9 Months Old and Full of DRAMA!

Drama, Drama, Drama!  Oh yes, our little man is officially 9 months old and like the title says, FULL of DRAMA!  

What a crazy, fun and memorable month it has been.  Jameson has become a little boy over the last month.  Everyone that sees him tells us how he doesn't look like a "baby" anymore, but is starting to look like a little boy... and I would have to agree.  His personality is truly beginning to shine and he is quickly learning the strength of his body and vocal chords.  

4 Month Statistics:

Weight: 22.7lbs

(I took him to the doctor a week before his 9 month appointment and they said he weighed 23.4lbs, BUT that was wrong...  I forgot he had all his clothes on and a diaper)

Height: 28.5 inches

Diaper Size: 4

Clothing Size: Mostly 12 month (some 9 month and a few 18 month)

What's New in Jameson's Life?

Well, like I have mentioned a few times already, DRAMA has been the biggest development this month.  Truly I am not kidding!  SCREAMING for anything and everything he wants.  If Jameson doesn't get what he wants... SCREAM.... If he gets what he wants but doesn't like it... SCREAM...  If he wants more to eat... SCREAM!  Never ending :-)  (and to be perfectly honest, by bed time, mommy is ready for the screaming to end and the peace and quiet to begin!)  Although there is a lot of screaming going on in our house, Jameson is still a very happy, healthy and lovable baby.   

So yes, Drama is the main development... but what else?  Well, Jameson is now rolling EVERYWHERE.  He still isn't crawling all the way, but again, SO very close!  He is up on all fours, moving himself backwards, rocking back and forth but still doesn't quit have the concept of crawling.  Rolling on the other hand... He is making his moves.  Rolling across the room (hard floors and all), not afraid to bump his head (hence the previous post) grabbing everything in sight and putting it in his mouth.  He has mastered this concept to the "T" so hopefully we will soon be off our belly/back and onto our hands and knees.    

We are working hard at eating more and more finger foods.  Jameson does not quit have the concept of the thumb yet, but we are getting there.  I would have to say this is most frustrating for me.  I hate watching him struggle with his food (we all know he LOVES his food) so I give in way too quickly to help him out.  It's like the "crying it out" sleeping technique, I need to do this with eating.  Otherwise, he is still drinking about 5 bottles a day, eating at least two servings of baby food and we are now slowing incorporating more and more table foods (basically what we are eating for dinner) as much as possible (last night he at some steamed carrots and very tiny pieces of chicken)  So, I guess you would say we are making progress, but Jameson would still prefer a bottle over table foods.  

Jameson has 6 teeth - 4 top and 2 bottom!  He looks so cute when he smiles and you can see his "pearly whites" shine.  BUT, he is definitely not afraid to bite (hard) if you put your fingers in his mouth.  He is also getting much better at allowing me to brush his teeth.  Let me tell you, this is NOT an easy thing to do with an infant, but I guess something is better than nothing.  

Sleep... well, overall Jameson has always been very good sleeper.  This past month we have had our share of interrupted sleep, but I would have to attribute that to a) teething, b) running a fever and c) a very annoying cold.  Here's to getting back to our "normal" hours of sleep at night!

As I said before, Jameson is changing so, so much that it's hard to even remember everything that has happened!  We truly cherish every moment with our little man and can't believe we are closing in on the 1 year mark.  We love you with all our heart Jameson!  You bring such joy to our lives and make each and everyday special.  

**The photo shoot captures a very little glimpse of that DRAMA I was talking about!  Sorry for all the pictures, but I couldn't decide which ones to post**

9 Month Photo Shoot

Take #1 - Trying to get Jameson to sit still!

Take #2 -  Trying to get pictures with the sign

Take #3 - Pictures on the rocking horse (this was Luke's as a baby)

 (the meltdown begins!)

Take #4 - DRAMA King!

 Angry!

 Starting to scream!

Happy 9 Month Birthday Jameson

We Love You!

Here we go!

