it's about 4-5.  I have also noticed that he has cut down his time during feeding sessions.  He only feeds about 15 minutes max!  I was worried that he wasn't getting enough milk, but he seems to be fine and happy after.  I guess he's just a quick eater, just like his mommy.

Sometimes I have a feeling that my breast feeding may be coming to an end soon.  I haven't fully decided on how I would feel if I were to dry up right now.  I would be happy that I lasted this long, but know that I'd really miss having that bonding time with him.  Although I feel like as long as he and I enjoy it then the milk will continue to come...

7 months

Brandon is developing to be such a character!  This month he has been really taking advantage of learning to crawl.  It seems like everyday he seems to crawl further and further. With that being said he loves to explore around the living room.  We have officially re-aranged the living to be a crawling zone.    We moved the coffee table off to the side and put up a pillow barricade around our entertainment system.  I'm sure it will only be a matter of time until we will have to put corner guards on our tables.

He has grown to really love his toys.  When we take him to his grandparents house we now pack a sack filled with his favorite toys.  His new favorite is his blue car that we got from his citrus lane box.  He loves pushing it around and spinning the wheels.  It's so cute to watch him play like a boy with it!  Speaking of which, Josh and I realized that he plays with his toy pretty rough.  He usually puts it in his mouth first and then he bangs on them after.  We think that it's just the way he tries to figure out how they work?  Or he may just be figuring out that certain toys make different sounds.  What a silly little boy!

Well other than crawling he has really aced going from crawling to sitting up.  Now he is trying to figure out how to pull himself up on things.  When Josh and I are laying on the floor he can usually crawl up on us to stand up. It's so amazing how much he has developed over the last month.  It's so rewarding to see him learn to figure things out on his own.  

He is such a little busy body now and I'm sure that this is just the beginning of what it will be like.  When we carry him he moves so much!  He is constantly turning his head and body to look at things and waving his arms.  It's like trying to hold a wiggly worm!  He also loves giving hugs, but we have to watch out cause there are times where he will pinch the back of your arms! He has given both his grandma's matching bruises!

He's doing well with his solids still!  There will be days when we only feed him once a day, but he is usually on a 2x's a day solid food schedule.  I still make his food, but we have also been introducing him with table food. Rice has been his new favorite (no surprise there!)  We try to mix it in with mild entrees like Nilaga or menudo.  He loves both of those!  He is also loving drinking out of sippy cups!  We give him water out of it after he eats solids.  

He officially has 2 teeth.  His second one cut through on wednesday! He was a bit cranky with the second tooth.  Poor Russy is missing a chunk of fur because of it!  Breast feeding has become a bit sore as well. Thank goodness he started to take his pacifier, so it's been nice to have a break!

His personality has really taken shape and it's been so much fun to watch.  I can't wait to see what the 8th month will bring.

Our 2 toothed monster!

Brandon has been super winey all morning. He's usually pretty content playing in the living room with his toys while I get some things done around the apartment, but today he hasn't let me stray too far. While I was feeding him I could feel his tooth a lot more than usual, so I got a little curious and just checked, and there it was tooth #2 peeking through! My poor little dude!

Sleep? Who needs it...

The last 2 nights have been a little rough. With Brandon teething and this ridiculously warm weather. He has been having a hard time getting a good nights sleep. In our room we have 3 fans going, 2 which are pointing directly at Brandon. He definitely gets his warm bloodedness from his daddy! Poor little guy! We tried not swaddling him a few times so that he's not so warm, but he wakes himself up without it. Thank God we have a thinner one and that's helped a good amount. Oh, lord this mommy is so
tired! I hope that tonight will be better!

Sweet, TOOTH!

