From the very beginning…
Useful Info
ok, seriously
116 years
If you need to call us, do it before 7pm or don’t do it at all. We average about 1 call a week that wakes Ian up. Right now he’s screaming from an earache or something and the phone is ringing. He’s been fussy all night and trying to locate a phone to shut it off before it wakes him up is very annoying.
Seriously, don’t call us. Once he’s 5 or 6, then we’ll reconsider.
11th Month Milestones
016 years
Here’s a look at what’s to come provided by Enfamil:
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Cruising the Furniture
This month, it may be helpful to think of your baby as an Olympic athlete. Walking is his sport. But he can’t win the gold medal without hours and hours of training. That’s why your little contender seems obsessed with standing and with hanging onto the furniture.
Sometime soon he’ll let go and take his first step. Then you’ll know it’s time to stand up and cheer. In the meantime, give your baby lots of encouragement. Standing, stepping, and balancing are all tough skills to master. And now he has to coordinate all three. Which means he needs lots of supervision, too. “Cruising” the furniture is risky business. He’s bound to wind up tumbling over now and then. A small price to pay for victory.
“Bye-Bye”
One of the highlights of parenting happens in these last months of your baby’s first year. You’ve been talking to your baby all his life. Suddenly one day he’ll start talking to you. A world of communication opens up when your child starts putting words to objects and people.
Expect him to start small. Sentences are beyond him. So are big words. He might start with single syllables. “Da” for Daddy or “buh” for bye-bye. Simple and sweet. You’ll never forget the way he says his first words.
Becoming More Independent
Your baby is so determined to walk, he’ll try almost anything that works. What happens if he takes two big steps? Two little steps? Should he hold the crib rail with his right hand or left? He’s conducting experiments. He’s also learning that there’s more than one way to do things. The freedom to experiment gives your baby’s confidence a boost.
One small step for your baby is a big step for his independence. Freedom is thrilling. You might feel a little wistful, watching your baby cruise around the room. He’s not a cuddly little newborn anymore. But he needs you as much as ever. Pretty soon you’ll be walking hand in hand.
Brain Teaser
Did you know…many of your baby’s experiences, as well as connections in the motor areas of his brain, help him learn to walk?
Did you Know
Baby talk may start to take on some real meaning now. He’s also beginning to comprehend some of the words directed at him, especially if you add familiar intonations and facial expressions.
Activity
With all that physical activity, your baby may need help calming down. Reading to him can help him relax.
Standing On His Own Two Feet
Your baby is steady enough on his feet to stand on his own. At some point between 9 and 14 months, he’ll take his first step. And even though his little feet might not take him far, it’s a giant step for both of you. Until then, he’ll be “cruising†along the furniture, testing his balance, and trying to push himself to go just one baby step farther. It’s all part of his new self-confidence and independence.
Party Preparations
Believe it or not, it’s time to start preparing for your baby’s first birthday. But before you stock up on invitations, think about a small gathering of just your immediate family. At this age, too much noise is apt to upset your baby. So the fewer the people, the merrier. But feel free to have as many balloons and streamers as you like. And a cake that’s big enough to photograph. Or anything else that makes you happy. After all, this is your celebration as much as your baby’s. You’ve made it through one year of motherhood.
Look What’s Coming
* It’s been an eventful year — for the two of you!
* Learn about her nutritional needs in the coming year.
* Upgrade her toys, she’s moving on.
Life past baby food
216 years
As everyone is aware of by now, Ian has started eating table foods now. It’s gotten to the point where he doesn’t even like regular baby food anymore. I can give him some and he’ll take a little of it, but as soon as Jesse or I sit down with food, he’s right there all hungry again. So now I’m looking for good lunchtime meals. It’s been so long since I actually made myself lunch that I’ve sorta forgot what it entails. I’ve picked up some things that I think Ian should be able to eat, but I’m looking for more suggestions. I’ve already received some help, so if there’s something I’m missing, please chime in.
- Applesauce
- Cottage Cheese
- Sliced soft lunch meat (towards 1 yr)
- Toast (w/grape jelly)
- Crackers
- Graham Crackers
- Rice
- Spaghetti (Noodles and Sauce)
- Cooked Frozen Peas/corn
- Boca Burgers (really good idea, cut into pieces)
- Boca Chix patties
- Watermelon (fresh food feeder)
- Cantaloupe (fresh food feeder)
- Bananas
- Soft Granola Bars (fruit center)
- Mashed Potatoes
- Baked Apple (easy in microwave/toaster oven)
- Mac n Cheese
- Oatmeal
- Biscuits
- Hard Bread
- Soups/Stews (just make sure the pieces are cut)
I was also given these suggestions for when Ian started 3rd foods, but he’s way past that.
