Peek-a-boo and snow time

Monkey man loves leaning around corners, chairs or anything to play peek-a-boo!  It is so cute.  Today he kept going back and forth around a wall to play with me :)  I am so in love with this little man!

I have been waiting for a day when we have snow on the ground and it is warm enough to go play in it as it has either been too cold or melts before we get out!  Today I took him out and have to say he was not impressed with me.  We always get comments about how he will be a natural at snowboarding because of his shoes/bar but unless he starts liking snow and his snowsuit that won't be the case :) Can you tell how impressed he is with me? He didn't mind the sled though.



Monkey man has been crawling everywhere the last few days but today is getting faster and goes across the room! 

Happy Valentine's Day

I decided to do a little Valentines shoot with my little monkey this morning.  He is just so photogenic I will use any excuse to do a photoshoot :)  These are just a few that I took- it is hard to narrow it down sometimes

Ramblings

Well monkey man has started pulling himself up again which means the crib mattress had to be lowered.  Which in turn means we can't put the monkey down asleep as he just wakes up anyways as we go to lower him into the crib.  A few nights ago (before the mattress was lowered) I broke down in tears in the middle of the night.  All the nights of having to sit up with him for a few hours before being able to successfully put him back to bed got to me.  Am I proud of this moment- not a chance but I can't change the past and I am sure I will have some more emotional moments through my parenting career.  Anyways once the mattress got lowered that was it- our boy would have to learn to go to sleep on his own no matter how hard it is on all of us!  I am not one for letting him cry it out and thankfully it hasn't been his full on freak out crying.  I have learned that I cannot go in the room if he is just fussy- that only makes it worse for him.  Last night was the first night in his "new" crib and I was the one to put him down- was not looking forward to it either let me tell you.  But 1 minute of crying and he was done :)  Such a big guy! 1:11 came and he did his normal wake up but we left him- it wasn't his full out freak out thankfully and would cry and stop and cry again.  1:41- silence - thank you Monkey man!  That beats the sitting rocking for 2 hours. Even if I couldn't get back to sleep at least he was.  He also has been getting up around 7:00 but this morning was 8:00 like it was before the sleep went downhill a few weeks ago.  He also woke up pretty darn happy.
This morning his nap took longer for DH to get him down but here he is zonked out :)  It definately isn't an easy process but the fact that he has been able to go down and put himself to sleep in the past makes me know he can do it. Not a great picture but afraid of waking the baby :)

Monkey man is loving his toy buckets these days

                                                         Great for pulling up onto

                                                   
                                                     

                                               And for emptying of toys so he can go in :)



Tips for parents of babies with Congenital Talipes Equinovarus (clubfeet)

So I decided I need to put some tips together for anyone who might be starting the journey or is on the journey. Some of these I have found out as I go, others I found out before our monkey man was born. 

Clothing- For the cast stage-  depending on what kind of casts you get pants may or may not work.  Our casts were not as bulky as some and with needing to size up for cloth diapers we got away with pants but pants don't keep the casts clean during diaper changes.  That is where baby legs and other baby warmers/leggings (footless)come in so handy!  I didn't think I would need socks at all for the first while while he was in casts but I did need a few pairs just to keep the toes warm and for after we unwrapped the casts on the way to the hospital.  I definately didn't need many though.  We were able to fit sleepers without feet over the casts but as he grew and the casts got bigger they didn't fit well.  Mostly we used a onesie, baby legs and a sleep sack. 

For shoes/ bar don't get anything with feet unless you want to cut the feet off of them (which I have done to many sleepers), snaps all the way down both legs are great (why they make them part way and then have cuffs I don't know but I had to cut through them too).  As monkey man got more accepting of the shoes/bar we used stretchy pants but before that it was baby legs and shirts or outfits that go over the head.  Nothing was worse than having a leak and having to take the shoes/bar off and fight with him to get them back on in those early days!  The waists if you do put on regular pants have to be really stretchy otherwise they won't come down far enough to get a diaper change done with the legs spread apart by the bar. Oh for socks we were recommended to get ones that do not have the little grips on the bottom, and no fuzzy socks- inside or outside as they can cause more blisters.  Also we had to turn the socks inside out so the seams wouldn't cause blisters or sores.

Equipment tips- highchairs need to not have the bar across instead need to be open to allow the baby to go in without taking the shoes off (at least with our kind of shoes and bar).  While excersaucers, jumperoos and other such activity toys are great just remember they won't get much use.  Monkey man was allowed a little time each day only. For baby carriers I wanted to get one with a correct position for his legs (not allow them to dangle)- well I have used three- a stretchy wrap for the cast stage but it would cut of circulation I found and his feet would turn purple and swell so only could use it for short periods, a mei tai for the shoes/bar stage, and then an ergo once he was able to have more time out. 

For the baby swings and bouncy/vibrating chairs- I found a wide seat (papasan style) to work best for the casting stage, but after monkey was in shoes/bar I found he liked the one that is one that converts to a rocker better as he could sit more upright in it.  It still needs to be wide to fit the feet being apart though.  Swings need to open up for easy access and not have a fixed bar.

Things I have found that I love- baby legs and other such leggings, my little seat portable high chair, bumbo works great once out of casts, snaps all the way down legs and overalls (before this I despised overalls and snaps for changing a baby), a stroller sleeping bag because he couldn't go into a snowsuit and didn't fit in any bunting bag style ones as he was too long!

