August Through Autumn

I've neglected the blog the last few months and there is so much to catch up on. I'll keep it brief and go month by month.

August - 5 Months
So the big event this month was our trip to the cabin in Utah. We had a blast! Cole did so well on the road trip that now we feel confident traveling with him anywhere. This trip was special because Cole got to meet most of Brett's extended family for the first time.  He had a great time playing with all his cousins, going on hikes, and taking stroller rides in the evening.

This picture is of Coley getting all bundled up for his stroller ride.  Cole's favorite part of the day was going on a hike with Daddy.  God bless the Baby Bjorn.

Five months also brought a very special milestone: teeth!  Cole got his first two teeth at the same time - the two middle teeth on the bottom.  After a month of cereal, we added veggies to Cole's diet.  His first, and favorite, were peas.  Yum!

September - 6 Months
The theme for this month was "Coley Poley is Getting Holy!"  This was our cutesy saying for getting ready for Cole's baptism.  We were all really excited because this special day meant visits from Aunt Laura as well as Stav and Kelly.

Six months also brought more teeth.  We call them his vampire teeth because they're the ones on either side of his top two middle teeth.  As a treat we added fruits to the mix....and a sippy cup!

October - 7 Months
I can't believe its already October and that my dear sweet baby is already 7 months old! He looks like a big boy and definitely has grown so much.  He's rolling and scooting all over the place, and he's already trying to use things to pull himself up.  He eats finger foods and can feed himself, holding his own bottle. And don't get in his way if he's in his walker - he can mow you down Nascar style.

This month is exciting because its Cole's first Halloween. He's going to be a tiger and he looks super cute in his costume!

We have a lot of fun things to look forward to with the upcoming holiday season.  And this time I promise to update more often (this time I mean it).

Adventures in Rice Cereal

Cole is such a big boy that he's started eating rice cereal.  After his very first bite he gave me a very confused look and immediately demanded his bottle.  A few funny faces later (along with encouraging words) he was loving every bite! Gerber's Rice Cereal is now my best friend.

He's done so well with the cereal that we added a veggie...peas! So far he loves them.  Every now and then he gets a little cranky and just wants a bottle (he still gets some formula at every feeding).  We've developed a system that seems to work really well for him: a couple spoonfuls of cereals and then a few sips of milk.  We just repeat the steps and, before we know it, he's smiling and laughing as usual.

I'm super excited for him to try new veggies and fruits.  It won't be long til we're talking sippy cups and real utensils!

When it comes to feeding, here are the products I love:

1.  DISPOSABLE BIBS: It goes without saying that food goes all over the place, especially at the first few feedings.  Plus, Cole like to have something to grab while he eats - which I love too because it keeps his hands out of his mouth.  I find it works best to put a disposable bib over his real one.  He plays with the cloth one and I get to throw away the messy one covered in cereal and peas!

2.  GRACE CONTEMPO HIGHCHAIR IN BIRKSHIRE: I love Cole's highchair! It has a lot of adjustments to make sure he fits and is comfy.  It comes with an extra cover in case things get messy.  Plus, it folds down and is easy to store!

3.  FIRST YEARS TAKE AND TOSS SPOONS: These are great and wear well through several washes in the dishwasher.  Cole seems to like them - and they were very easy for him to use.  They're just soft enough where he can chew on it and learn how to eat from a spoon without hurting his little gums.

The Jumparoo That Saved Our Lives

There are lots of things parents use to entertain and/or soothe their babies.  Well, this is Cole's new favorite: The Fisher Price Rainforest Jumparoo.  It has so many fun things for him to play with that his little face lights up whenever we put him in it.  It keeps him entertained and gives mommy and daddy some free time to get things done - like cook dinner or make a phone call.  Its a little pricey, but definitely worth every penny.

Cole is growing so much. Its hard to believe he's just about 5 months! He's such a big boy - he's eating rice cereal, and just a few days ago, he had his first veggie...Peas!  He's rolling over and almost crawling!

In a few days we're heading on our first family road trip. I'm super excited for Cole to meet extended family and play with all his cousins!  I'll do my best to take pictures and post soon (this time I mean it)!

A Little Fun on Father's Day

A full blog post will be coming soon, but I had to get this picture up because its just too funny!

Grandpa Tom and Cole having fun with a napkin

Designer Discounts

For mommies, make sure to check out Totsy. Its a great site that offers sales on fabulous kiddie gear.  Use my invitation link: http://totsy.com/join/claudiaromney

It's True...He's That Cute!

More on the Baby Products

Over the past 2 months I have come to realize I don't need every baby gadget or product.  Here are some things I haven't really used and could probably live without and one thing that's a must add to any diaper bag:

The Bottle Warmer 

Now don't get me wrong, this is a great product.  I just don't have any use for it.  I buy powdered formula and prepare it for every feeding, not in advance.  I use room temperature water so there's no need to warm it.  If you're the type who buys the pre-mixed formula or you make your powdered formula in advance and store it in the fridge (or for that matter have to warm up stored breast milk), then you probably have more use for the warmer.

The Dishwasher Basket and Bottle Sterilizer

I have a few of the baskets and haven't used them.  I'm going to save them in case I use them more as Cole gets older - for his little sippy cups and utensils - but so far its easier for me to wash bottles in the sink.  Brett and I don't use a lot of dishes and it takes us a while before we fill the dishwasher.  I hate the idea of running the dishwasher unless its full so I just fill up the sink.  That, of course, means I don't use a sterilizer.  I don't have one, so maybe its a luxury I'm missing out on.  I'm also not such a paranoid mommy that I feel like I can't get bottles perfectly clean without good old fashioned soap and scrubbing.

Now here's a tip on something I LOVE:

Changing Pads

These little pads are inexpensive and quite handy.  I put one on my changing table and in Cole's crib.  It helps cut down on laundry.  In the early days, and especially after Cole's man bit surgery, he had the occassional leaky diaper.  It was so easy to swap out a changing pad than have to put on a new crib sheet or changing pad cover, particularly in the wee hours of the morning.  Using these changing pads got me thinking...and I came up with a must have addition to my diaper bag: puppy pads.  That's right, you read that correctly.  Puppy pads.  I had some left over from when Koda was a puppy.  Seeing how well the changing pads worked at home I decided puppy pads were the disposable version while I was out and about.  This way, any mess happens on the puppy pad and I can just throw it away after changing Cole.  I don't have to worry about the changing pad in my diaper bag getting dirty and having to tote it around all day til I can get home to clean it.

If you feel differently about any of these products, or have any tips or ideas of your own, feel free to let me know!