3 month update

It's been 3 months since I blogged.   I have been very busy.  I probably will only post once more before AJ turns one.  Then I think my blogging days are done.   I just don't have much down time with a busy baby and working 40+ hours a week.  

These last few months have been busy for AJ.   He can crawl, stand up, cruise and push a walker.  He has learned to eat some food with his hands.  We are trying more normal food.  He isn't the biggest fan of baby food.  Which I do not blame him for.   He likes banana and apple.   I'm continuing to breastfeed also.  My supply has gone up and down as I have been sick on and off.  I have had two bouts of gastroenteritis.   Terrible!!  I had a bad eye infection also.   It's hard to keep up my strength lately.  Work has been tiring because one of my coworkers got fired and we are down a person.  We recently got in an orphaned manatee which we have to feed basically round the clock.  I love my job but it is difficult with having a baby.    Steve and I have been trying to get AJ to sleep better.  He gets up at least 2 times a night if not more.   It's very taxing.   We have had some success with better nights but overall he still isn't the best sleeper.  I have definitely been stressed and tired.    Steve is trying hard to help me.    We have decided to look at our nutrition.   I am at the smallest weight I've been that I can remember.   I don't necessarily hate that but I hate having no energy.    Hopefully revamping our nutrition will help.   

AJ is a lot of fun to play with now.  He is always super busy crawling around or shaking toys.   He loves the water.   We go to the pool and beach frequently.  I get into quite a few places for free in Tampa because of my job.    So we've gone to SeaWorld and mosi and Busch gardens.   We plan to do more things around town this summer.  

Aj had his 9 month check up recently.  They were concerned that his ears were still filled with fluid after 3 ear infections on antibiotics.   They sent us to an ENT doctor.   They gave him a hearing test and said he can't hear low tones.  They recommended that AJ get tubes placed in his ears.   They said it should drain the fluid and help him hear.   He isn't babbling at all.  He squeals and blows raspberries but no "ma da ba".  I'm concerned that he hasn't started those.   I'm hoping if we do tubes he will be able to hear better and help his language.  

Being a mom is great.  Hard but awesome.   AJ is adorable.  I love his smile and giggle.  I just hope I can be the best mom I can be for him.  

7 month milestones

7 months!!!  Hooray

AJ had a lot of milestones in February.   He sat up by himself for the first time!! 

He ate his first solid foods!   We tried cereal which he will eat but doesn't really like.  He loves sweet potatoes and bananas.   But peas are yucky!  He's doing great with it!    We are going to try squash carrots and pears coming up.  

He took swim class for 4 weeks. He loved it!!  He loves other babies and splashing!  His little swim trunks are adorable.   The classes were actually free.   We will put him in more classes later this fall.   At his graduation they take them under water.  He did great!  The teacher said he held his breath great.   

AJ crawled for the first time!!!  Army crawling like crazy.  He did some real crawling the other day too!  So we ran to the store to get some items to start babyproofing.   I said I was going to do that months ago but of course that did not happen!  We have a little time to get things in order but not long!  

He can also now sit in a high chair at a restaurant and the shopping cart. How cute! 

I swear he will be walking sooner than later.  He likes to push up on his feet when he crawls.  We def have our hands full.  Which of course is wonderful.  

YouTube

I have uploaded videos of AJ playing and such.  Mostly for his grandparents but also for other friends and family who'd like to see him in action. 

http://youtu.be/wuhuFGNnB4E

Bedtime

AJ used to sleep great.  Not anymore.  In fact just getting him to sleep is really hard!  We've tried it all.  The routine of bath, pjs, book bed.   That isn't really working.  So sometimes we have to push him around in the stroller to lull him to sleep.  That works sometimes.  We've done the car thing too.   We are trying to just put him in his crib when he's sleepy and get him to fall asleep on his own.   He's probably done that twice.   He's also getting up a lot in the night.  Sometimes to nurse but also just for comfort.  It's tough to keep up this no sleeping and working.  He went to bed at 1000 last night and then got up at 1230, 2, 4 and 5.  Then I had to go to work at 6.  Rough!!  That was the worst night lately.  Usually he's just up once or twice. I really just want him to be able to fall asleep easily.  He gets so tired that he cries harder and harder and his poor eyes are bright red.  Poor thing.  We are doing our best.  

