My Journal--Sixth-12 Months Old

6 months

One night we stayed in a tent. It got rather cold at night, but then the sun came up, and it got warmer really fast! Calvin and Ellen slept well in the tent. We laid a blanket down on the ground and several on top of us. Next time I think I'll bring an extra blanket.

Calvin got sick within a few days of coming back from our little vacation. He threw up in the morning when I was nursing him in bed. I was surprised but didn't realize he was going to continue throwing up the rest of the day! He threw up about a total of 10 times up until 4:30 or so.

He started the day out happy, but then he kept getting quieter and less like himself as the day went by. John's mom watched Ellen for many hours that day (the longest she's been away from me and she had fun), while I held Calvin and rocked and nursed him.

I had to be careful because if I held him wrong, or even once when I set him up and he burped, he would throw up. He finally had just fallen asleep, but then Ellen came back home, and he woke up... and soon threw up again. That was the last straw and I couldn't take it any longer -- I had become too worried about him, so I finally took him to a doctor, a naturopathic doctor suggested by my midwife. John's mom watched Ellen again (which turned out fine, but she was so sad that I was going to leave her), and I drove Calvin to the doctor.

He slept on the way there, and when we got to the office it was nice and cool in there, and he nursed really well and dozed while we waited to meet the doctor. He seemed to start getting better after that. The doctor said he was mildly dehydrated. He had a little bit of water (his first water) and some homeopathic tablets to help stop the vomitting (his first thing other than breastmilk). Surprisingly he didn't throw up any more and quickly got well again.

A couple weeks later Ellen got sick with a cold. Then Calvin got it. Perhaps his immune system was still low from being sick earlier that month, but somehow his developed into more than just a cold. He got a cough, and he didn't sleep well. He cried more than usual and would turn his head from side to side. Yep, you got it -- he had an ear infection. Actually, I took him to the doctor (a regular one because we couldn't afford to go to the other one again), and he told us that Calvin had two ear infections and bronchiolitis. I turned down the offer of antibiotics. The doctor thought he might stay sicker longer if I did, but I wanted to wait to give him antibiotics until necessary. I also didn't fill the prescription for cough medicine (it didn't sound like I *had* to give it to Calvin), and gave him some homeopathic medicine for his cough. I'm not sure if that worked, but he got better, so that's what matters. :) For his ears I used garlic oil drops with willow bark from Herbs for Kids. I also gave him some Chamomilla Complex -- this was from the naturopathic doctor. I called her office and she gave me a presciption for Calvin. :-)

Well, he quickly got better!!!

7 Months

Started Solid Foods and First Tooth

I was thinking about how maybe I should've waited until he got a tooth before giving him solids (some people think that babies getting teeth is sign that their bodies are more ready for solids). And guess what... later that day I noticed he had a gotten tooth!

In the first week or so after he started solids he knawed on a chicken leg bone (with the meat taken off) and also ate some banana and pear. I let him finger feed himself. For the banana, at first I cut it in tiny pieces and put it on the table in front of him; then the next time I just gave him a hunk of banana and let him squash it himself (it was a soft banana). For the pear (it was a pear from a can of chunky fruit in fruit juice) I cut it in tiny pieces and then squashed them with a fork. He also ate a rice cake.

He enjoys his food so much, and I have fun watching him eat it. I wonder how long his fascination with it will last. I am going to try and make sure that breastmilk is still his main source of food; I don't want to make the same mistakes I made with Ellen. He drinks a few sips of water sometimes, but not everyday. I am going to avoid juice for as long as I can.

8 Months

9 Months

I really don't remember for sure when Calvin started crawling, but I think it was toward the end of his 8th month. Soon after, he also started pulling up and standing. He was sooooo happy just standing. He looked like he was so proud of himself. And then soon after that he started cruising. He became able to keep himself occupied very well for long periods of time by standing up and cruising around the living room. He used to like to have us hold his hands while he took steps, but now that he can move on his own, he won't have any of that any more! He is independent. :)

Here is a post (with a little editing) that I sent to an email list I am on...