With me being gone and busy all week and weekend I was really looking forward to our family time on Sunday! We kinda took our time getting ready in the morning and once we finally got going our first stop was the Greenlake wading pool. We bought sandwiches and snacks to have a picnic and let Brandon go for a dip. He absolutely loved being in the water! It's funny because before I was a mom I remember looking at that wading pool and thinking "yuck, I would never let my child go in that poop and pee infested water!" but after going here the first time and seeing that they had a person maintaining the pool it change my mind. This little lifeguard/maintenance persons job is to make sure that all babies who are in diapers are wearing proper swimming diapers, check the water levels and its cleanliness frequently. It's pretty cool how she does it, and once the pool needs to be cleaned she makes everyone get out and adds the proper chemicals! I was a bit worried how B's skin would react to the chemicals cause of his eczema, but he has yet broken out or had any reaction to the pool or chemicals. Thank goodness!!

Ok, moving forward. After the pool we went downtown to walk around. We hit the usual Josh spots (Nike, Nordstrom's, & Old navy). I dragged him to greenlake, so it was only right that i agreed to go to 'his' places...

After we were all done and got the car packed to go home i was playin with Brandon in the back seat and saw a little white sliver on his bottom gums. I was just expecting it to be a little spit up, so being a little curious I put my finger in there to feel around and was so shocked when I felt a hard little pearly white sticking out of his gums!!! I immediately yelled at Josh and told him Brandon has a tooth!!!! We were both surprised because he didn't have the signs of teething that we had been keeping a close eye on. No fever or crankiness... He is our little trooper for sure!

Now it's only a matter of time until he uses those to chomp on Mommy's boobies!

Slow life

How can I even begin to describe my stay here at Roche harbor.  When I got here the first thing that came to me was how quiet and peaceful this place was.  People here walk more slowly and take the time to enjoy their surroundings.  They talk calmly and quietly...and seem genuinely happy with just being here.  I got to talk to a gentleman in the bar last night and he happens to work on one of the boats that dock here, and he said that the people that come through here are always very pleasant.  He said that every summer he sees the same people.  They all travel from different places and come from a different walks of life, but come summer time they all congregate here to take a break from their everyday life.  

This made me realize how caught up in mommy hood I have been.  It’s a very unselfish job, but very rewarding.  It’s very fast paced and stressful at times.  I try very hard to make sure that Josh and I reward ourselves by going out on date nights, but being here makes me realize that a little quiet family getaway may be something we need.  As important it is for us to show Brandon the importance of hard work, we want to also show him the importance take the time to slow down and enjoy your life and family.   

High chairs are for big kids!

On Friday when I got back from my 2 day trip Josh and I decided to go out and have a nice family dinner! Usually when we're out to dinner we do the parent swap when we eat or I sometimes just eat with him on my lap. As much as I enjoy holding my son, eating with both hands has become a luxury that I miss terribly. So a lot of the time we just skip going out to dinner or just end up doing take out.

So when we got to the restaurant we asked for a high chair. I wasn't sure how he would do on it seeing that it was one of the wooden ones that weren't really padded or had a lot of support. Anyway, we decided to give it a go and placed his seat in between us so he felt like he was being included. We also gave him a few of his favorite toys to keep him distracted... Dinner was a success! Josh and I both got to enjoy our dinner and Brandon loved being in his high chair! He enjoyed looking around and watching other people. Our waitress loved him and kept telling him what a big boy he was! Oh man our little boy is growing up!!

I promised myself I wouldn't cry

I said goodbye to Josh this morning when he left for work it was a bit sad cause it was going to be the last time I see him until Friday night. As I was giving him a hug I just started crying. Oh man what a sap! It was kinda funny cause all I kept saying was 'take good care of him ok?' I'm not sure why I said that... It's not like I'm never going to come back, I think that the emotions just got the best of me.

I took yesterday off work so I could have an extra day to be with Brando! It was nice, we ended up going to the greenlake wading pool with Mama Cherrie and my sisters kids! We had so much fun playing in the water and enjoying the sunshine. I also got a chance to spends dinner alone with Josh at our favorite Korean BBQ spot. We don't have a lot of opportunities to do date nights like that, so we really cherish it when we do. It's funny cause the majority of our conversations are usually about Brandon!

