Bumbo

Have you heard of the Bumbo chair? Well, if you haven't been around kids in the past couple of years, you will have no idea what I am talking about. If you have, then you will understand my jubilation when I say that Max enjoys the Bumbo that Karen has lent us.


For the uninitiated, the Bumbo chair is a little molded schmoochie plastic chair that babies can sit in, even if they can't sit up on their own yet. You can also buy a tray, for toys and eventually some snacks. Who ever came up with this gadget is rolling in it now, considering that the retail price is $60, plus the tray! I was hoping to find a used one, but they sell really fast. I just happened to mention it to K when I was visiting this week, and voila! I have to say that our timing for having a kid was pretty great. We get all the stuff that all of our friends' kids have out grown! And yes, the picture is of Max on top of the dishwasher. Not recommended by the Bumbo manufacturers, but Max really likes to be eye level with us (well me at least).

Boob update. I am down to pumping only in the morning and at night. And it is more to alleviate the discomfort. Mother Nature is rather cruel in that way. I can't produce enough milk to feed my baby, but do produce just enough to make me really uncomfortable. I tried not pumping the other night and ended up getting out of bed at 1:00am after not being able to sleep because my boobs hurt. I was a bit of a mess that night. On most other days, I am dealing with the end pretty good I think. Although if one more woman asks me how the nursing is going I think I might wind up and clock her.

Yumm...

Max has started solids. The pediatrician said to start at 5 months and if he doesn't take to it, try again every week. Well, Max turned 5 months on Monday and he took to food. You actually can't get the spoon to his mouth fast enough! The past couple of weeks he has been watching us eat and phantom chewing, so no surprise that he likes solids.

Last weekend Mary Francis came down for her birthday weekend. We went to the National Gallery in the morning (always fun to show someone your favorite works of art), we picked up Marty and Max and went for Vietnamese for lunch, then we dropped off Marty and headed to the Museum. We went through Canada Hall, which is pretty cool the first time 'round. We made pizzas for dinner, watched Flushed Away (very funny!), and I was in bed at my usual 10pm. On Sunday we went to the dog park and then MF and I headed back to Montreal, with Maxim in tow. I was meeting up with Susie, Emilie and Jojo. We hadn't seen each other in probably a year or so. It was nice to catch up. And then I headed home on Monday after lunch. That drive is sooo boring! But it was a great weekend.

Big news this week... Max's new best friend has FINALLY arrived. Matteo was born on Monday morning. Everyone is doing really well. He is a really cutie pie. I can't get over how small he is. I totally don't remember Max every being that small. Especially since he is starting his separation anxiety and my back is in spasm almost all the time. Picking him up is an ordeal. Going for a massage tomorrow. Hopefully it works!

Another Detto

Maxim has a new cousin. Emily Amber Othen was born last Friday. Rick and Reanne are doing really well and brother Connor is adjusting. Nana Detto is exhausted after looking after Conner while Reanne was in hospital, but has recovered nicely. I hope to get at least one picture up her on the blog shortly. She has a tonne of hair!

Other than that there isn't a whole lot new on our front. It has been a spectacular week, weather wise. I have been out every day with Max. Today was a great adventure. I've made a new Mommy friend. Heather and her daughter Sarah (a month younger than Max) live near by and we have been doing little things together like going for walks and visiting the National Gallery. I gave her a call to see if she wanted to walk to the Market this afternoon. It was gorgeous and we stopped to pick up a smoothy and then went to sit in Major Hills Park. She is new to Ottawa and had never wandered up there.

After sitting in the grass for an hour and having the kids laying on some blankets, I asked if she wanted to wonder over to the Museum. She hasn't been there either and I thought it might be nice just to pop in to show her and then go later on in the fall when the weather isn't as great. We both wanted to walk a little longer to make the kids fall asleep so over the bridge we went. When we got there I bumped into Chantal, my director, who was coming out of the Glenn Gould exhibit. It's the exhibit that I was working on before I left on mat leave. Steve (the project manager that took over for me) was in the exhibit and let me in to have a sneak peek. It only opens next week. The whole team was there and it was great to see the exhibit in its final stages. It looks great, exactly as we had imagined it. I love when that happens. I was so excited to get a chance to see it before the opening. I am definitely going to go, but you never really get to see the exhibit at the opening. With my parents and Marty's parents coming down in October, I will have plenty of time to wander through it and listen the the audio guide. After the impromptu visit, Heather and I walked home. It's about a 45 minute walk. We were gone for pretty much the whole afternoon. Max was great for the most part, except for some pukage in one of the exhibits. Good thing the carpets are a mottled gray and hide everything!