Boy's will be boys!

Uh-Oh!  The "mobile mayhem" has begun in the Hansen Household!  Oh yes, we had our very first goose-egg yesterday!  Now that Jameson is starting to move around (not crawling, but rolling) and stand while hold on to things, I guess it's inevitable that this was going to happen...  BUT, that doesn't mean it doesn't break my heart to see my little man get hurt.  Jameson was holding on to the leg of our baby swing and took a tumble...  He hit the pole pretty hard but was a champ once he figured out what had happened.  No tears, no whining...  He was ready to get back up and try again!  (That's my boy)  

Jameson's battle wound!

Weekend Extravaganzas

Well, I have to say, after this past weekend, Jameson and mommy get-a-ways are over!!  Why you ask...  Oh you betcha I am going to tell :-)

Sunday, April 22nd was the American Cancer Society run/walk, so I decided a few months back that I would continue my tradition and walk for a very dear friend of mine - Colleen Elizabeth Jacob.  2012 marks the 10th anniversary of her death, but her memory will always be in our hearts.

With that said, I packed Jameson and I up and off to Onalaska we went Friday afternoon.  I had this (what I thought was) brilliant idea to drive during Jameson's nap time.  Good idea right?  WRONG!  Oh boy was I wrong!  Our trip to Onalaska went a little something like this...  That so-called-nap lasted about the first hour of our drive (yes, our ride home is about 5 hours... so you can only imagine where I am going with this!) and the rest of the way I had a very impatient baby in the backseat that wanted mommy's attention!  I finally made the decision to take a break in Albert Lee (about half-way) so we could both get out, use the restroom, have a snack and feed J.  The stretch and snacking was great... getting a (almost) 9 month old back in the car seat... No so great!  We made it about 20 more miles before the SCREAMING started!  (We were about 2 hours from Ona at this point)  So, fast forward to the last thirty miles...  LOTS of screaming, Two Baby Einstein movies later...  And we were STOPPED!  Along the interstate...  Screaming baby, stressed out mommy... What do you do?  I couldn't go any further.  The melt-down was at it's breaking point and I was in a panic.  So, bring in the BEST parents in the world and we were saved!  Yes, my parents met the two of us along the interstate and saved me for the remainder of the trip.  Gpa Marson sat in the back seat with J, my mom drove their car home and I was able to breath the last few miles of our LONG road trip.

After that, I was unsure if I would be able to rest the remainder of the weekend (I had a lot more driving that had to be done).  My mom and I wanted to get up Saturday morning and do a little rummaging.  Great idea, but boy was I nervous to put Jameson back in the car.

We were able to get a few sales in early Saturday before he was spent!  I tried my best to not make him ride in the car the rest of the day...  One of my dear friends was home for the weekend as well, so I was able to run over to her parent's house and catch up for a bit while Nana stayed with J for his nap.  It was so great to catch up with Maria and get some quality girl time.  We were almost able to achieve the no car goal, but mom and I made the executive decision to NOT make dinner and go out to eat.  Thank goodness all three of us were able ride in one car because someone was able to ride in the back with J (THANKS Gpa!)  Dinner was great and by the time we got home it was bath/bed time.  Let's just say it was an early bedtime for mommy as well.

Jameson playing with one of our rummage sale "treasures"

Jameson and Gpa with their matching hats

 Melts my heart!

 Reviewing the menu ;-)

Sunday was the walk and I was so excited!  We woke up to sunshine and beautiful weather.  (I think someone was watching down) :-)  They switched up the rout this year, so it made the event go even faster!  We got a wonderful walk in, got to see some old friends and most importantly, celebrate the life of one of Heavens most beautiful angels.  After the walk it was nap time, so I put Jameson down, ran a couple errands and then it was time to visit Great-Grandma Marson.

J and I before our walk 

 The runners are on their way

 Walkers!