Well this morning I got finished up the last minute packing I needed to do and as soon as I was done I spent he rest of the late morning playing and napping with Brandon! I kissed and hugged him every chance I got. Thank God he let me without getting annoyed!

Well when I dropped him off at his grandparents the water works didn't hit me until I said my final goodbye. He was a bit preoccupied playing with his toys to even know that I was leaving! I knew that if he would've watched me leave it would've been a lot harder! My mother in-law was so sweet and kept reminding me that he will be in good hands and not to worry. When I got into my car and saw Brandon's empty car base that's when I lost it! I had a pretty good cry, but I'm ok now! I got here safe and sound. I called my in-laws to check on him and got to chat with Josh for a little bit. They're both doing good. I think that I'm starting to settle down now. I had a chance to have dinner by myself and walk around town. It was nice to have some alone time and have a chance to take a break from being a Mommy. Although, It is a bit weird to just to sit here and not have to tend to anyone...

Just.be.strong!

Well this Wednesday I leave for a wedding shoot over in Friday harbor. I've never been there before and I am really excited... Well kinda...

This will be my first and longest time I will be away from both Josh and Brandon! I will be leaving Wednesday evening and coming back early (not early enough I'm sure) Friday morning! I know that they will both be in good hands because Josh's parents were sweet enough to offer the boys to stay with them as well as look after Brandon while Josh is at work. So as far as being worried about Brandon in the babysitting area I'm not really worried about it, although I just hope that he's a better sleeper with them than he is with me! My biggest worry is that I don't want to inconvenience them. I know that they offered to watch him and are very excited to do so, I just hope that B will be in his best behavior and not give his daddy and grandparents a hard time! I know I'm probably sounding a bit crazy and over thinking the situation, but I can't help it sometimes. I'm sure when I get back I'll be looking back and saying 'what the hell was I so worried about?'

I'm sure Brandon is not even gonna notice that I'm gone, so I think that the person who will be having major separation anxiety will be me. The other thing that I'm most worried about is breast feeding. I don't really pump very much these days, I think I have trained my body enough to where I can go as long as 6 hours without having pump or feed him, but strictly pumping for 2 days will be a bit of a challenge. I worry that I will get so engorged even with pumping that it will be painful or my supply will decrease. Oh, I hope that the twins will figure it out...

Well besides the boob thing and praying that Brandon will be on his best behavior...the one thing that will
make this trip all worth it would be that I may get a chance to have a good nights sleep, cause its been 31 weeks since I've had one of those.

6 months

Brandon is going to be 7 months in a few days and I just realized that I haven't done a monthly update, Eeks!  Well this month has been one of my favorites so far.  Ya, I probably say that with every month, but this month I feel like he's definitely been taking a bigger step into becoming a little bit more independent.   A few weeks ago he began to finally sit up on his own and no joke, a few days later he decided that he was going to take up crawling too!  Um, where's the fire Brandon?!  I really didn't think that he was going to start crawling so quickly after!!  So far he gets up on all fours and is doing the rocking thing, but has yet to properly move forward.  He hasn't figured out to move his arms yet.  He does this for a little bit and when he doesn't get the results that he wants, he gets frustrated and gives up.  

He's talking a bunch now and have expanded his vocabulary by adding "Dada" "Nana" and "Ateh". While Josh and I were getting him ready for bed one night he just out of the blue said "Dada!"  Oh lord, the excitement on Josh's face when he heard it was just great!  We both had this bet on who's name he was going to say first.  Even though he did say "Dada" first I feel like he's really saving to say "Momma" when he really knows what he's talking about :)

 He has been doing great with his solids.  He's had the following so far: avocado, butternut squash, bananas, mango, sweet potato and peas!  We tried peas 3x's and all 3x's he was not a big fan! I don't think that the taste bothers him as much as the texture, because it would make him gag... I still enjoy making him all of his food and hope to continue to do it for as long as I can.

