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Hey guys just to let you know, all new posts will be on http://labellemama.wordpress.com/ been having a few issues here!

6 Month Mommy Baby Update

So, Devin is almost 6 months old now! I can't believe how the time just seems to be flying.  He's turning into his own little person and it's wonderful.  Seeing him sitting up by himself, reaching out for pretty much anything within his reach is just remarkably satisfying.  People had said to me that babies start being "fun" at this age, and I honestly thought he'd been fun since the beginning but it really is true!  When we put him down for his sleep in the evening we actually miss his company!  Such fun!

(Our most recent Mommy/Baby pic)

Anyway that’s enough of my little rant from cloud 9.  I thought I'd do a little mommy baby update today as they are a particular favourite of mine to read at the moment.  I like seeing what's normal (any first time mamas will understand this worry) and what to expect in the coming weeks!

Height/Weight:   His most recent measurements are 8.6kg and 72cm.  He is already getting a little big for some of his 6-9 months clothes!  But he’s got a very tall daddy so I’m not worried!   I've learned not to get too tied up in what’s “normal”, it'll only cause unnecessary worry!

Mobility:  He is sitting up unaided now.  I still put my nursing pillow behind him so when he loses balances, it’s a soft landing!  He’s not crawling or moving around, but he has started rocking himself back and forth while sitting.  He does this when he’s focusing on something he likes, a toy or something and it really looks like he’s getting ready to lunge!  On occasion he does actually follow through with the lunge which is terrifying to watch (arghhh...bumps and bruises). 

Eating:  We started him on solids when he was four months.  It was very easy, it wasn’t my plan but we did it because he seemed to want it!  I will say though, he did go through a couple of weeks of ‘fussiness’ – teething again.  For anyone who is starting weaning now and having any problems – my go to food when he is being fussy is the jar of creamed porridge by Heinz.  I believe it has something to do with the gooey texture but yes, highly recommended.  In general though, he has three meals a day – his cereal in the morning with fruit, lunch time is his biggest feed – his favourite at the moment is a chicken and veg dinner. (Chicken is only a teeny tiny amount at the moment), and then another cereal/fruit type meal before bed.

 

(Not ALWAYS a fan of the new tastes!)

Sleeping:  We are no longer co-sleeping.  Devin has his own cot now, and he’s next to me in the bedroom.   If you are co-sleeping and planning on moving baby to his own cot or bed I would advise that you do it as early as possible!   Even a couple of months later, I feel if I had to do it now he’d be far too aware of what was happening!

As for Mommy, I’m now only nursing first thing in the morning.  Just to be clear about my reasons for stopping breastfeeding, I have to start my treatment again and obviously Devin can’t be getting any of that, it will also stop me from being able to nurse!  So, I feel extremely lucky that Devin led us to wean him, and move him on to solids and follow-on milk, because it doesn’t make me feel like I’m depriving him.  Stopping nursing was extremely emotional for me, and it’s certainly not easy to pump and dump instead of giving it to your baby, so we just do the one in the morning and soon this will stop too.

Well someone is shouting for attention now, so that’s my cue to leave!  Hope you enjoyed the update, thanks for reading!  Leave comments, tell me about your own experiences and links to blogs – always love a new read!

D xoxo

Baby 4 Month Update - Eating Solids!

It was only last month that I was getting upset at the thought of not being able to continue nursing Devin...but oh! How things have changed!

  

 (Showing his Teeth)

  

A month ago you should have seen me! The tears!  The reassuring words and hugs from Noel!  “Inadequate” was the word I used to describe myself.  For me it was that, after 3 months, I wasn’t producing as much as Devin needed – he was just getting hungrier and hungrier – I was no longer enough! 

 (Don't worry there's nothing in the cup, but he took it and did this himself!)

