Breastfeeding

Warning: This post is going to be exactly what the title says so if it not of interest to you then don't read.

So I had to officially give up breastfeeding this month. I no longer had the patience and energy to do both bottles and breast. It was exhausting because I never knew if Kendrick was getting enough milk. I was really losing my milk so I kept trying to cut out bottles and only breastfeed but he was just not having that. I finally just had to do an ultimatum with him and when he choose bottle over me I cried and moved on.

This post is really just going to be a journal for me so I can know what I would do different next time. The 3 biggest mistakes were exercising, not eating enough, and having periods. I started a exercise routine 2 months after delivering and my milk supply decreased oh so fast. I just couldn't eat enough for my supply and exercising. I also quit taking my acid pill during the same time so it made eating large amounts nearly impossible because I didn't want to have acid reflux all day. Even when I quit exercising I still don't think I could eat enough calories to keep up with Kendrick. Periods were just the worst thing for my milk. Call me crazy but each month I'd have a period it was like pulling teeth to try and get milk out. My milk would always come back after.. but with less :( I would have to pump almost my whole period because Kendrick would be so frustrated he wouldn't even latch on. It was very disheartening.

Things I would do different:
* Never introduce the bottle. (I like bottle feeding more so this one will be hard)
* Make a 4 month meal plan before giving birth.
* Make lots and lots of freezer meals.
* Live by my mother who cooks delicious food :)
* Don't do cardio exercising but maybe just some light yoga to tone up.
* Possibly take some birth control that makes it so I don't have periods. (Um I'm not yet convinced I will ever go back on birth control but if it is the only solution to keep breastfeeding then possibly).
* When baby sleeps through the night go to bed when they do... and sleep sleep sleep.
* Get comfortable with breastfeeding in public. When a baby needs to eat they gotta eat and it shouldn't be a big deal.
* Carry food in the diaper bag for me to eat. 
* Sign up and go to breastfeeding groups that will encourage me to keep going if I get frustrated.
* Don't let baby sleep more than 8-9 hours during the night when breastfeeding (wish I had known about this one sooner because Kendrick was a 12hr sleeper sometimes).

6 months

My little man seriously can't get any cuter... at least that is what I tell myself every day and yet somehow he still does. He is learning and growing so quickly. He is a drama boy but the endless smiles make up for his occasional grumps. He gets the most grumpy when he is hungry or tired. It is so funny to watch him go from giggling to fussing to sleeping all in a matter of minutes. He is a fantastic sleeper. He may not always stay asleep long for naps but he is so easy to put down that when he does short nap days he gets like 5 or more of them and he LOVES being put in his crib each time.

Kendrick has been practicing sitting up and feeding himself. He can do both but sometimes gets lazy. My favorite thing he does when feeding himself is watching him pick up the food in one hand switch it to the other hand and then aim for his mouth. When he sits up he does really well as long as there is a toy to grab onto. If he falls over he gets really frustrated and want to sit back up. He is a very silly mister.

The other day Kendrick woke up at 5am hungry (and not feeling well) and while Nate was getting his bottle he snuggled me and fell back asleep. I felt like I had my snuggly newborn back and it made waking up early worth ever second.

I keep track of Kendrick's growing/ learning progress on a scrapbook calendar so I will probably only blog about the few highlights that I think of when I feel like blogging :) and of course a place to show off my cutie mister Kendrick.

So now that we are in Washington and I really didn't want to pack his green picture blanket that I use for his month pictures... so I just used his favorite one instead. The blue sport blanket is like almost better than a binky for him. He snuggles the blanket like it is his best friend in the world.

Camas, WA

Kendrick was a fantastic traveler. I couldn’t have asked for a better Mister in the car. He slept just about the entire ride and only would get fussy when he was hungry. The thirteen hours I was dreading turned out better than I deserved.

I have LOVED Washington. It is beautiful, the people are friendly, and Kendrick has been all smiles. He has somehow put himself on the most wonderful schedule and made parenting a breeze. Nate and I can’t help but love him more and more with each passing day.

In the few days that we have been here we have already played games, gone shopping, had a play dates, barbequed, and enjoyed time with family. I think the next six weeks are going to be a fun time for us. I look forward to the possibility of moving here some day.

Because Kendrick now has a beautiful cuz to play with I couldn’t resist some pictures of them together. It was hard to choose my favorite so I tried to just post the ones where it showed their personalities.

Oh how I love being an Auntie and Mother!!

Friday Info

Kendrick has me completely wrapped around his tiny fingers. I am so in love with my little man. He melts my heart with every look. I wish I could freeze moments in time and document them. A camera just can't capture the special memories that I get to have with him every day.

I recently got a haircut and Kendrick magically went from grabbing to softly playing with my hair. He has also started to grab my face and pull it into his for a hug when he starts to get sleepy. He is soooo easy to put down for sleep. For naps he usually just wants a hug and then be put down in his crib. At night he likes to be held and rocked before being put down but I'm enjoying every bit of cuddles I can get.

Kendrick is on the move. He learned how to roll over around 4 months but he didn't ever take a great liking to it until now. I find him in the weirdest positions now when he plays on the floor. He is constantly flipping and reaching for new discoveries. He may not be crawling but he knows how to roll to new adventures. I am amazed at how much he has changed in just a weeks time.

Well, we are packing up and getting ready for Washington. We are really looking forward to a 6 week (work) vacation. Kendrick turns into perfect baby with other kids so I'm hoping he too will like the time with his cousins. I can hardly wait for the adventures that await.

My Baby Daddy

Nathan is by far the best Daddy I could have ever asked for. He continually surprises me with his fatherly skills. He works harder than anyone I know and then comes home ready to spend time with his family. Sundays are still the best days in our house because Kendrick knows that it is Daddy day. Kendrick turns into daddy's boy and I don't mind a bit.

I am so lucky to have such a wonderful companion. Happy Father's Day Nathan!!

A cute text message from Nathan: Kendrick LOVES to watch the cars pass by outside. I usually sit outside with him while we wait for daddy to get home from work. On Saturday he was being a little grumpy and when I told Nate, this was his response... "Oh Sad! Tell him if he's good he can go watch cars pass by with daddy when I get home." They both know how to melt my heart. I LOVE my 2 boys.

5 months

Taking a Splash

Kendrick LOVES swimming. We had a bit of a rough start because of sleepiness but when we tried it again he was a happy little man. We started out in a warm pool then moved to a colder one and he loved them both. I was more irritated about being cold than he was. I love having a little fish and I can hardly wait to go again.

Other than the day Kendrick was born this is the only picture we have of the 3 of us.