Marie and I have gotten pretty close over the past year.  Ever since we found out that our due dates were  around the same time we kinda gravitated towards one another.  It has been nice to have someone to confide in about Mommy-hood.  It's funny that we both call our get together "play dates", but our kids are usually far too busy and distracted by other things that they really don't even really play with one another!  I think that maybe it's more of a Mommy chat-date than anything! We share a lot of silly stories that I feel only parents would find amusing.  We talk about our little ones, their new milestones, work, and our husbands...it's just great to have someone to share and talk about the same things you're going through.     

Just this last week we got the chance to take the kiddos out to enjoy the sunshine at Greenlake.  We decided to have a picnic and the kids finally started to interact with each other!  It's been so great to not only watch Brandon grow, but Renae as well.  She is just the sweetest little thing!  She never really gets fussy and is usually very laid back.  Brandon could learn a thing or two from her ;)

Marie, Renae, and Brandon

This is probably my favorite picture of the two of them!

We had another few 1st for Brandon just these past weeks:

Brandon's 1st time experiencing grass!  He loved it!!

Brandon's first time at the beach

Brandon's 1st time experiencing sand!  He's trying really hard to hold in his excitement!

Brandon's 1st time in a pool!  He's my little water baby!

I still can't believe that my little guy is already half a year old!  Oh, Brandon you are one great kid.  Mommy and Daddy love you so much!

Brandon's 6 month well check-up stats:

6/18

Height: 26.5  (55%)

Weight:  15lb 12oz  (20%)

Head Circumference:  42.5  (18%)

Favorite moments...

At 3 in the morning when I'm rocking Brandon to sleep and he's laying his head on my shoulder. I press my cheek against his and smell his sweet baby smell... I close my eyes and remind myself to never forget this moment.

I've been pinterest!

I've heard about pinterest for the longest time! I never knew what the whole fuss was about and every time I would ask someone (usually a girl) about it they would describe it as "you just pin pictures that you like to your board..." um, what? How is that cool? I even had a few of my friends offer to invite me, because I guess you need someone to invite you in order join? Sorrry "Members only club!"

As a new mom I've realized that the way I did things when I was a non-parent was not working... For example running errands. Before I was a Mom I was able to spend hours or even all day getting everything on my list crossed off, but now I would be lucky to maybe get 3 of those things done Another big thing was making dinner. Now that I work 3 nights a week it is very hard to make a nice meal when I get off work. By the time I get off, it's usually way after dinner hour or I'm just beat!

I've realized that becoming a mommy you definitely have to sacrifice a lot of things in your life and it's not that I'm complaining or regretting my decision of becoming a mom, I just wish that sometimes there were just enough hours in the day to do all the things that I want to do!

Enter Pinterest! So I finally decided to give in and sign up and I'm so glad I did. From the few short weeks that I have been a "member" I've realized that maybe I could be just a bit more self-sufficient! Looking at all of the amazing DIY it makes me believe that they're easy enough for me to not only do, but will also make my life more simple and organized! Even though I have lost precious sleep because of my late night "pinning" addiction, I can't wait to show you guys my very first DIY project!

So to all my Pinterest friends... Happy pinning :)

Our little Picasso

We got our 1st Citrus lane package last week just in time for Brandon's 6 month birthday.  I heard about it through my friends blog and I thought it was the cutest thing!  How it works is you get a box every month, and the box usually has some kind of theme to it.  This month was "The little artist" all of the items had some type of relation to encouraging your children to bring out the little artist in them!  The items in the box isn't the same for everyone, they put items in there based on your child's age and gender.

Our favorite was the rattle and an art kit from www.wecantooart.com.  All of the items from the art kit were not only cute, but they were allergen free and edible!  I went to Micheals the next day and bought a little 8x10 canvas and let B go to town!  I think I enjoyed it more than he did...anyway his finished art is now displayed on our fireplace mantle.

Our 1st...