 Jameson meeting Great-Grandma Marson's kitty

 Great Grandma Marson and J

My nerves kicked in as soon as Jameson went to bed Sunday evening...  Monday was going to be another FULL day of traveling!  We had doctor appointments in the Twin Cities ALL day!  And on top of the ride up to the Twin Cities, all our appointments were at different hospitals.  Needless to say, it was a VERY stressful day, but overall all our appointments went well AND it was so great to see Dr. Sheehy!

Like I said at the beginning, Jameson and I may no longer be able to take road trips without Daddy, but it sure was a very nice, memorable and worth-wild weekend.  The stress/anxiety has finally worn off and I am back to "normal" after that trip!  (haha)  

Wagon Ride

Sunday
After our long road trip on Saturday, and in-between rain clouds and wind gusts Sunday morning, we decided to take advantage of the short lived afternoon sunshine and head out on a quick walk around the block.  We also thought this would be a great opportunity to put Jameson's new wagon to use!

Although it was a very short adventure, it still was nice to get some fresh air :-)

Road Trip

This past Saturday, Luke, Jameson and I loaded up the car and headed to Austin, MN for the day.  We went to visit Luke's Grandparents!  We were all so excited to see them and catch up; it had been about six months since our last visit, so it was a long-overdue trip (to say the least!).

To be perfectly honest, we were a little skeptical to travel due to the crazy weather reports that were blasting all over the news.  They were predicting pretty bad storms just to the south of us with the possibility they would head into the Sioux Falls area... But, we decided to take a chance and hit the road the for day. I am so happy we did!  The weather was just fine (we hit rain on the way back, but the was it), our visit was unbelievable and we were able to get out of town for the day.

On top of visiting Grandma and Grandpa Hansen, two of Luke's aunts were also visiting so we were able to catch up with them as well.  So great to see everyone and get some quality time!

Jameson chatting with Great-Grandma Joanne

 Giggling with Great-Grandpa Leo

 Kathy, Luke, Jameson, Joanne, Leo, Joy

 Love this picture!

 And another!

Such a wonderful day!  Thank you Grandma and Grandpa, Joy and Kathy for the delicious lunch and the enjoyable afternoon.  We love you guys and miss you already!  (ps: your picture is in the mail)

Just my Two Cents Worth!

I think I can officially say there is a BABY BOOM within my friends and family!  (SO exciting! I love it!  It's all so much fun!)

I know how many questions I had when I first found out I was pregnant and it all just seemed SO overwhelming!  I couldn't believe all the information that was out there and I just had no idea where to begin.  So, I turned to some of the best resources available... MOMMIES!!  Yes, I turned to my girlfriends/co-workers that already had kids and I am SO happy I did!  I TRULY believe you can read, read, read, but there is no better knowledge then that of first-hand experience!  

Trust me, I will not bore you with all my "findings" but one area I feel most expecting mothers seem to go crazy over (I know I did!) is creating a baby registry! I could not believe all the options of baby supplies on the market...  It was BEYOND overwhelming!  All the different brands, colors, styles, textures...  everything!  CRAZY!  An emotional pregnant woman should not have that many options available!  A high school friend of mine (Kathrine) sent me a list of things she recommended and it was a god-sent to say the least.  Such a great way to start my research!  I like to hear what others think, why they liked about a certain product and most importantly, why they didn't like something. 

One of the biggest lessons I learned through the entire baby registry process was GO WITH YOUR GUT!  Don't get me wrong, I like nice things and name-brands, but they are not ALWAYS the best choice.  Now that I am a mother and I quickly realized life is no longer about ME, I want things that make life easier, faster, make the baby happy and most importantly help me get through each day.  (the most expensive does not ALWAYS fit this bill!  Some times the least expensive = the BEST)

It's amazing how quickly babies go through "stuff".  What do I mean by stuff??  Clothes, diapers, bibs, bottles, changing pad covers...  everything!  I feel like one day Jameson was wearing a brand new outfit and the next time I tried to put it on him it did not fit.  

