#MomBrag

I honestly feel like Milo grew up overnight.

Let's start out here:
This morning, he woke up earlier than he usually does and I was sure I could get him back to sleep by rocking him. Wrong-o. He started screaming and Sean woke up and went to get him a bottle. He ate a little bit but wouldn't stop squirming.

Lately, he's been having a lot of tummy troubles and it's only incredibly difficult. We've tried several formulas, I went off dairy for a week (hardest week of my life), and it hasn't gotten any better. We are going back to the first formula he ever had, because that was when he was pooping best, and hopefully that works. We have a doctor's appointment in a couple weeks so, if it's not all cleared up by then, we can get some direction with all this.

Anyway, I unwrapped him, changed his diaper, and played with him for a little bit while Sean slept. We went to wake dad up and then he got in the shower. As he was showering, I put Milo in tummy time and he rolled over by himself! I went and told Sean. Thinking this might be a fluke, we tried it again. Success! Sean finally got out of the shower and he did it a 3rd time before being done with it. Yay Milo! He's done it one other time since then and I am SO proud.

Here's the other thing: THAT'S NOT IT!
I was putting him down for his second nap today and he would not calm down in my arms. Usually, I can get him mostly asleep before putting him down and walking away with him still asleep. His naps have gotten SO much easier this past month. Anyway, I figured he might be a little hungry still, so I put him in his crib and went to get him some food. When I came back, he was asleep. ALL BY HIMSELF.

Guys. I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am. He's a really good baby.

But even good babies have challenges...

Next month, we're going to MN for a wedding and we accidentally booked a flight with a 7 hour layover in Denver. So, naturally, I had a meltdown when I found out. Once I composed myself, I researched the cuss out of flying with a baby and NOTHING had any layover advice.

So we're still a little lost. But we've never been flying together (Me and Sean or Us and baby), so maybe it won't be as bad as it could be. #prayingsohard we can all be okay and he'll still get naps and that he'll sleep on the plane. I've actually only ever flown twice. So. But at least I won't be by myself. At least.

And I am possibly the most organized, over-preparing, person I know, so maybe that will help. I have several lists going of things to do, to pack, where to pack, questions for the doctor, etc.

Oh, he's awake now. Better go get him.
Love, Ellen

3 Month Update!

Yeah, so I'm not great at blog updates.

SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED! Milo is so smart and strong already, I don't know what I'm going to do. Here is a bulleted list of Milo updates.

• He loves to stand up so much that sometimes, I have to manipulate him into sitting. ALREADY. That's like a 2 year old thing. I sure hope I'll be able to handle his inevitable rambunctiousness...
• Milo is SO close to rolling over from his tummy. I just need to be persistent with tummy-time so he learns to use his legs instead of just being a superman all the time. But I wouldn't be surprised if sometime next week he was rolling over. No more immobile baby for me... 
• Today, he played with his first toy for real. He grabbed the Sophie la Giraffe toy and tried eating it. He was coaxed a little bit, but only to separate his hands that have been recently glued together by spit. 
• Oh, yeah. He's started sucking on his hands hardcore. Sometimes when we're driving places, you can hear popping and sucking noises coming from the backseat. The days of silent driving are over, that's for sure. 
• He is laughing! It cracks me up to see him laugh. His smile is the biggest smile I've ever seen ever, I'm pretty sure. He's got his mouth wide open, his cheeks bulging, and his eyes are the happiest. 
• He's taking regular naps! It's not always a walk in the park to get him down, but he's sleeping on his own for about 40 minutes at a time 4 times a day. Hallelujah. He's still doing really well at night and I'm just really proud of him. 

As for the rest of us:

• Sean and I have been married for a whole 3 years! Time flies. Also, it's felt like forever. In the best way, of course. I sure love that guy and I'm the happiest ever to be married to him. (ahh... mushy gush)
• Sean is doing so much at his new job but it's all super impressive. Right now, he's working on furnishing a mother's room that's going to be in FORBES MAGAZINE. Guys. That's so impressive. I'm so proud of him.
• I never in my life thought I would be going up and down so many stairs. Having lived a good third of my life in single-floor homes, all I wanted when my parents moved into a real house was stairs. Now I have my own house and a good third of my house is stairs. With three levels, not including the unfinished basement, I spend all day walking up and down stairs. In fact, all in the time it took to write this, I've had to go up to Milo's room and back to the computer approx. 6 times. And I'm so not complaining. My legs look awesome because of it. 
• Tonight, we're going to Cornbelly's with some of Sean's old work friends! I'm excited! We're definitely going to eat deep-fried treats, which is the best. 

Here's some pictures!

A Few Things...

1. I'm the queen of "spoke too soon"
Example 1: "Milo is finally asleep!" (cries from upstairs). Every. Time.
Example 2: I should make me something to eat... (cries from upstairs)

2. When Milo takes longer naps, I don't know what to do with myself... Eat more food? Browse more Pinterest? Check on him again? Nap? I just don't know! But that's certainly not saying I like the shorter naps. Don't think that.

