Whom Does Fischer Most Resemble?

Yay!! I've finally had a chance to get some of our old photos on the blog. This is the only one we have of Joe--how cute!
Here's baby Val in a pic taken by Grandma Gert.Here's Uncle Nate one year as Huckleberry Finn for Halloween--funny that one of Fischer's nicknames is "Huckleberry Bucklebutt"--hmmm.

Here's a nice studio shot of Val and Nate. It appears we got along well as young children. ;) Compare this shot of Grammy Pam with itty bitty baby Val to the pic of Fischer lying curled up on his lilly pad boppy--it's the "cover" pic on the "first few days at home" album on the left side of the blog page.

Here's another of baby Val in her crib.

Ok--now take a look at the poll on the left and cast your vote.

Happy Thursday, everyone!

He's Got TEETH!!!

Friday, November 14th, at about 2 pm, Fischer's teachers called me in my office and said, "Would you like to come and see your son's teeth?" I was so excited! That explains the past 2 weeks of appetite and behavior changes in our little man!

BOTH of Fischer's bottom front teeth have made it past his gums. Now we're just waiting for them to be more visible. I made several failed attempts at trying to get them on camera--he's good at clamping his lips shut! His cough's improved--I gave him what I hope is his last breathing treatment this morning. His eyes are back to being crusty--guess that's 'normal' for Fischer.

So much for getting a glimpse of Fischer's new chompers..Oh well. I'm still nursing him--I had originally planned on breast feeding until he got teeth, and then continuing to pump so he could have my milk until he started transitioning to cow's milk. But things are still going well, and I'm not ready to give it up until Fischer is...or up to one year. That's the revised plan, anyway.

He's getting rice cereal with fruit in the morning and cereal with a veggie in the evening, now. He takes his bottles pretty well at daycare, although he's definately less interested in them than he once was. When his appetite was growing, I thought we'd be going quickly from 5 oz. bottles to 6 oz., and I started taking Fenugreek--an herb to increase my milk supply. When he was little, the longer and more frequently Fischer would nurse, my body would be signaled to make more milk. Now that he's so interested in everything around him, our nursing sessions are shorter and less frequent. If he doesn't nurse long, I take out the pump and continue. This has been a pretty effective way to a) keep up our freezer stock, and b) keep me from getting frustrated and feeling too full after Fischer's had his fill.

It used to be that I'd nurse Fischer between 5:30 and 6:00am, so he'd be full for awhile before needing his first bottle at daycare. Then he'd have cereal with fruit and 3 bottles while at daycare, and I'd get in 3 pumping sessions throughout the day. Then he'd nurse at home once in the early evening and get his cereal and veggie. Finally, he'd nurse one "last" time before being put in his crib (and once or twice more throughout the night). The past week, Fischer's not been interested in his pre-daycare nursing session. I think he looks forward to his cereal feedings! I've seen this happen with other babies, too, where their interest in milk drops once they start having "real" food.

We've started giving Fischer graham crackers to explore. He gums them until they get slimey, and then they stick to his hands, face, shirt, you name it. We replace the pieces as they get too small for him. He really seems to enjoy them as a special treat. Fischer sits at the table in his tot-loc chair--we don't have room for a highchair! It works pretty slick--although until he's more steady sitting on his own, we put a towel on either side to keep him centered.

Mmmmm--the slimier the better! Check out those blue eyes!

Concentrating...
This is one of my favorites--with his mouth clamped shut for the camera, Fischer is still saving a peek at his teeth for another time.

5 Months Old--Still Got My Cold

The blog has been on the back burner due to other household priorities, so I'm writing this bit by bit as I have time at the computer. It's a mix of entries and pics from Halloween up to the second week of November...Halloween was when I'd say Fischer's cold hit its peak. It's still there, but he was super-congested and coughing. Now, over the past week, his cough has improved with the help of 3 daily breathing treatments and the vaporizer at night. His congestion returned a bit today...so it looks like we're going on about 6 weeks of not feeling well. Not to mention the fact that I'm in the middle of a doozie of a cold myself!

Despite not feeling so great, Fischer had a good attitude on Halloween. Instead of jumping up every time trick-or-treaters came to the door, I chose to leave the candy outside so Fischer and I could have a peaceful afternoon at home.

