Licking His Food

I wish that I had a picture of this, but Ethan doesn't really like to open his mouth to eat his food. He just likes to lick it. The pediatrician says that it doesn't mean he's not ready for solids. I guess he's just checking out the food. We'll keep trying and hopefully by mid August we'll have the food thing down.
He's tried carrots, peas, sweet potatoes, avocados, pears, apples & bananas. He's also tried barley cereal, rice cereal, oatmeal and multi-grain cereal. He hates the rice cereal and really who can blame the poor kid? It tastes like cardboard. I tried it. Bleh!
It's funny lately to hear Ken as he feeds Ethan his dinner. "Ethan, no!" as he bats away the food and it flies onto the highchair or floor. We've recently tried giving him a spoon so he will be distracted and open his mouth for food. I think he wants the food, he just doesn't get that he has to open his mouth to get it. He watches us eat and seems very interested and once the food is in his mouth he can push it all the way back without gagging. It's a mystery! We'll see how long this licking goes on.
The pulmonologist told us at his last visit that Ethan is not a failure to thrive kid. He was 15 1/2 lbs and 25 inches long at our visit 3 weeks ago and I'm sure he's 16 lbs by now. Kids with CF have digestive problems and because of the enzymes we give him before every meal he is gaining weight beautifully. I hope he can keep this up once he gets the hang of solid foods.

Sleep Training Update

A month ago I posted about how we were trying to train Ethan to go to sleep on his own. He did fairly well for about a week and then we went to Tahoe for a week and had to rock him to sleep every time he needed to sleep. Needless to say it was a very very long week of rocking. Mostly because Ken and I were the ones doing the rocking, not a chair.
As soon as we got back from Tahoe we were determined to get the sleep training underway. It took 2 days and gradually he would cry less. He never screamed, but he was not happy with us on the first day. I'm happy to report that now he is putting himself to sleep all the time. We put him in his crib after a book, song and giving him his blankie and he goes to sleep within 5-10 minutes. Sometimes he talks or makes screeching noises, but he always goes to sleep. Some people are telling me we'll see how long it lasts, but I think that for the most part we are on the right track. I'm happy that he's going to bed on his own and I think he's pretty happy too.
Since he's putting himself to sleep he now takes longer naps. He's starting to take two 2 to 2 1/2 hour naps a day, but sometimes needs a 30 minute catnap to tide him over to his 8pm bedtime.
Today, for the first since 2 mos old, he slept in until 705am. I wish I would have been able to sleep as long, but after 630am I was awake. I'm hoping this becomes a trend. Now all we need to do is get him to stop waking at night to eat. That's for August when he's 6 mos old! Gosh, 6 mos is coming so soon! I'll have another update on weight next week after we see the Pulmonologist for clinic.

Ethan's 1st Boat Ride

Lake Tahoe & Ethan's first swim!

This past week we spent in Lake Tahoe on vacation with my parents and my sister's family. It was a lot of fun. This was an interesting vacation for us because we had so much to bring up with the baby. 2/3 of our stuff was for him. We ended up borrowing Ken's parents van so that we could fit, the vest, a huge suitcase for Ethan including diapers & wipes, all his bottles, a bouncer, a bumbo, and a playmat. I'm sure I'm missing something. Oh, and Ken's bike. Thankfully we had the van to borrow or we never would have gotten everything in our car.
While we were in Tahoe my parents surprised us with a boat ride on a party boat at Fallen Leaf Lake. I was very worried about Ethan, even though he was strapped into a huge life preserver. He was uncomfortable and I still worried about him falling over the edge of the boat. We made it through all in one piece. It was a fun day on Fallen Leaf Lake. Hopefully, I'll enjoy it more next time. We have a video of Ethan's first boat ride, but Ken's still working on it.
Here's the video of Ethan's first swim.

Just a few photos from July!

Eating rice cereal & apples - YUM!


Smiling in his bumbo seat with his book.
A new perspective of his world.


Nana & Ethan

1st time in the MacClaren! Big boy!

The shirt says it all.

Hanging out under his playmat

Smiling in his jumperoo

So tired after all the picture taking.

Family Time

A week ago Ken and I decided to finally make stepping stones for our backyard! I'll post pictures at the end of one of the two stones we made. One has our address on it so for safety I'm not posting it. We decided to do one stones for every year that we live in this house and then take them with us when we move.

For 2009 we made a house with mosaic stones and wrote the words "NEW FRIENDS", our address, "SOLD" and the year 2009. I also drew stick figures of Ken and me in front of the house. The one of me has a little baby bump since I was 12 weeks pregnant when we moved in.

For 2010, we made the stone all about Ethan. We put his birthday 2-18-2010, "LAUGHTER", & "SILLY" along with stars and moons, and we used polished stones of some sort to write his name. When we were finished with that we pushed his little feet into the cement so that we'll always rememberhow small his little feet were. We've placed them in the bark outside our patio. Next year we'll see what the 2011 has in store for us and then decide what we'll do for that one.

Ethan had a fun day with his cousin, Ella a couple weekends ago. She came over to play and by play I mean to play with all his toys. She does love her baby "Etan" a lot and wants to helps with everything. She also loves to eat at my house. She knows where her seat is and where all the snacks and juice are kept. It's so fun to have her around. It shows me what it would be like to have two kids two years apart. I'm hoping it's more like 2 1/2 to 3 years for us.

Here are the pictures from her visit:

Ethan doesn't know what to think. Earlier that day she went to get him up from his nap with me and he looked at me smiling and as soon as he heard her voice he was startled. He's just not used to the noise so quickly after waking up. I have a feeling they will love each other in about a year when they can play together. I look forward to seein Ella & Ethan running after each other at the park and swinging together or playing house in the kid kitchen upstairs at my parents house.

Auntie, Ella & Ethan wondering what Ella is doing.
She's playing peek-a-boo, I think.

Sweet Cousins.

Ella helping Nana feed Ethan.

4th of July

Ken's dad, Gary & his brother, Tim.

Elaine & Tim

Ken's niner apron put to work.

Daddy & Ethan

Nana & Ethan

Mommy & Ethan

This year our street hosted a block party for the 4th of July. It was a lot of fun to get to know our neighbors more and to hang around our own neighborhood this year. Ethan slept through all the fireworks, except the whistlers. During those he'd open his eyes, stare, and then go right back to sleep when they were finished. Can't wait for next year.

Ethan at the end of the day.

Sleep Training

We've reached the point where we no longer can rock Ethan to sleep for his naps and for bedtime. A few days ago Ethan started not going to sleep when we rocked him or when he did sleep he wouldn't sleep long. We decided yesterday that we were going to sleep train him. I've read a ton of books and used a lot of techniques on other kids while nannying, but I've never been the one to figure out what we wanted to do that was right for us. A neighbor on Fourth of July told me that I should stop reading and just follow my instincts.
My instinct was that I should create a routine, such as diaper change, book, song, lay in bed and say, "Night, Night" then leave the room. After leaving him in his room we will come back every 5 minutes if he gets really fussy. Usually by 10 minutes he's asleep and sometimes talking to himself. He doesn't need us very much anymore which is bittersweet.
I am happy that my baby is finally going to sleep on his own. Since he put himself to sleep for the night on the 4th, he's done it all yesterday and for the naps today. He sleeps longer and slept longer with only 2 feedings last night. One very early this morning at 2am and the other at 445am. He's taking less food too and sleeping longer during the night. We aer getting close to not having to feed him at night. Just another month or so and my doctor says he can make it 12 hours without food.
Like I said before it's bittersweet. I love being needed, but he can't need me all the time. Especially when we all need sleep around here.