Calvin is about 9 1/2 months now. After gaining less than a pound from 5 - 7 months, he gained over a pound from 7 - 8 months. I think he might've slowed down weight gain so much before partly because he became so distracted from nursing during the day and also because he had been sick a couple times when he was 5-6 months old.

Just this week he finally started being more interested in nursing during the day - he's been very distractible since around 5 months old. He has been nursing well at night to make up for any loss during the day, but maybe he will nurse less at night since he is wanting to nurse more in the day. :) The really cool thing is that he is letting me know when he wants to nurse. Before I would offer when I thought he might need it, but he would often refuse so I kinda got out of the habit of offering so much (the main times when he would nurse pretty good during the day were when we went back to our bedroom before his nap). But the other day he tugged at my shirt when he wanted to nurse. And he did it yesterday, too. And today Mom was holding him in the store and he leaned over, reached out his arms, and opened his mouth really wide. I sat down right there and nursed him and he actually wanted to even with a few people walking past us (before he wouldn't been way too distracted). This is nice because now sometimes I can sit at the computer and nurse him to sleep for his naps instead of going back to the bedroom. lol [Hindsight tells me that he may have been going through a growth spurt at this time. :)]

He is taking two good naps a day around the same time each day (once around about 11:30 and once around 4-5 pm, I think]. I don't know how often he nurses. Both of my children go to bed about 10:00 each night. :-) I am very happy about the fact that they both go to bed at the same time! We do our bedtime routine together - bath, brush teeth, read books, pray - then I go and rock and nurse Calvin, and Ellen (age 3) lies in bed while I sing lullabies. They are both asleep really quickly!! Ellen sleeps in until about 9:30 and Calvin sleeps in to apporximately the same time, though he often wakes up earlier than Ellen, and he wakes up throughout the night to nurse.

I think Calvin might be waking up less often at night since he started nursing more during the day. I have no idea how often he nurses at night. He is sleeping alone right now (it's about 10:40pm), but I will go and sleep with him when I go to bed tonight. While I am in here on the computer, I keep the door of his room open so I can hear if he needs me, and I go to him quickly if I hear him cry. He usually nurses and then goes right back to sleep. I go to bed around 1:30 or so and my husband gets up a little after 4:00, and he is a light sleeper and needs as much sleep as he can get, so Calvin and I sleep alone during the week days, and then on the weekends my husband and Calvin and I sleep together.

Calvin absolutely loves solid foods. We don't give him any baby food. He has liked everything he has tried so far such as bananas, mango, kiwi fruit, peaches, pears, potatoes, chicken, spaghetti, bread, crackers, frozen bluberries, carrots, spaghetti squash, sweet potatoes, and more. He does not eat three meals a day every day. Sometimes it's twice or even once. It sometimes depends on if we are eating during a nap. If so, then he usually skips that meal. We kinda feed him to keep him happy at the table. And he loves to eat. He feeds himself.

He started crawling about a month ago?? He does it kind of funny - he bends his back right leg in a way so that he can use his foot to kind of push him along (it's hard for me to explain!!) This week he started practicing standing alone -- he pulls himself up on some furniture and then lets go and he look so much like he enjoys it! It's fun to watch. He loves to stand. He used to like us to hold his hands while he stood up and maybe moved his feet a little like he was trying to walk. Now he won't let me do that. He wants to practice on his own!!

Calvin and Ellen are getting along really well. It's so sweet to see how gentle and patient she is with him. They play together and often keep themselves occupied quite well. It's nice. :-)

Ellen still nurses but it's down to about a minute a day.

Calvin *hates* diaper changes; cries really hard, and he squirms and turns over and sits up. It's kind of frustrating. Also, I've noticed that when he seems to be mad at me he sometimes grabs my hair -- and I think it's deliberate; do you think that's possible?? :( Oh, and I noticed that if I say "no" sternly that he will cry. I try to avoid no, because I don't want to over-do it. I say "ouchy" or "hot", etc. to explain why he shouldn't touch something, and then remove him from the situation, distract, etc., and if he, for instance, pinches me, I say "gentle touches" and show him how to touch gently. A friend has a really baby-proofed house, and it's so nice and relaxing to visit her; I need to get with it and get mine a little more baby-proofed. I find that babyproofing and making things as baby-friendly as possible really helps avoid many discipline "problems."