CPR

I have always been a believer in CPR.  I've been certified since I was 17 being a lifeguard.  Since then I have had to be certified for work.   Two weeks ago I actually had to use it.   At my job there was a radio call that there was a 911 in our commissary.   We run drills all the time with different scenarios like animals getting out, people jumping in exhibits, injured divers, injured keepers and guests.   I have to say all our training paid off.  I ran to the commissary where they prep diets.  When I arrived the girls working said there was a man from an outside company working on their AC who had collapsed.   I immediately checked for pulse and breathing and he had neither.  He was purple, eyes rolled back in his head and his tongue was swollen.  Our vet showed up and we began CPR.  I called for the AED which some of us are trained in.  My coworker showed up with it and we began to put it on him.  The machine checked him and said we would have to shock him.  So we did!!  We continued CPR but we're having trouble getting breaths into him.  Our vet grabbed a tube to intubate him.  When he did that he gasped for air and car to.    Ems arrived then.  That was the scariest 5 minutes ever!  He was awake and knew his name before he left in the ambulance.  We don't really know why he collapsed!  The crazy part is the hospital found nothing wrong with him.  Not sure how you are dead and come back and nothing is wrong with you.   Insane!   I am so thankful for our team and that he lived!!!   Learn CPR.  It's really easy and can save someone's life!!

6 months

So I don't know where January went!!  I haven't blogged in forever.   I was very busy in January with my mom visiting, steves parents visiting, releasing manatees, and helping AJ get through sickness!  He's been on again off again sick.  Just colds but he's been coughing for weeks.  So over daycare and him being sick.  Luckily nothing serious.  I was also sick for weeks.  Doesn't help when he coughs or sneezes into my mouth!!  We've gone through lots of boogie wipes and Tylenol.  

We took AJ for his 6 month appt today.  Getting bigger slowly.  He took his shots like a champ!  

Steve ran his 5th marathon this month along with a half marathon.   I think he did great.  But looking back probably wasn't the best idea to have him train while we had a newborn.  But we managed.  We went to Disney for his races.  AJ was awesome.  We had to get up at 5 each day and travel all over to see Steve run. He was such a good baby for all of it.  

He can almost hold his own bottle.  

He can almost crawl.  He can get everything up to crawl except his head.  He's getting rug burn on his forehead Trying so hard!  

I think he'll be crawling by next month.  Better start baby proofing!!!  

We are starting solids today!!  I plan to start blogging again more. So stay tuned! 

December

December was crazy.  Between decorating, parties, sickness and of course the holidays it flew by!   We got AJ over to visit Santa.  He didn't mind at all and was super cute with him!  

Both AJ and I had colds for 3 weeks.   Just when I thought we were getting better AJ got worse.   He had a high fever and cough.  So I took him to the dr and they checked him for the flu and rsv. Both were negative.   They said it was just a cold.  But at 1:30 am he woke up screaming.  It scared me!!  Had a very high temp.   Needless to say he didn't sleep.  We gave him Tylenol and after many many hours his temp came down.  I had to go to work and Steve stayed home.  He cried for almost 36 hrs straight.   On Christmas Eve we tried opening gifts and poor AJ just cried.  His first Christmas.  Bummer.   That night the only way he would sleep was on a boppy pillow in my lap.  That was a long night.  The next on Christmas I had to go to work. I have amazing coworkers and they let me leave early.  Steves family came into town around noon.  AJ was still crying when he coughed.  I called the doctor and they said he should be seen. So luckily there was an urgent care open instead of the ER.   They tested him again and said he had bronchiolitis.  They put him on steroids.   After a couple more days he was finally doing better.    Then I got sick.   I had a bad sinus infection.   My cold of three weeks was only getting worse.   I ended up taking a sick day and slept all day.  It was needed!!  I went to the doctor and she said it was good I went it.   So we are both on the mend in 2015.   

AJ got amazing gifts!  He got cute clothes, books,  and toys.  Lots of things he will grow into.  

He's rolling over all the time.  He only sleeps on his tummy now.  As soon as we put him in his crib he rolls right over.  He can almost sit up.  He wants to crawl but can creep around a bit!  He's so amazing.  I love him more each day. 

Christmas Eve.  :( 

Christmas Day doctor visit