Mary Francis is on her way here for the weekend. For her birthday this year, Marty and I bought her a bus ticket. We are going to go to the National Gallery tomorrow morning, having lunch in the Market, hitting the Museum in the afternoon and maybe a little shopping at Rideau Center. Mary Fran loves the Museum, and I think there are some great exhibits that she is really going to enjoy. Then Sunday I am driving her home. I am going to meet with some friends that I haven't seen in way too long Sunday afternoon and then driving home on Monday.

It's going to be a busy weekend. Hope your's is going to be just as fun.

How dry I am

The end is drawing near; the well is starting to dry up. I am pumping less and less breast milk and I imagine that soon there will be nothing left to pump. The milk flow was pretty stable for the first month or so but has been gradually slowing down as the weeks went by. In the past few days though, the flow has dropped drastically. I was really hoping to go for at least 6 months and it looks like I might not get much past 5.

The guilt is still there, as well as the feelings of failure but I am working through them. Marty is really good at reminding me that I have given Max more breast milk then a lot of women have given their children and probably have endure more then many women would put up with. I think I will still have to go through a little period of mourning though. I wanted to much to actually nurse for the first year. A few tears will probably be shed and then I will move on.

Max is doing wonderful. I had him in a real laughing fit today at our friend's Krista and John's place. It's still the best noise in the world. Their two dogs were constantly covering him in slobbery licks, which Max thought was just the bees knees. I am so glad that we are bringing Max up amongst animals. He screams at the cats when they walk by and loves to watch the dogs play at the dog park every morning. I can't wait for him to be able to throw the ball for Chili. Maybe next summer...

Getting fatter

Max had his 4 month check up and shots today. He was a very brave boy and didn't cry for very long. Here are his new stats: 15lbs 13oz (in the 52nd percentile) and 25" long (in the 72nd percentile, thank you Detto genes). Dr. Gfeller said he looked good and was happy with his weight gain. I asked about solids and he said not to start before 5 months, as he probably won't be ready to swallow anything yet. We'll see what happens in another couple of weeks.

We have settled into a pretty good routine, so that should mean Max will change it very soon. He is an early riser. He is up at about 5:00-5:30, but is ready for a nap around 7:30, which I am very happy to join him for. I don't think I would be of much use during the day if I didn't get that morning nap. Not so much a morning person.

We walk to the dog park with Chilli and are back around 10ish. By 11 or 12 he is ready to nap again. This time I have to stick him in the sling. He doesn't like to fall asleep on his own for that one. The nap lasts anywhere between 45 minutes and 3 hours! I prefer the longer one, I can get more done. By 4:00 he is starting to get cranky again. His witching hour is between 4-6, which makes getting supper ready a challenge some days. At the moment he loves to sit on the front step. Don't know what we will do when the weather gets really cold! By 8 we are giving him his bath and he is usually asleep by 8:30ish. The night time feeding is anywhere between 2am and 4am. The 2am is better because he usually doesn't fall back to sleep after the 4am. Good thing is that we can leave him in his crib to talk to his mobile for about an hour before he gets fed up.

He hasn't started rolling yet, but is thinking about it. I believe he doesn't see much use for it. But he gets half way and then gets comfortable and stays there for a while. He is pretty good on his stomach. Lifts his head nice a high. Gets a little frustrated after a few minutes.

He is in his excersaucer now. He likes it for the most part. On a good day he will be in it for about 30 minutes. Other days it's maybe 10. I'll take what I can get. He grabs things and has certain toys that he likes better than others, and there are a couple of books that he really enjoys. Next step, Jolly Jumper. I think he'll really like that.