With that said, I thought I would put together a little "list" of a few favorite baby items and a few (in my opinion) must-have items!  Also, a couple thoughts on things to possibly not register for and a few to possibly splurge on.

Sleep Sack - AMAZING!  I actually did not register for these, but I have to say, they were one the best gifts we received.  We originally heard of these while Jameson was in the NICU.  **quick side note We did not swaddle, but there are sleep sacks out there that allow you to swaddle if you choose to do that**  The nurses in the NICU praised them!  Not only did they keep the baby warm, they were a SAFE way to keep a baby warm.  When we first brought Jameson home and through the first couple cold months of winter I would still put a small blanket over the sleep sack because in my mind, I thought he would get cold or was cold.   BAD IDEA!  I now understand the "safe" sleeping after that experience.  As Jameson got bigger, he would grab the blanket and pull it up to his face.  (That is one way to freak a mom out!)  So, needless to say, Jameson is a sleep sack baby and I HIGHLY recommend them!  No blankets needed in the crib and the baby is perfectly warm in just PJ's and the sleep sack.
**Sleep sacks come in all different sizes, colors, fabrics (light weight for warmer nights and micro fleece for those cold winter nights).  They also come in a variety of prices, but the cheaper ones work just the same as the expensive brands!**

Co Sleeper - Wow!  This is the BEST invention in the world!  First of all, a HUGE thank you goes out to Jim and Joanne McKenna for this amazing gift.  Originally we were planning on using our pack n' play as the bed we would put in our room for baby.  Jim and Joanne were so gracious and sent us an Arm's Reach co-sleeper to use.  I can not believe how amazing it was to have this.  The co-sleeper gave Jameson his own secure space for sleeping, but it was attached to our bed at eye level.  This allowed me the luxury of turning over and looking/checking on J without getting up and disturbing Jameson or Luke.  This is also great for nursing mothers.  One feature of a co-sleeper is the fact that you can nurse your baby while in bed.  Now, this did not work for us due to the fact nursing was not on the "normal" scale for Jameson and I, but I will definitely try it with our next baby.

Monitors - I know the video monitors can be a little more expensive (depending on the brand) but I would highly recommend "splurging" on this purchase!  I can't begin to tell you how many times I was saved from going into Jameson's room to check on him just by looking at the monitor.  The picture below is the model we have.  (Samsung SEW EzView) I LOVE IT!  The hand-held monitor tells me the temperature in Jameson's room, notifies me if it gets too hot or too cold (vibrates or beeps), allows me to turn a nightlight on, I can talk back to Jameson through the monitor, displays in color and black and white and most importantly, I can SEE him rather than go into his room and wake him up.  It also notifies me if there is noise in the room (beeps or vibrates). 

Sophie - The BEST baby toy on the market!  We received Sophie as a shower gift (Thank you Maria and Susie Sorrentino!) and I have to say, SHE IS AMAZING!  I can not believe how one toy can be so entertaining.  We can't go anywhere without Sophie!  Why I love her so much...  Sophie is a chew toy, squeakier, easy for baby to grab, bendable, soft, easy to clean and most importantly, she is small enough to fit in the diaper bag and go with us everywhere!   

Burp Cloths - there are SO many fancy, fancy burp clothes on the market.  They catch every mom's eye with their patterns, colors, and cuteness.  (and yes, I was sucked in and bought some "cute" cloths as well) but the all-time BEST burp cloths on the market are: CLOTH DIAPERS!  Yes, that's right... diapers!  They are simply amazing!  A diaper is designed to absorb some nasty "stuff" so when used as a burp rag it's like magic!  Spit up is cleaned up in pretty much one swipe.  They are so easy to clean and you don't have to worry about ruining a "pretty" burp rag when baby is messy. (Oh and I am pretty sure you can get a 10 or 12 pack at places like Target and Wal-Mart for somewhere around $8-$10!!!)

