Drew - Month 7

 

1 month ::: 2 months ::: 3 months ::: 4 months::: 5 months::: 6 months ::: 

 

Weight: You're starting to chunk up a bit, even though you're still a tiny pixie. My guess would be 14.5lbs?

Clothes: Still rocking mostly 3-6 months and 6 months...although now in Gap clothes you are in 6-12 months. You are wearing a size 3 diaper now too. 

 

Nicknames: Drewbie - and it's almost what Leo calls you primarily which we find to be the cutest thing ever.

Sleep:  You're a great sleeper. I would say you pretty much do 7pm-7am. Naps are all over the place but I sort of don't care. 

 

Schedule: I am SO much more lax with you than I was with Leo. It's honestly just impossible for us to have a strict morning schedule, and I'm just ok with that for this round.

 

7am - Bottle #1

8:30am - breakfast

  9:30/10am- nap

11am- Bottle #2

10:30-1:00pm - play/cat naps/lunch while we are out and about

  2pm-Bottle #3

2:30pm-4:30pm -Nap

4:45pm- Feed/play/bath

5:45pm- Dinner

6:30pm-Bottle #4

7pm - Bed 

Health:  We are SO thankful for your perfect health but we did have a little blip on the screen. On your 6 month doctors visit, it quickly turned from a well check to a sick check. After breakfast (oatmeal), you were having a bottle and then projectile vomited the entire thing. I thought maybe it was just too much but you continued to be violently sick for the next 2 hours. You retched ever 90 seconds for the entire time and it was absolutley horrible. Coco came to take Leo over to Mimi and Grandpa's so that she could assist me at the doctor. I was freaked out. The doc had me treat it like a stomach bug and later that night - you were totally fine. 

One week later, after an oatmeal breakfast - the EXACT - same reaction. I called the doctor, explained what happened, did a google search (found out this actually happens to quite a few babies), and we're pulling oatmeal (obviously) for a while. I'm nervous to try another grain with you, but we're going to do rice and quinoa this month and see how they go. 

We're not calling it an allergy quite yet, but we'll try again once you're one and hope like hell it's gone.

Crying:  You are the easiest, sweetest, happiest baby I've ever been around.

 

Feeding: We stopped nursing. It was time. After every nursing session you wanted more from a bottle, and then eventually wanted nothing to do with nursing. As sad as I was, it's very freeing to have that chapter closed too. Weaning hurt a little more this time than it did with Leo, but after 2 weeks, I was pretty much back to my old self. 

You are now taking four, 8oz bottles of Holle formula.

 

Likes: Still the MVP around here. You like everything and everyone - but you're favorite person is Leo. You just light up when you see him. 

Other than that, you like sucking your thumb, getting food everywhere, baths with your brother, crawling around, and being around people.

Dislikes: Oatmeal.

 

Milestones:  You sit really well. If you have enough toys in front of you, I would venture to guess you could sit for 5-ish minutes? Often times though, you end up sitting, and then find a way to start scooting to the next toy.

I wouldn't technically call this crawling - but I guess it is, because you can make your way around the entire house - but you are scooting everywhere! You're strong and fast and have started moving SO much faster than your brother did (he was 10.5 months).

You are rocking your booty on all fours, so I would guess you'll be classic crawling in weeks.

 

Places You’ve Gone: We were in the city quite a bit this month - and on Thursday, we are taking just you to California to meet our California crew. They cannot wait to get their hands on you!

Postpartum: I'm hoping the lack of breastfeeding can help me get back to per-pregnancy weight, but I still have about 7-8 pounds to go. I'm exercising a ton this summer, but I haven't done a diet which I think is what it's going to take to lose the last bit. I keep saying "next month".

Leo: You guys love each other - and every morning Leo asks me "does Drewbie want to play with me?". He likes you near him, until you start swiping his trucks ;)

Drew, you make all of our days brighter and we love you so, so much

Things we need to discuss

::: If you are ever at the beach....you need this tent. I found it at Tj.maxx and the two times we've used it, it's changed our entire expirence. Drew can crawl around happily, I like to sit in the shade, and it's a perfect spot to eat enjoy snacks and hang out. Well worth the $30 bucks

::: Mom question: Has anyone ever had a baby who had a violent reaction to oatmeal? Apparently it's a thing on Google, and Drew isn't the only one. Her doctor isn't concerned and told me its too early to label her as "allergic", but both times after eating (earth's best) organic cereal, Drew had a horrible vomit reaction exactly 2.5 hours after consumption. She threw up until her entire stomach was emptied, and then was basically totally back to normal.

