Solids!!

I started Kellen on solid food a little over a week ago. He is totally ready and would probably try anything I give him. First off, let me just say how amazed I am at the number of opinions out there as to when to start solids. Mattaya was started on rice cereal at 4.5 months, but we didn't give her anything else until she was 6 months because the doctor warned us about allergies. Now we live in a new city and have a new doctor. She told us to give him what ever we felt like when he is ready and that it doesn't matter when between 4-6 months you start, if they are going to get allergies, they are going to get allergies. Everyone I talk to has been told something different. My philosophy is as a parent you will know when they are ready.

This boy loves to eat!

I started out with rice cereal, but Kellen was not a fan. So we moved on to sweet potatoes, which he loved and then apples and pears. Something I learned from my daughter: it doesn't matter whether you start with fruits or veggies, your baby will like one over the other. I started Mattaya with veggies. That was all I gave her for about a month after we started to introduce her to new foods. Once we started on fruit, that was what she preferred. I forgot that she was an independent human being and even as a baby I could not control what she liked and didn't like. So unless you are willing to only give your baby veggies,  it really doesn't matter what you start with.

When Kellen is full he starts to suck on his fingers. This is definitely an interesting way to let me know he is done, but it works as I cannot get the spoon close to his mouth.

Kellen telling me he is done

I think we will try peas next.

Bad Doctor=Struggling Mom!

Kellen got a cold over a month ago and about three weeks ago I took him to his old doctor because he was still not doing well. I had been avoiding doing this  because our old doctor is not very good and I have had issues with him, but I couldn't see the new one for a few more weeks because we had to "establish care" with her so I broke down and took him in. I am glad I did because he had a double ear infection. That said, the doctor put him on an antibiotic that he shouldn't have. When I questioned him, he got defensive. This is the second time I have had a falling out with him, the first was over vaccinations. I was exhausted from lack of sleep and so I gave in and gave him the antibiotic and  it messed up his stomach. In a few days he had blood in his stool. I took him back for this and they took him off the antibiotic even though his ears were still bad. When I questioned if this was the right move because of the threat of resistant bacteria, he got defensive again. It was only two weeks until we saw the new doctor so I took my child and left. Kellen struggle for those two weeks. He stopped sleeping well and was pretty cranky. Because he was having a hard time, I was really struggling. I have never been so exhausted! I have to get up at 4 am to go to work and I don't tend to get home until around 6 pm. It made for long hard days. My work suffered, my relationship with God suffered, and my relationship with my husband suffered. I was at the end of my rope!
Last Friday I took the kids for their well child checkup with our new doctor and she was amazing. She validated my frustration and got Kellen on the right medicine. He is doing so much better.
As a parent you are the one who should decide what is best for your child, if your doctor does not recognize this, it is time to find a new one!

4 Months!

Kellen turned 4 months old yesterday! Time goes by way to fast and sometimes I just want him to stay little and newborn forever. He is such a happy baby. He is rolling all over the place, sticks everything he can into his mouth, and loves his sister more then anybody!

Bathtime

Kellen has outgrown his baby bath. I have started giving him his bath in the big tub and he loves it! He splashes and pushes himself all over  the place. He loves it and it is fun to watch.

So Different

Mattaya 5 months                   Kellen 3 Months

It surprises me every day how different my kids are. They not only look different, but their personalities are on the opposite end of the spectrum. This has been challenging for me with the new baby in a lot of ways. There are things that are easier this time around. Breastfeeding is so much easier. I think knowing what I was doing from the get go really helped. I am also not unsure of things like giving baths, changing diapers, etc., because I am an old pro. That said, I have had a lot of challenges too. Mattaya was such an easy baby. She rarely ever cried and was super easy to schedule. I would feed her at the same time everyday, she napped at the same time, and even when her diapers would be dirty was predictable. She was really intense and really determined. She loved her daddy and wanted him most of the time except when it was time to eat. We never could tell when she was teething or had ear infections and was super happy even when she was sick. Kellen is easy too, but he is very emotional. He will let me know if I am holding him to long or the wrong way, if he is tired or hungry, if he wants a toy or wants to eat, usually with a very intense cry or scream. He has a horrible temper and will often stop breathing and turn purple. He is impossible to schedule. I have tried but he is all over the place. One day he will want to eat every hour, the next he will eat every four hours. He sometimes sleeps through the night, but sometimes he will wake up 3 or 4 times. He sometimes takes 3 good naps and other times doesn't nap at all. He wants mommy all of the time. He is very laid back though if his needs are met. He is very fussy and hard to console when he is sick.

I love seeing how different my kids are. They are so unique and special and they both have taught me so much. I am looking forward to how they grow and change. It is so much fun!!!