3. I'm going to decorate my house for halloween! I'll try try to post pictures.

4. I'm so excited to wear sweaters again!

Mad World and the Job of a Mother

I'm sitting in Milo's room holding him as he naps in hopes for a possibly extended nap because he's been too tired all day. Naturally, I was just perousing Facebook and only everything I saw was some sort of devastation or corruption. As if it isn't hard enough to stay positive in this ever depressive world...

All any mother wants is and has been for their children to grow up in a better world where violence isn't around every corner and fearing for their lives isn't something struggled with on a daily basis.

To be honest, I would much much rather see everyone's baby pictures and puppy pictures and good news posts than everyone being mindless bullies with poor grammar and a high wall to hide behind. I know this world has always been full of hate and malice; it has to be if we are to have our agency. The problem now, though is that every devastation is broadcast through the most public means and all the bad guys get credit. The heroes get as much recognition as some ridiculous dance craze and 2 weeks later we've all but forgotten who is responsible for the tragedy.

My poor baby will live in this world like the rest of us and all I can do is show him what it means to be responsible for his actions and make sure he knows that kindness and generosity are important.  All I can really pray for is that he'll be the one who will make friends with everyone and that he can show his friends that even if someone has opposing views, they still matter as a human. He can be the hero without getting credit and I will always be proud of him. If I can just do these seemingly simple things, I feel like I can change the world.

Isn't that what being as mother is really all about? Taking a child in our arms and making sure they are loved and can show love to those around them?

I know I still have a long way to go and a lot to learn, but I'm starting to know that my job on this earth as a mother is way more important than I ever imagined. And, if you'll excuse me, I'll go back to staring at my precious boy until he wakes up.

Love, Miss Ellen

Moon-pocolypse

Although there haven't been any floods, zombies, or earthquakes today, the Blood moon has certainly affected our house.

Here is a list of my day's challenges so far:

1. Milo woke up like 10 times after we put him to bed. He just wouldn't stay sleeping and kept squirming all over. 
2. The dog has pooped the carpet twice.
3. Milo is having a an impossible time napping, doesn't really ever feel like eating  (but does), and keeps screaming his tired scream.
4. McDonald's computers had to reboot as I got to the window. This forced Milo into hysteria because he hates sitting in the car when it's not moving. 
5. Sean is reportedly "feeling out of whack".

It's been quite a day. But I'm pretty sure everyone has days like this.... Right? 

Here's more pics ofor you:

Lately.

Milo is so great. The last 3 nights in a row, he's slept 8 hours straight with only 1 early morning wake-up each night. He's still not in love with napping, but he knows night time and rocks it.

Here's how we did it:

Up until a few weeks ago, we focused on teaching Milo the difference between night and day - lights on, windows open, all volumes regular.

When he turned 7.5 or 8 weeks, we started a nighttime routine:
1: Sean gives him a bath with the special bedtime bath soap.
2: I dry him off and put on a new diaper.
3: Sean lotions him with the bedtime lotion and we put on his jammies.
4: He gets wrpped up in the SwaddleMe swaddle wrap (you can get at target).
5: I sing while he fusses himself to drowsiness.
6: I put him in the crib just before he's all the way asleep and he finishes drifting off by himself.

It works like a charm, basically and I'm super proud of him.

Other than that, he's been so happy! He smiles all the time (besides right before sleeping times) and loves having his face tickled. He's the happiest boy in the mronibg and likes reading books and getting mommy kisses.

For the first time today, he sat in the high chair while I made and ate lunch. Yay!

There's been a lot going on lately that I keep thinking I should post about but then I get sidetracked or take a nap or I just don't think it'll go over well, so I don't.

I will try to post more often, though.
Fun thing: Milo is napping on me as I write this and he just smiled and chuckled at whatever his dream was. What a cutie.

Lovin' It

It's hard to be a mom and there's very little reward at this point, but I am more than in love with it than anything else I've ever done.  Right now, I'm on my couch, holding my beautiful sleeping baby, watching tv (no star trek today because our bluray Netflix thing is down and I don't know how to fix it) and there's nowhere else I'd rather be. We cleaned the entire house on Saturday so I get to feel much more relaxed than the last few weeks where things have all gone by the wayside, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

I'm still learning. I think I'm finally being able to let Sean take him without feeling guilty, which I know is ridiculous, but new mom syndrome is tough. And I know Sean is working on not feeling bad if he has to give up. It's definitely a process.

Milo has been sleeping a solid 5 hours at a time at night, which is awesome. Naps are still tough, but we're working on it. He's getting more smiley and cooing a lot, which I love. He's getting big, but is still really little. I love him nonetheless.

If my phone does the blog thing I want it to, here are some pictures.