Another thing I did for the casting stage was I took a picture of each of his feet close up so I could see what they looked like at the beginning of that set of casts if I was concerned about them slipping.  They looked different every week so it helped to have a picture so I knew how far the toes were out and whether they were still good or we needed to go in for another one (he kicked off quite a few of his casts)

For blisters during the shoes/bar stage- we were lucky with our first set of shoes but unfortunately the second set has given us alot of problems on the big toes :(  What usually worked was duo derm extra thin

For shopping- during the shoes and bar stage there were a few times where I thought I would just put him in the shopping cart since by this age he was not big on laying in the bucket seat.  Then I would clue in that he couldn't go in regular shopping carts.  Things like this I took for advantage with other kids I have taken care of.  Luckily a few places have the shopping carts that work for him or I use the mei tai or stroller if it is a few items only.

Support- family in my life as well as some friends I met online who had gone through the journey or were going through the journey at the same time helped so much!  It would have been so hard without them!  I am not going to tell you it will be all fun and games- it won't be.  There will be ups and downs but look into your little ones eyes and remember that in a few years this will be over and that sweet little one will be just fine!  Many famous people, athletes included were born with clubfeet and didn't let it slow them down.  One doctor we saw said something about our baby not being a football player when we first found out and I replied "this baby will be whatever he/she wants to be!"   There are days I cried and cried along with my baby.  I wished I could take it all away for him, I hated seeing him in discomfort.  Having people to talk to online and on the phone and some family to call and get to come for a visit kept me sane on the really tough days.  The hardest days for us were the first day of a new casting, the actual casting (I am so glad my husband came to all the early castings and then my parents came for some too), and the first 2 days of the boots (I was wanting the casts back!).  I thought I was strong but I have had my weak moments more and more since monkey man was born. If you are finding my post and need support let me know I am happy to help out in anyway I can.  Also you could ask your doctor if they have a support group set up.

                                                                     "My little seat"

                                                
                                                                  Leggings over casts

                                                           Babylegs with shoes/bar

                        
                                                             His vibrating chair

One of my close up pictures to compare as the week went on

Shopping cart that works for the boots/bar 

8 months- time flies

Well my little man is now 8 months old! I really can't believe it has been that long already. He amazes me everyday with his strength, determination and what he is learning. Just yesterday he began crawling forwards! He has been doing backwards for months and would creep a bit forwards but not much. I was in the kitchen and he was just behind a chair in the living room so I couldn't see him at the moment and I heard a loud bang repeatedly so looked and there he was peaking around the chair! I watched and sure enough he was lifting up one leg throwing it down on the floor and then the other and doing the same with his hands while moving forward! Loudest crawler I have ever heard but that's my boy needs to make sure we notice him at all times! I got pretty excited and he was very proud of himself! Watch out world Monkeyman is on a mission to conquer! I am impressed that he first crawled with the shoes on as I was thinking he would learn in the little bit of shoeless play time he has each day like he did with learning to put himself into sit last week.  He did it with the shoes off only for the first couple days and then found a different way to do it with the boots/bar.  But really it shouldn't surprise me as he did pull to standing with the shoes on first.

A few pics of Monkey on his 8 month birthday!


                                                                          Chillin

                                                                       Cool Dude

                                                                        Happy monkey

                                                             

                Trying to get his usual lay beside the puppy for size comparison was not happening

                                                    Trying to figure out how to open them



Park

We are having unusually warm weather here for the beginning of February and I am loving it!  It is so nice to get outside more.
Today I took monkeyman to the park with a memory card this time :)  He wasn't so sure about the sun glasses so he wasn't his smiley self but he did keep them on and wasn't cranky except for the first few seconds! 

His new thing is to go from hands and knees to sitting, back to hands and knees and back to sitting over and over.  He moves all over the place using this technique.  So far he has only figured out how to do it with his shoes off as he sweeps his legs in a way he can't with the shoes/bar but has almost got it a few times with them so it is only a matter of time.  He is also starting to get more motion going forwards when on his hands and knees.  I will be chasing him more than I already am soon! 

It is hard sometimes to remember that he can have a bath whenever I want- those 13 weeks in casts still have me thinking I can't do it whenever.  He does love his bath- although now he is trying to stand up in it and also ducking his head under to get cloths and toys.

He has 3 teeth now and a fourth on the way- then I am hoping for a break as he has been up alot lately these nights!  And so hard to get back to sleep!

We are also having rubbing issues with the shoes and his big toes have rubbed skin- looks painfull but doesn't seem to bug him I just wish I could get it under control though.  So far nothing we have tried makes it go away.



Random thoughts and photo shoot

I have picked up the actual camera again and it sure does feel good!  I have been using my phone to take pictures but just don't like the quality as much!  I want to look into getting in some classes or courses for photography and doing more of it.  Maybe give my boys a break although they are so photogenic :)  I loved when I had the dayhome and had lots of kids to take pictures of.  Two of my favorite things combined what could be better!  I think I am just starting to feel like I need to do more again but am not ready to open the dayhome full time yet either.  I also have always wanted to learn more about the features on my camera and what all it can do for me when it isn't in automatic mode as I have only played with it a bit- sort of overwhelms me really :)  So I hope to find something to learn about that.  I need to figure out if I just want a workshop for now or to go back to school for a few classes. Either way I need to do it for me

Here are a few pics from my photo shoot with monkey man

I took monkey man to the park for the first time and he LOVED it!  He loved going high on the swing and going down the slide all on his own (with me holding him as he went down but not on my lap).  I tried the lap too but he preferred doing it himself- Mr.Independant! I can't believe he will be 8 months next week!  Time flies by!

I can't wait to start the baby sign class- I am really looking forward to doing more with him.  I have seen with other kids how much it helps with them not being so frustrated until they can talk. Plus it will get us out more.