Why Bundle NEEDS to be a GIRL

So I don't submit this cute little man.....

With the precious smile....

And gorgeous locks.....

To this......

In which I know he will kill me for in the future....

Even though this smile makes me think he likes it.....

(Is it time for a haircut when I can do that to my baby boys hair?? I don't think I can bring myself to cut the locks just yet, but it may be getting a little out of control around the ears.  What do you think?)

 

Cold Turkey

I have been saying throughout Caleb's entire infancy, that I would be taking the bottle away at 1 year.  This was not a maybe thing, but a for-sure-gonna-happen-no-question-about-it-thing.  Some encouraged me that it would work, while some gave me the "Yea Right" look.  Well, I am happy to say that it worked!! Less than one week after Caleb turned one, we are BOTTLE FREE!!!! How?  The cold turkey method.  I don't think this is one you can read in books, but it was more or less, a lets try it and see how it goes method.

 Here is what I did....

• Caleb has always been introduced to the sippy, and he used it to drink water daily.  I found a sippy he loved, and stuck to only that brand.
• At one week before one year, I started giving him his formula in the sippy for his daytime feedings.  His bedtime and morning milk were still given in a bottle.
• At one year, I started giving him his bedtime feeding in a sippy.
• 3 days after one year, I attempted the sippy for his morning milk.  IT WORKED.  Right then I said Bye-Bye bottles, and I cleaned and put them away for bundle.
• I started decreasing his milk feedings throughout the day after we said bye-bye to bottles.  Now he only gets a morning and a night sippy of milk or formula.  I still have used formula this week, because to be honest I have not been to the grocery store. 
• He eats snacks in place of his daytime bottle feedings.  There were only two feedings in which I had to supplement snacks, and that seems to be working great.
• Caleb does not take a middle of the night bottle.  I used the Baby Wise method around 5-6 weeks to help wean him off nighttime feedings, and I think he has only had one middle of the night feeding since 7 weeks.  I slowly decreased his milk by an ounce every night until he no longer wanted to eat. This only took about a week, and we have been night feeding free since then.  If he wakes up, I figure out what else he needs, because I know that a bottle in the middle of the night would be more out of habit than need, and I know he does not need it.  My little man eats like a champ during the day, and his little pot gut lets me know he is well fed. 

I am not the mom of the year, but I am very proud of my little man for giving up the bottle cold turkey.  The method/not really a method really does work!

Slip-N-Slide Adventure of Caleb's 1st Birthday

This post is a little overdue, but one in which I have to share.  As you have previously read we had a slip-n-slide in our yard for Caleb's first birthday party.  We were so excited about having different water stations in the backyard, and we knew the slip-n-slide would be a hit!  During the party the adults and kiddos enjoyed riding down in, including Caleb.  Caleb would just laugh while he rode down on his daddy's lap. However, after the party was over, that is when the true slip-n-slide adventure began.

We had about 20 people stay after the party, and about 10-12 of them were slip-n-sliding. I have to admit I was JEALOUS! I had been looking forward to this adventure all summer, but I did not think it would be to safe for bundle so I sat it out.  However, it was so funny to watch. 

You may remember that we had a photo station set up with an inflatable monkey? Well, the inflatable monkey got a new job in the slip-n-slide adventure, and I have to admit it was quite hilarious.

All in all the slip-n-slide was one of the best aspects of the party.  We had about 6 people spend the night that night, and they were sliding until around 2 am.  My sis and I woke up the next morning and cooked everyone breakfast, and it was soo funny to listen to everyone complain about the bruises the slide gave them the night before. 

Chapel of Love

This past weekend we traveled to Gatlinburg, Tennessee for a friends wedding.  Nick was one of the groomsmen, and we brought Caleb along with us.  While there Caleb fell in love with a little girl named Emma.  His face would light up when she came near, and he just LOVED when she would lean in and kiss him.  It was sooo stinkin adorable.  My little flirt :). 

He followed her all over tha dance floor. He seemed like such a big boy playing with her and her brother. When they would run back and forth, he would crawl after them laughing, and when they would sit, he would sit.  It was soooo cute!!!

A few more pics from the trip.

We said "Caleb smile", and he smiled right on demand. Soo big!!

His very first Mirror Maze.  Daddy used his stroller to help find the way out....Caleb didn't seem to mind.

Tap Tap Tap

Bundle is kicking....I'm pretty sure...I guess this means I am further along than 13 weeks?