- Canned Foods: (microwave for 20 seconds the warm ones)
- Green beans
- Cream corn (nutritional value?)
- Peaches
- Mixed veggies (potatoes, carrots etc, good with shredded cheese)
- Diced/cut carrots (cut these smaller-carrots are slippery)
- Pears
- New Potatoes
- Peas
- Ravioli (cut smaller of course)
- Gerber Pasta Pick-ups (cut smaller)
What I’ve learned about baby food
016 years
Ever since Ian started eating baby food, I’ve learned some things that are handy to know.
- Don’t buy 1st foods – I know the doctor says to start off with the first foods (i.e. squash, carrots, applesauce, etc), but the only difference between the 1st foods and the 2nd foods is the consistency and you’re suppose to thicken it up with cereal anyway. Why waste the money on the smaller containers when you’re just turning it into the next stage?
- Rice cereal can be troublesome – It’s the first type of cereal we’re suppose to start out on, but next time, as soon as I can migrate to oatmeal cereal, I’m going to. Rice had a tendency to bind Ian up so much, that it affected his sleep. At 4 months old, I wanted to get more sleep at night, not less. He was sleeping so well until we tried the rice cereal.
- Gerber Graduates – The fruit and veggie puffs are awesome; the dried fruit is better than what you can find in the produce section; and they have these little meals that Ian can pick up with his fingers. Everything fits perfectly into his little hands and he can feed himself. He’s extremely messy when he tries to feed himself, but he can do it. These are perfect to teach and learn on, but I wouldn’t depend on them for everyday meals and snacks. For one, once Ian started eating more and more, they get to the point where you need more to keep him happy and that is just too expensive. By the time Ian mastered the fruit puffs, he was already eating animal crackers and pretzels.
- Just in case 3rd foods – The stage 3 foods from Gerber are nice to have on hand. Once Ian started wanting table food, I stopped using them as meals for him. However, there have been times they’ve come in handy. For instance, when I make something he can’t have or I’ll stash a couple jars in his diaper bag in case we’re out and about and he’s hungry for more than dried fruit. They are good for snacks during the day and when you’re traveling and you can’t share your meal. Plus, they only have six different types, so he gets bored with them fast.
- Juice – Start juice when you start the baby food. I didn’t start giving Ian juice until he was six months old and he wouldn’t take it at all. At the time, he was still getting breastmilk, so I don’t know if that had anything to do with it, but he would not take the juice. I’ve also found that he’ll take the mix fruit juice better than apple juice or any other single type juices. Once I started mixing up the foods and giving him meals (aka chicken noodle or beef vegetable), he started taking juice a lot more.
- Water / Hot & Cold – It took us awhile to get Ian to drink water. Mainly because it always ended up being warm. He does not like anything cold. He’s getting better at it now, but that first bite still gets an ugly face. It wasn’t until we could get him to take cold water that he started taking other things that are cold. I’m not talking about going cold turkey and going from hot to cold within moments, but definitely start cooling down water until the baby could handle it.
I feel like there is more than I haven’t mentioned yet, so I’m going to continually update this. I can’t think of anything else right this minute, but I know something will come to me.
10th Month Milestones
016 years
from Enfamil
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New Attention Grabbers
Forget the toys. Babies are fascinated by everyday objects. Your baby would rather play with car keys, pots, pans and the remote control.
And soon she’ll take this fascination to a new level. At around 10 months, babies start imitating everyday behavior. So your 10-month-old may try to use the phone, brush her hair or stir her cereal with her finger. This is more than simply having fun. Your baby is learning through observation.
Social Communication
Most babies learn the meaning of the word “no” at around this age. And although your baby probably won’t say it, she will understand it. Saying “no” firmly and clearly is a good way to set limits. Especially when your baby’s safety is at stake.
Don’t be surprised if your 10-month-old starts shaking her head from side to side when she doesn’t want to do something. This head shake is one of the earliest gestures babies make.
Separation Wariness
This month your baby may start acting a bit funny around strangers. What happened to your sweet, affectionate, outgoing child? “She’s not usually like this,” you say when she cowers and cries around relatives or friends.
Parents often feel embarrassed and anxious when their babies get “clingy.” But stranger wariness and its twin, separation wariness, are actually healthy signs. The fact that she’s experiencing them means your baby is learning the difference between familiar and unfamiliar situations.