::: I have been trying to keep a list of some of my favorite wines and I don't have too too many because mostly this summer I've been drinking beer (corona light and Crystal Lake Brewing's Beach Blonde), but I have been drinking a ton of this Rose. It's so good - the bottle is beautiful (which makes it a pretty gift), and it's a reasonable price point ($16)! I've bought it at Mariano's and Target.

 

::: Speaking of drinks....the other day was like 93 degrees, it was 2pm and I was exhausted. I needed some coffee but the idea of hot coffee was just not doing it for me. I normally HATE iced coffee, but I decided to give the new "Salted Carmel Cold Brew" a try - and damn it was good. I didn't want anything that was so caloric it felt like a meal, but at 180 calories for a tall, I felt like that was a reasonable treat, and not only did it hit the spot, it totally energized me through the afternoon slump.

  

::: One of my best girlfriends Sara had her baby girl Emma a few weeks ago, and Drew and I finally got a chance to head into the city to meet her. She is SO darling, with more dark hair than even Drew had, and it was just so fun to be with Sara and our DAUGHTERS. Life is crazy.

 

and being with Emma made Drewbie look SO big



::: We are going to start potty training Leo soon. Joel and I are heading to California in two weeks, and we are going to bootcamp potty train him when we get back. Any tips? I haven't read anything - but I think we are pretty much going to try and wing it? Is that a horrible idea? I know I want to install two new toilet seats. Our neighbors use them and they seem like the perfect solution for little booties without being too gory.

New undies, potty books, lots of ipad games, tons of treats,a sticker chart, pull ups for bed (because he is still in the crib) are the other thoughts I have, but let me know if there is something else I seriously need.

::: I'm sure there's a long list of other things, but for now,  a new episode of Younger awaits and my eyes aren't going to be open for much longer!

Drew's Baptism

Since a lot of our family was already in town for the 4th of July festivities, we decided to have Drew's baptism on Sunday, July 8th. 

That morning, we decided for our whole fam to go out and play some tennis and pickle to start the day off. It turned out to be an absolute blast - and even Leo got in on the action.

 

 

We rushed home, pulled the house together as quickly as possible, finished up last minute errands, got everyone ready, and tried to snap a few family pictures before we met everyone at the church.

 

 

 

Drew's baptism gown was worn by my mom - and then by me as a baby - which was really, really special. 

 

 

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 My sister Hannah is Drew's Godmother, and Joel's brother Andrew is her Godfather 

After the Baptism, our two families all headed back to our house for a late lunch party.

 

all the Shields cousins

 three Shields girls were born in 2017  

 

 

 

We wrapped up the perfect afternoon with rose and cheersed to our sweet Drewbie girl.

4th of July Recap

The Fourth of July weekend is probably the best week where we live all year long - and this year did not disappoint. 

On Wednesday, the actual 4th, my parents hosted a pool party BBQ for all of my cousins. Joel and I started the morning off with a run, and then spent the rest of the day in the pool, eating, drinking, playing games and just hanging with family.

The only bummer about the 4th this year was that it fell in the middle of the work week, so Joel had to get up Thursday morning and go to work. 

We kept to our normal day on Thursday, with the exception of welcoming family in to town. Joel's Aunt Annie and Uncle Jim stayed with us for the weekend - and we kicked off the party with a BBQ at our house.

On Friday, after swim lessons for Leo, Joel's mom, aunt, and my mom, Grandma, and the kids all went out to lunch. 

It is not lost on me how lucky we are to have so much family local, and family that loves each other as much as we love them. 

Joel got home early from work and we took the kids over to the Lakeside Fest. 

Leo had been watching the rides go up all week long and was BEYOND excited.

We did about 3 rides with friends, and then we walked the kids home to meet a babysitter, so that Joel and I could go back to the fest and hang out with friends for the evening in the beer tent. 

Saturday morning we work up and got right back into the swing of things with cocktails and pickle ball at our neighbors house. 

Joel's brother Andrew and his family from San Diego were in town, so we hung out with them for a little while in the afternoon before we got ready for a 4th of July party.

The weather couldn't have been more ideal....and besides Leo being suppper anxious about the "big booms" we had a perfect evening. 

   

 

 

I changed Leo into his jammies - my sister pulled out a new stuffed toy for Leo - and once the first firework made it into the air - Leo decided they were the coolest thing ever. His commentary for the entire 20 minute display was adorable and he wanted to go to firework party eveyday now.

 

And because we're crazy....we decided to have Drew's baptism Sunday! But we'll save that for a different post!