We noticed other changes in him along with this ever increasing appetite.   He was now starting to show a real interest in us when we were eating or drinking.  At the beginning of this month he got his first two teeth too.  These seemed like signs that he might be ready to try something new – I honestly thought it was a “hungry baby” type formula or something!  But one morning I was eating my cereal with Devin on my knee, I think I must have been reading or something because I suddenly realised he was being very quiet, so I looked down and realised he was STARING at my spoon!  Slowly, I moved it towards his mouth and sure enough he opened up and tried to take the spoon!  I didn’t actually allow him to take it, but we did take a trip to the shop and bought feeding spoons, bowls and baby rice!

We tried him with the baby rice and he managed about one spoonful!  I honestly wasn’t sure he was even ‘eating’ anything we tried him with.  I tried a new technique though, holding the spoon in his mouth for a few seconds – rather than just pushing it in as I had been!  It seemed to work, the banana I had fed him turned up in the...eh...poop!  YAY!

 (More High-Chair Adventures!)

So, the last time we went shopping we picked up a jar of baby food – one jar.  I opened it this morning, thinking there was no way I’d get through more than half of it and I was sure I’d end up having to throw it out.  I made up half and he DEVOURED it!  Then I gave him the other half and he was whinging because he still wanted more!  This afternoon I went and bought 6 more!

I guess all babies are different – he obviously knows what he needs, and he pretty much told us himself!  Babies are just amazing – I love him so much!

 

Has anyone got any similar experiences?   Let me know in the comments!

New House Update and Our Vlog is LIVE!

Hey guys, I’m so sorry I haven’t been blogging or tweeting or doing anything online at all!  Our internet hasn’t been installed yet – we’re waiting for SKY!  I am going to be so mad if it falls through, 2-3 weeks without internet is a nightmare!  

I’m currently using mobile data here, which I really hope I don’t exceed my limit of!  Hmmm, there may be tears when I open my bill!  

Well, we’ve moved!  I am so happy – we finally have a home for Devin, and he is LOVING it!  No more cabin fever for that little guy!

In “Devin” news this week:  He got his first two teeth!  I can’t tell you how relieved I was when they appeared!  He’s been suffering since December and being SUPER “drooly”!  We sort of assumed it was teeth, but you’ll always have that worry in the back of your mind “what if it’s something else?!” 

We also got Devin some baby rice, he’s not quite ready for solids just yet but we are letting him have a little taste now and then because he’s showing such interest in us eating and drinking!  He reaches for your cup of tea, or your spoon – it’s quite cute!

We also bought two new pieces of “furniture” for him!  We went out with the intention of buying one or the other but we ended up getting both!  A high-chair and an entertainment centre!  He LOVES his little entertainment centre!  It’s amazing the difference it makes – he just loves being upright so it’s perfect for him!

The new house is just perfect for us and I’m probably going to do a blog post just about the house itself and our “new home haul!”  But I do want to show you the little office Noel made for me – it’s got all my little bits and pieces, books, candles, make up and of course – you guys!

Just to let you know we did actually Vlog our house move, you can see that here:  http://youtu.be/Oo_sByVhAk4  If you enjoy it please LIKE the video ;) and leave me a comment x

Well, Devin is taking a nap, Noel has gone out to watch a game so that means I have some free time to catch up on my YouTube and read some blogs!  So I’m off to do that now – have a great week, talk to you soon!  

XoXo

Wanna Watch My Vlog?

So, I have seriously neglected my Blog lately!   We’re moving house next week AND Devin has been teething/sick – between the packing and the Calpol, it’s all been quite hectic!  Babies are HARD WORK!  (Not that I don’t LOVE it!!)  Does anyone else with a baby find it EXTREMELY difficult to find time to get anything done?  Leave comments and tell me I’m not alone!

 

Just to let you know, I have a few posts coming up soon, including a “beauty favourites” and some more mommy baby ones too – Just need to get a moment to take photos etc!  I do update Twitter with photos and stuff though!  I just set up LaBelleMama’s Facebook about 2 minutes ago too!   