Today marked a few 1st for our little family.  We went to our 1st Mariners game as a family, Brandon experienced his 1st baseball game (and we even won!), we took our very 1st professional family portrait, and it was Josh's 1st fathers day!

Brandon's Godmother, Nikki was kind enough to give us great tickets for todays game and we decided to invite Debbie and Marcus as well.  We got to the ball park around noon because they were doing a giveaway for dads.  It was a bucket hat that Josh's big dome could barely fit into, but he still wore it because Brandon had a matching one.  My husband would seriously go through great lengths to match even if it means losing circulation to his head!

Anyway, we had a great time eating ballpark food here are some pictures.  Not pictured was the sushi (we ate them before realizing we needed to take a photo!)

This was probably the best brat I have ever had!

funnel cake and deep fried twinkie

Torta De Salchicha

Everything was so yummy and I can honestly say that I don't ever remember ballpark food being so delicious!  

This was taken by yours truly! I had my camera propped up on a chair and angled by a rock!

Ninang Debbie and Brandon

Go Mariners!

Brandon and Daddy enjoying the game

Our tired little slugger

Ninong Marcus and Ninang Debbie!

Our view from our seats

Pass the peas please!

Well, I had Brandon try peas for the first time this morning and I am sad to say that he was not a big fan. I'm guessing that it's the fibrous texture that he didn't like. I know he didn't mind the taste because he would still want more, but when he would begin to move it around his mouth he started gag! I tried it a few more times to see if maybe it was just that one time, but he would gag himself so much that he'd spit up!! Ok, ok, I get it, Brandon, you're not a fan... But let's give it another try tomorrow ok?

I told Josh that Brandon wasn't a big fan of the peas and his response was "it's ok Brandon, daddy doesn't like peas either." -____-

Locked and loaded!

Brandon definitely inherited Josh's and I's love for food!! We started giving him rice cereal when he was just about 5 months old. We wanted to start giving him a little practice on using his tongue, so by the time we moved into the real solids he wouldn't be so clueless. Eating solids is a lot to swallow (no pun intended) for the first time. The texture and taste can be very strange for a baby, so choosing his 1st solid food was a bit intimidating. I wanted to make sure that Brandon's 1st experience with solid food was a not only good but nutritious! we bought a baby bullet a few days before and luckily it came with a little recipe booklet and it even recommended introduction foods. One of them was avocados and I've read a few books and websites that recommended it also! So it was kind of a no brainier that avocados was the best bet! I bought 1 at whole foods and it only cost me a little over a dollar and it made a 9 days worth of food for him! Crazy right?!? Now that I known how fun and easy it is to make your own baby food I will NEVER buy store baby food ever! So here are a few pics of what I've made Brandon so far!

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Keeping this in the memory bank!

Brandon just started to sit up on his own today... Even if it was only for a few seconds it was such a great thing to experience! Im not sure why the sitting up stage is huge to me, but it just is! Sitting on his own feels like such a big leap into becoming independent! I always thought that it was kinda silly when parents would say they feel like they could just start crying because their child is growing so fast, but after today I definitely understand where they're coming from!

5 months and loving it!

Brandon has been such a character the past few weeks! I think that his true personality is definitely beginning to show this time around!

I was talking to my boss the other day and don't remember how we got to the subject of horoscopes, but it reminded me about this book of horoscopes that I had at home. It described your personality, love, friendship, and job based on the day you were born... Typical horoscope stuff. Anyway, when I got home that day I decided to read up on Brandon's sign and it was very interesting. It seemed like some descriptions was very spot on and there were some that made me a little worried. In a nutshell it described a children born on his birthday to be very sensitive. They hold their relationships with others very close to their hearts. It also mentioned that they tend to have very sharp senses of humor (oh, great!), and last of all children of this birthdate are known to be very emotional and sensitive. This last part I feel fits him to the T! When things don't feel right to him, he is not afraid to let you know it! His temper can be very short at times, but when he's happy you can't help but be giddy! His Lolo always says "ang sarap mo naman tumawa!" In English it LITERALLY means "your laugh is delicious." but in translation he means that brandon laughs whole heartedly! I love seeing Josh's parents (and Tita Cynne) play with Brandon... Seeing them be so enamored by this tiny person makes me so happy! Brandon is one lucky guy to have such amazing grandparents who love him so much!!