She’s also learning about object permanence. Meaning she’s beginning to understand that things continue to exist even when she can’t see them.
Separation wariness occurs because your baby knows you’re out there somewhere and she wants you back.
Brain Teaser
Did you know……development in the brain’s frontal cortex is associated with solving problems and controlling emotions?
A Mind of Her Own
As your little one prepares to walk, she knows her independence in all kinds of ways. Master of her universe, she cruises around her crib, taking small, then big steps. And now, she responds to things with extra emphasis.
Like shaking her head when she says no. She’s not only expressing herself, she’s trying to do grown-up things she’s observed. That may include using a hair brush on her delicate locks, or picking up the phone to make a call.
Your Daily Vitamin D
Your baby needs vitamin D as part of a balanced diet. Among other things, vitamin D helps develop strong bones and teeth by aiding in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. It’s easy to make sure your growing baby gets enough vitamin D by feeding her Enfamil® NEXT STEP® LIPIL® milk-based toddler formula. If she doesn’t take at least 17 fluid ounces of formula daily, ask your doctor about a vitamin supplement.
Getting Used to Independence
While your baby is enjoying her new independence, she may have other feelings about it, too. You may notice that she’s becoming a little more clingy now and then. Or she may boldly crawl away from you, then look frightened if she can’t find you. Experts call it separation anxiety, and it’s very normal at this stage. Your love and patience will help her find the balance between needing Mom and needing to be her own little person.
See What’s Coming
- See how your baby is stepping up to the plate.
- It’s time to start reading him stories.
9th Month Milestones
016 years
from Enfamil
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Acting Intelligently
Naturally, you think your baby is a genius. Every new parent does. But until now, your smart little cookie didn’t have what the experts call intelligence. Meaning the ability to solve a problem by figuring out an effective response to a new situation.
Watch your nine-month-old when he encounters a problem. For example, what does he do when you “disappear” behind an obstacle such as a couch? He wants to play with you. But the couch blocks his path. A few months ago, he could only cry. This month, clues like the sound of your voice help him find a solution. He crawls around the couch and smiles triumphantly.
“Mama” and “Dada”
As far as babies are concerned, “baby talk” is serious business. That’s part of why it’s so funny to be parents. Your baby may be babbling, but he seems to think he’s making perfect sense.
Your baby has been mimicking adult speech patterns for weeks, combining vowel sounds (ah, uh) and consonant sounds (da, na). This month he will start making more combinations that sound like words (“mama,” “dada”). Eventually he’ll make a connection between the words and the objects they refer to.
When will he start making perfect sense? When he starts calling you Mama.
Gaining Control Over Relationships
A nine-month-old is worlds away from a six-month-old. Both socially and emotionally. Your baby will rely on his advanced motor and cognitive skills this month to get the attention he craves. He’ll reach out his arms and demand to be held. Insist on sharing your food. Crawl happily toward you when you walk in the door.
Your baby has a new feeling of control over his relationships and interactions. Sometimes this makes life difficult for Mom and Dad. Why sit still for a diaper change when playing is so much more fun?
Brain Teaser
Did you know…you can help your baby’s brain develop by exposing him to interesting experiences, toys, and games?
You’re little “people person”
As your baby’s cognitive abilities develop, he’ll start taking control of his social life. That means things like letting you know when he wants to be picked up and held, and when he doesn’t. Crawling toward you, or away. Don’t worry if he’s not always consistent. He’s just trying out his independence.
He may be using his new physical and mental abilities to interact more with his surroundings, too. If his favorite ball rolls behind the sofa, chances are he’ll figure out how to get it.
A Nutritional Nugget
At this stage, you want to make sure your baby is getting vitamin E as part of a balanced diet. Vitamin E is needed for normal growth and development. It’s also an antioxidant that helps keep his cells functioning optimally. If you’re formula-feeding, your baby will get the vitamin E he needs, not to mention other important nutrients, from Enfamil LIPIL®.
Soon, your baby will be a toddler. To be confident that he will get all the nutrients he needs, try Enfamil® NEXT STEP® LIPIL® toddler formulas. It has as much calcium and vitamin D ounce-per-ounce as whole milk, while supplying more iron, vitamin C, and vitamin D. It’s a nutritious alternative to milk. And it’s the only toddler formula that has LIPIL, our blend of DHA and ARA, important building blocks for your toddler’s developing brain and eyes.