 

Now, where was I...oh yes, Vlogging!  I have been watching Vlogs lately, and I think they’re great!  I don’t even watch TV anymore.  Is it just me, or is watching people doing everyday things actually surprisingly interesting?  Maybe it is just me, which is why I’m asking you guys first! 

I am thinking about Vlogging us moving house next week, what do you think?  Good idea, bad idea, would you watch it?

Leave me a comment and tell me what you think x

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My Pregnancy Story Part II

My pregnancy was a wonderful experience. Don't get me wrong now, I had morning sickness throughout, and at 37 weeks I was saying "come out already", but as a whole, I loved it!  It's not easy though, and I had actually forgotten that until I was reading through my pregnancy journal last night!

First Trimester

Excerpt from Week 8: "I'm sick, then hungry, sick, then hungry...then sick..oh and I'm tired ALL THE TIME" (LOL! Wow). "Noel looks after me so well, he makes me tea and toast and drives me to work."

Yes, driving myself made me car sick.  I actually forgot about this, but it's true - I had to carry sick bags!  As for the tea and toast - I had a mad aversion to dairy - if I saw it, I'd be sick!  So, I could drink tea with milk but only if someone else poured the milk! RIDICULOUS

Cravings: "It's not so much what I'm craving, as much as what's not making me throw up!!" I went through phases where I could only eat one thing as it had been tried and tested and didn't result in the ole barf-a-rooneys!  I was extremely lucky too - McDonalds, Pizza and basically anything bad for you made me so sick!  (Not anymore though!! Ha ha ha!)

 

Second Trimester:

This is the time when you get to see your baby on a scan for the first time, and in most cases find out the sex of the baby.

 

Excerpt from Week 21: "How did I feel when I saw the scan? Amazing. My heart was beating so fast!  We saw every perfect bit of you.  We found out you were a boy...that made no difference except that we could call you "him". I love you.

Around this time I also did some major nesting.  I started cleaning the apartment from top to toe.  I was kind of ridiculous actually telling myself "he could touch that when he's crawling" - incidentally he's three months old now and we're moving, so crawling in this apartment was definitely not something to worry about!

I was FULL of energy and I loved the smell of cleaning products - sounds dangerous but I can assure you it wasn't!  However my major craving began at this time too - sponges.  Yes, you read correctly.  Not just any sponge though, the type with the rough exfoliating bit.  I chewed them but I didn't eat them, but the two texture feel was a necessity.

I was sick throughout the pregnancy and my second trimester saw the puke in the car incident, my amazing sister saved the day though.  She and her hubby own a car detailing business (very high end and no way could I afford them) but they sent a crew out to me at work to clean up my mess!

Third Trimester:

During week 28 I was an absolute emotional wreck!  Noel was taken into hospital with a ruptured appendix.  I remember looking at him and genuinely thinking he looked like he was dying, that sounds dramatic but the only appendix stories I've ever heard have been disastrous!  He was fine in the end though!

Excerpt from Week 28:  "you're moving so so much...I think you know something is wrong"

He sort of suddenly started moving a lot when Noel was in the hospital!  It was actually weirdly comforting, it made me feel like I wasn't alone - incredible baby bonding that week.

Around week 34 is when the real restlessness began! I was standing on chairs cleaning cupboards, taking down curtains, washing windows etc. I was still working too - which my doctor suggested/implied I shouldn't have been as I'm on my feet all day in work!  There was no way I was stopping early - I'd go crazy at home waiting for him!

 

 Labour (the short and sweet edit):

Labour began while I was playing Call of Duty!  (Note have not played since having him - no time for that!! ) I wasn't really sure what it was but it was sore enough to stop playing Xbox!  6 hours later I decided I should go to hospital.  Noel drove me in and 12 hours later I had my gorgeous baby boy!

If anyone actually wants to hear the labour story I can write a post about it, but I think it's one of those things people don't like hearing about!

If there's anything you'd like to share please comment below!

I'm on Twitter too @doherty_dee