Stroller - This is an obvious MUST HAVE when you have a baby, but I would highly recommend "splurging" on this purchase.  Again, so many on the market... Different sizes, weights, functionalities...  You know how it goes.  BUT, I was told about our stroller brand by a very great family friend (Thanks Jamie Muellenbach!) We decided to purchase a City Select stroller and let me tell you, Luke and I BOTH remind each other how much we love it.  It's light weight, folds flat, there are multiple attachments (bassinet, car seat adapter, etc.)  The other amazing thing about this stroller is it can convert into a DOUBLE stroller!  I love the fact that it fits in my trunk and I still have plenty of room to put groceries, suitcases, basically anything else we need to haul.  It's easy to clean and easy to use!  (what mother doesn't love that?!)

Stroller with the seat it comes with:

This is EVERYTHING this one stroller can do:

  

Resources -  Ok, I started this post off by saying I went to Mom's for my questions and not books... Well, I did follow one particular book (pretty closely) as my professional reference while I was pregnant (and still use it!)  No, I was not a What to Expect When Expecting mommy-to-be.  My doctor highly recommended I read and follow the Mayo Clinic: Guide to A Healthy Pregnancy.  I loved this so much because it was a week by week reference for information on how I should be feeling, information about each stage the baby is at, what the baby developed that week and so much more!  It then continues through childhood.  The main reason I really enjoyed this book was the fact that it never made me nervous or panic if I did not meet a specific milestone or if I felt I was ahead-of-the-game.  It gives a "this is what is typical, but everyone is different" approach.   

My two cents on what NOT to register for:

So, as soon as you decide on which stores to register at, that store(s) will give you a list recommending products to register for and how many.  I did my best to check as many items off of the list as possible so I was "well-rounded" when it came to baby supplies.  What I didn't think about was all the gifts we would receive once the baby arrived. 

1. As much as I love soft, cuddly baby blankets (and actually use a TON of them each and everyday) I would highly recommend either not registering for any or just very few.  You will be surprised how many you will get once baby arrives.  They make great personalization gifts for a newborn and the gender specific ones are so eye catching when you are deciding on that perfect gift for that new baby.  

2.  One thing I can say is, you can never have too many clothes for a baby... BUT...  that is pretty much the majority of what you will receive once baby is born.  Also, it truly is hard to buy too much ahead because you never know a) how big baby will be when they are born i.e.: will you need newborn size, 0-3 months, etc.  Jameson fit into ONE newborn outfit and that was it...  and b) how quickly they will grow... Jameson was wearing 6 month clothes at 4 months old.  He is now in 12 month clothes and 8 months old.  

3.  Diapers will be a hot commodity once baby arrives!  One hard lesson we learned (and actually was told this ahead of time, but I tried to beat the odds and go with my own opinion) was buying too many before baby arrived.  Couple issues:  1st, sizes...  We had newborn diapers and NEVER opened one box of them.  2nd, brand... I had no idea this was such an issue..  We registered for Huggies... Well known brand, common in all stores, came in all different counts... perfect... right??  WRONG!  Unfortunately Jameson peed through each and every Huggies diaper we put on him.  It is a trial and error game, but we found out the only diapers that worked on J for the first two months were Pampers Swaddlers.  I tried Huggies again as he got bigger and no such luck.  The only diapers he can wear are Pampers and Luvs.  Again, we had a pretty good supply of Huggies diapers and had to either give them to friends with babies or donate them.  I know you will need diapers when you get home from the hospital, but my suggestion would be to NOT stock pile until you try a few brands (most hospitals use Pampers, so you will get a good idea if they work or not even before leaving the hospital - and you get to take the extras home that were not used during your stay!!!)

4. Pacifiers - This is not an expensive purchase, so having a few on hand is ok.. but again, this is a trial and error game.  I registered for Softies, but Mr. Jameson did not like those!  They worked for a couple days while in the hospital, but after many purchases later we found out only the Nuk brand worked for us.  

Ok, ok... I will end my "rant" on baby items, but I hope this helps a little!  I am more than happy to share more of what worked for us and what did NOT work for us if you have any questions.