A Moment for Mom’s
As your baby’s getting wiser and more active, it may feel sometimes as if it’s getting harder for you to stay on top of everything. That’s only natural. You have a lot going on in addition to the needs of your nine-month-old. So, instead of feeling as if you’ve got to do it all in a given day, prioritize. Decide what absolutely must get done, and leave the rest for another time. Then, spend the day with your favorite priority. Your baby.
- See how your baby is becoming “master of her universe.”
- What’s so important about vitamin D?
- How to deal with her new sense of independence.
8th Month Milestones
017 years
from Enfamil
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Playing Detective
Your eight-month-old is like a detective on an important case. Clues about how the world works are everywhere. She is suddenly fascinated by everything. A scrap of paper. A human face. A tree moving in the wind. Your baby will spend this month systematically looking, listening, and touching.
By eight months, your baby can see objects at a distance. Try standing at the doorway when someone familiar comes to visit. See how she starts to smile and wiggle in greeting? Her improved vision gives her more information about her surroundings.
This month your baby will start investigating toys by turning them around in her hands. You can imagine her thinking, “Hmm, this is interesting.” Examining is a fine motor skill. It’s also an incredible developmental milestone. Focusing her attention on an object allows her to learn more about it.
Standing Up
Your baby has focused on using her arms and hands during the past few months. Now she’s turning her attention to her legs. Expect to see more ambitious crawling. You’ll notice her sitting for longer periods. Even standing up. She will achieve these feats because of her stronger, more limber muscles.
Her hip and knee joints are starting to “lock” in, instead of collapsing under the weight of her body. Soon she will be pulling herself up on the sofa. Even standing in place.
Peek-a-boo
At eight months, your baby will love games like “Peek-a-boo.” Another favorite is “Pat-a-cake.” Experts call these games social play. They’re fun for the whole family. And they’re also a great learning opportunity.
Even simple games have rules. Your baby will discover how to coordinate her part of the game with yours. She will also learn that games have a sequence of events. You cover your eyes with your hands. You open your hands and say, “Peek-a-boo.” Then everybody cheers and laughs.
Brain Teaser
Did you know…that your baby’s short-term memory improves at this age?
Useful Info for New Moms
017 years
by Jaxon
in Useful Info
Whenever I meet a new mom, I always think about what I was going through when I was in her place. Usually I had a ton of questions and was looking for things to do. Over the past seven months, I’ve actually have found a bunch of useful sites and I’ve been passing them along to anyone who will listen. I finally realized that maybe I should say something on my site, that way more people have a chance to see it. The following are some of the useful information I’ve accumulated over the past couple of months that haven’t made an appearance here as of yet. I’m sure this list will grow, but it’s a pretty good starting point right now. If you know of any other good sites, let me know. I’m always looking for more.
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Raising Them – It’s a discussion board for all kinds of moms. There’s a group called “first time moms” that I belong to and it has really helped me. I can ask a lot of the questions that I don’t want to bother the peds with (aka suggestions on sleep routines, how to get them to sleep longer, etc). Other mom’s will generally get back to you pretty quick. I usually get answers within an hour or two. Each group (there’s a different group for everything – moms with boys, moms with twins, etc.) has a chat room. Whether they use it or not, I’m not sure, but I know there are a couple of moms who get together after 8:30pm in the First Time Mom’s group.
Ian Hawthorn – This site. I am using it as a journal and started it while I was pregnant. Anytime I find information that I find useful, I stick it in a category called “useful info“. I will also put up random comments about issues I’m having and I have people who will comment and give suggestions.
YWCA Mom’s Group – this is a group of a bunch of moms that get together every Thursday for social hour, more or less. Here’s their spiel: “We are a diverse group of SAHMs who meet once a week at the YWCA. Some weeks we have outings, other weeks a guest speaker and sometimes we just hang out and chat about what’s going on in our lives. Childcare is available for a nominal fee or children can stay with Mom. New Moms are always welcome.” If you’re not in the Oakland county area, then I would definitely check your local YWCA or YMCA to see if they have a similar group or if they know of any in the area.
The public library generally has a bunch of stuff you’ll be able to take the little one to. Our library has a monthly story time (usually the last saturday of the month). They also have a lot of programs during the week (both during the day and at night). This summer they had a puppet show and a rock concert for the little ones. Both were really great. The rock band was Candy Band and they did a lot of children songs.
Mom to Mom Sales Listing – it lists a bunch of mom-to-mom sales. They are basically a huge garage sale where everything is kid related. You can find all kinds of stuff. I went to one last week and found a snow suit, bunting for Ian’s carseat, tons of clothes, a jumper, etc. Another good place to find stuff for kids is http://www.craigslist.org. I’ve sold and bought stuff from there and everything is generally really good. On a side note, I have a travel swing I am trying to get rid of, if you’re interested.