On Saturday, November 1, we went to visit Uncle Mike, Aunt Terri, Cousin Katie and 2nd Cousin Kaylee. It was funny, because Fischer and I had just gotten out of the house with the intention of getting gas in the car and then visiting someone when Uncle Mike called! I guess we had the same idea. So 10 1/2 month old Kaylee and 5 month old Fischer got to hang out a bit last Saturday.
Cousin Katie is happy to have another red-head in the family!

On Sunday the 2nd...by the way, can you believe it's November???!!?...we got a call from Holly and 11 month old Collin inviting us to hang out--perhaps go for a walk. Well, by the time Fischer and I got to their house, it was raining--so the walk was not going to happen. However, after the boys played for a little bit, we went to see 8 month old Ava and her mom Kiley (we used to work together) at our friend Stacey's house (Stacey used to work with us, too). There were a bunch of people there to watch the game, but the moms took over the dining area with toys, snacks, blankets and BABIES! Fischer slept through the first part of the visit, but he was in a good mood the whole day. Ava and Collin played while Fischer ate, and soon it was time for Ava and Kiley to split. It wasn't long before the rest of the crowd cleared out, too, after another Packers loss. At least we were there to play instead of really watching the Packer game!

Last week at daycare, Fischer's appetite was really sporadic. My guess is that all of the following things could be affecting it: his cold; possible start of teething--though nothing to show for it, yet; being MUCH more active and distracted by things around him; and getting cereal twice a day--which also has slowed down his pooping. Even when he's nursing, he's back to only eating one side at a feeding--he did this when he was itty bitty, too. I think he's got way too much going on to slow down and eat! The cereal with fruit in the morning, and now with a veggie in the afternoon, I'm sure, fills his tummy, too, so that he's not as interested in milk.

Despite continued congestion and coughing, he's sleeping decently at night--only waking once or twice to nurse. We're tapering off his breathing treatments--he's had only 2 per day for the last few days, and soon we'll be down to one, then none. At least he's not the only one in his class who's not been feeling well. Most of the kids have runny noses, coughs, or some other cold-like symptoms.

Now that Fischer can kind of sit up--with a little assistance, of course, he can play "baby in the bucket" at daycare. So cute! Can you see the bottom of his shoe in this next pic? He just fits in there :)

Last Thursday, the 6th, Fischer and I went to Kavarna for coffee. Kristy and Flora were there, our friend Amy came to join us, and we got to see Jenny with 7 week old Ike for the first time. He's all cheeks! :) I had called ahead to see if we could "reserve" the front area of Kavarna so that we'd have comfy chairs and room to spread out and let the kids play. It worked out fabulously!!! I brought a mat for the boys to lay on, and Fischer seemed very happy to be able to spread out--instead of being held or in his seat the whole time. He was absolutely perfect--I don't remember what order we did things in, but I nursed him, ate my own dinner (my favorite rosemary potato salad--yay!), gave him his breathing treatment, and fed him his cereal and applesauce. To feed him his cereal, I flipped the wooden restaurant highchair upside down so his carseat would sit on top of it. Then I tilted the carseat so Fischer was more upright, and buckled the bottom straps to hold him steady (didn't do the whole shoulder straps and stuff so he wouldn't feel too restricted). He usually eats very well for Joe, but for me, he is off and on. Well, that night at Kavarna, he made me feel like SUPER MOM! He was sooooo good and ate his cereal like a champ :). What a good boy! It was nice to see the girls and Ike, too.

We spent this past weekend together as a family--Joe didn't have to work. Fischer's sporradic appetite continued--although he'd still nurse fine at night and ate his cereal well. His bowels have definately slowed down, because we only changed 1 or 2 dirty diapers all weekend--thanks to the cereal, I guess. He was pretty demanding of our attention, too. I was easily frustrated, too because Saturday was the worst day of my cold. Now that Fischer's so much more aware of what's going on around him, if he knows Joe and I are there, he'll insist that we should be entertaining him! He wasn't bad at all, but just needed more face time from us, and I needed to feel better. :)

We went to Uncle Mike and Aunt Terri's again--this time for the Packer game. They lost again, but Fischer was good, and got to play a bit with Kaylee before she went off to nap with Kristina. Terri also fed all of us some yummy chicken soup. Maybe that made the difference--my cold is on its way out!

Well, that catches you up for now. We've started another week at daycare. Fischer's appetite continues to be unpredictable for both the breast and the bottle, but he's getting enough nourishment and seems in a good mood. So I guess he's just fine. Just being a stinker. Still no teeth...