He is such a giggle monster now! Yesterday while I was at work i missed 2 calls from my mom (who was watching him at the time). The very first thing that I could think of was " oh crap, something is wrong!" She never calls me, so I immediately called her back... No answer!! So then I listened to the voicemail she left and it was of Brandon laughing and giggling! I probably listened to it 3 times in a row. She told me later that he was laughing at her crumbling up a piece of paper? What a strange little child I have!

He has discovered his tongue and does these super drooly raspberries! He is constantly running his chubby knuckles against his gums. Josh says it looks like he's eating a piece of corn. We think that he's probably gonna start teething soon. He hasn't been super cranky or anything, so I think we may still be in the very beginning stages.

He also has this new thing where when he's sleepy he does this funny soothing thing kinda like he's humming himself to sleep... It's usually a long "aaaahhhh" or "MMmmmm"... It's pretty funny!

He's finally beginning to take interest in our dog Russy. It was pretty random... one day while he was sitting on my lap Russy jumped up on the couch and sat next to him and out of nowhere he just reached for him! He ran his little fingers across Russy furry back. I kept a close watch cause I didn't want Brandon to pull a chunk of Russy's fur. I'm sure Russy's fur must've felt so neat to him. Brandon was very gentle and Russy didn't seem to mind.

He's growing so quickly and it's still crazy to me that come Monday he will be 1/2 a year old already. BANANAS!!

Smooches for days

4 months

This is a bit late, but oh well...


So we have this huge picture frame collage in our little hallway and as I was passing by it the other day with Brandon in my arms, the picture of a 2 day old Brandon caught my eye.  I stopped dead in my tracks and looked at the picture and then at the baby in my arms!  Oh, God where has the time gone?  Time is indeed a very sneaky guy.  Brandon turned 4 months on Wednesday and let me tell you, the last few weeks has been filled with a lot of little milestones.  Here we go...

From 4-8 weeks Brandon had a pretty bad case of colic.  Every evening around 7 the crying would begin.  Josh and I had a very hard time with this.  Our relationship and patience were tested to the MAX!  Not being able to console your little one could possibly be one of the worst feelings thus far for me.  We always thought that since we both are pretty laid back people, that our child would inherit that same personality as well.  That was not the case to say the least.  One of my friends who also had a little one with colic issues reminded me that some babies don't adjust to the outside world as quickly as others.  She was totally right.  Brandon is not the quiet, happy go lucky kid all the time.  He has his days where he's loud, sensitive, easily bored, and impatient!  Those days are very rough for us, but once he flashes us with his no-upper-lip smile...all the stress and frustration immediately goes away! Now, that his eyesight and mobility has improved, I feel like he is really adjusting to his surroundings and beginning to really enjoy all the new senses he's feeling!

He talks a lot more and louder now.  Every morning after he is changed his favorite thing to do is get on his jumper and watch the Mickey Mouse clubhouse!!  He can usually only watch it for about 10-15 minutes and the whole time he is usually just babbling with an occasional squeal! I swear Josh and i have seen every episode so far!

Ever since we got him that jumper we feel like his legs have become so much stronger! He can be in that thing for 30-40 minutes just jumping and playing with all the little toys that surround it. We love the fact that he's really beginning to enjoy his toys.  He's slowly starting to bat at them and grasp them.  It has been super fun to watch his mobile improve.  He has been doing such a wonderful job rolling over and super funny at that...he looks like a little rolly polly bug when he does it. We've been really enjoying him more and more now...not that we didn't before, but he's just a lot more entertaining now.