If you’re looking for information on the different stages of infants/toddlers, I would check out Born Learning. A couple other good sites ar the e Enfamil and Similiac webpages. Make sure you sign up for whatever it is they have. They’ll send you free cans of formula and coupons every so often. Enfamil will also send out a newsletter called “your kid at….” every month.
Boys & Germs
117 years
I was sent this article – Too Clean? Fight Against Germs Fuels Allergy Increase – and it made me think of George Carlin. I know, strange, but he has a bit where he’s complaining about just this sort of thing. How people are so worried about germs these days that it’s obnoxious. Granted, I try to clean everything before Ian gets his hands on it, but I don’t believe I’m going overboard. After all, Ian is a boy and sooner or later I’m going to come across him eating a worm or dirt or something equally disgusting. He might as well become accustomed to germs now….he’s going to be getting into them whether I want him to or not.
7th Month Milestones
017 years
Enfamil’s 7 Month Milestones
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Dropping Games
This month your baby will enjoy dropping things and watching them fall. Sitting in his high chair creates the perfect opportunity to drop a spoon. A rattle. Whatever else is handy. Pick it up and he’ll drop it again. This cycle can become frustrating for Mom and Dad. But your baby is learning lots in the process.
Amazing as it seems, dropping helps your baby to understand an object’s characteristics. Heavy or light? Hard or soft? Noisy or quiet? Your baby is also learning that his actions make things happen. This is the scientific principle known as cause and effect. And your baby is developing a memory of the object. Remembering that it still exists as it falls through the air and lands on the floor.
Reaching with One Hand
As your baby masters sitting up, you’ll notice that he’s beginning to grab things with one hand instead of two. This step allows your little guy to make all kinds of new discoveries. Holding a toy with only one hand means that he can use the other to do something useful. Push a button, for example, or pull a lever. In the next few months, he’ll get much better at using his hands as tools.
Fingers are tools, too. Have you noticed that your baby sometimes picks things up with a palmer grasp, using his fingers to push something into his palm? Around this age, he may also begin picking up small things by pressing his thumb against the base of his pointer finger. This is called the scissors grasp.
Hearing and Language
Your seven-month-old is a remarkably good listener. That’s why he’s already making big strides toward learning how language works. He listens carefully to the words he hears most often, like “mommy,” “daddy,” and his own name.
Amazingly, your baby knows the sound of some familiar words. When babies hear people talk, they hear a continuous stream of words, all slurred together without periods or commas. But your seven-month-old is already learning to pick out where words begin and end. Language experts call this word segmentation. The next step is understanding what words mean. Word comprehension usually begins between eight and ten months.
Brain Teaser
Did you know…that your baby is becoming more aware of new things, which can make him feel wary or fearful? This may be happening because new connections are forming between the cortex and the deep brain structures associated with emotions.
Attention Getter
Your baby enjoys a rich social life now. He may respond to his name, and is excited to see people he recognizes. He’ll babble or cough to get your attention, and raise his arms to be picked up. You may notice he’s dropping things, too. But the goal isn’t really to get your attention. He’s actually learning about the object and about the principle of cause-and-effect.
A Nutritional Nugget
No doubt, you’ve already heard about the importance of vitamin C in your baby’s diet. You can rest assured that if you’re breastfeeding or feeding your baby Enfamil LIPIL® infant formula, you’re giving him his vitamin C. Not to mention the other nutrients he needs to grow and develop, like DHA and ARA. Remember these important nutrients found naturally in breast milk are also found in Enfamil LIPIL. With breast milk levels* of these nutrients, Enfamil LIPIL is the only brand that’s been shown in independent clinical studies to improve brain and eye development.†And the blend of nutrients in Enfamil LIPIL supports the developing immune system.
To ensure your baby is getting all the vitamin C he needs, doctors recommend that your baby drink breast milk or formula for at least the first twelve months of life. Cow’s milk lacks the proper amounts of vitamin C and iron that your baby needs to develop. Plus, it contains higher levels of proteins and minerals that are not appropriate for babies.
Also, now’s the time to talk to your doctor, if you haven’t already done so, about expanding baby’s menu of solid foods.
Life of the Party
At this age, your little one is a master at taking center stage. And since your baby is such a showoff, it’s a great time to show him off. While you’re widening his social circle, make sure it includes babysitters and relatives who might help care for him in the future. In a month or two, stranger anxiety is bound to set in. So, in the meantime, why not enjoy his willingness to be with others?