He took his first solo step at a homeschool meeting.

10 Months About three weeks after he took his first solo step, he took several steps in a row at home in his bedroom. Actually John saw him do it; he took seven steps. Then he quickly added to that and almost a month later, he is slowly walking. He's very cute.

Posted to a mailing list I am a member of (10/28/99)...

I am happy to say that Calvin went to sleep on his own tonight without me in the room! I nursed him and he just wasn't going to sleep. He was happy. I was doubtful that he'd be able to fall asleep, but I thought he should be tired because he had been acting cranky and tired before I nursed him and it was getting late at night. So I went in and put him in bed (a futon), tentatively said good night, and left him there. He was happy and talking to himself. I went on the computer and I just checked and he is asleep!!! :-) I don't know when it'll happen again, but at least I know he can do it. :)

10/29/99

Well, he usually wakes up at least 2-3 times between the time I put him to bed and the time I go to bed. Last night he only woke up once before I went to bed and didn't even wake up when I went to bed (which he often does). I don't remember waking up very much the rest of the night. So last night was a good night. :)

Tonight I nursed and rocked him like usual and he fell asleep that way. I've had to nurse him twice so far tonight since I put him down, but he didn't eat dinner tonight, so he's probably hungry... but the strange thing is, I don't think he ate dinner last night either (he usually does eat dinner, but our routine has been a bit messed up the past couple days because Ellen is sick. :-( ).

11/1/99 -- after the time change

Well, Calvin stayed up later than usual last night and had a horrid time getting to sleep. Then he slept in later this morning. So he's backwards. I'm puzzled. And this afternoon he had a horrid time getting to sleep for his nap. I hope he's not getting sick. I know his routine is messed up somewhat because of Ellen being sick [she had roseola].

Ellen is getting better, but she is so incredibly whiny. I am getting very frustrated. With her whining and Calvin's having a hard time getting to sleep I am just FRUSTRATED. grrrrrr. I am so crabby. HELP!

11/4/99

Calvin won't take a nap today. Well, it's only 1:22, so there's still time. But I nursed him to sleep and put him down and my hair got caught on his arm and he woke up! I tried to rock him to sleep (it used to work!!) and he got so angry and tried to scratch and pinch and pull my hair. It was awful. I finally gave up. sigh. [He did end up later nursing to sleep just fine an hour or two later.]

Thank goodness so far Calvin seems to be easier to discipline that Ellen. I kept removing him from where he wasn't supposed to be (he kept climbing up on the hearth by the fireplace), and he finally actually stopped. I have to remind him sometimes, but he's usually a good-natured little guy. Often instead of saying "no" it works if I say "Calvin" sternly. Last night I did that and shook my head when he was playing with a light socket, and he shook his head back at me and gave the biggest grin. But he stopped playing with it (I had to remove him a few times, too).

It seems like I have to say "gentle" a lot. He isn't very good at being gentle yet. He likes to grab our noses for fun and bite our chins and hit for fun, so I give him the palm of my hand to hit.

November 13, 1999

We got pictures taken of all of us at Sears yesterday. We were about 15 minutes late for our appointment, so we had to wait about an hour and a half before it was our turn. It went so well, though. I was surprised! Calvin hadn't taken a nap yet and he wouldn't nurse very well since he still gets distracted rather easily (so curious), but he was still happy. He loves being around people.

Calvin is starting to walk more and more. He often walks instead of crawling. Sometimes when he crawls he crawls more "normally" but he usually still crawls with his left leg bent so that the left foot can push him along.

He hasn't been eating as much since Ellen got sick. I just haven't been giving him as much food... like for instance maybe he'll be asleep for a nap when we eat so I don't bother about giving him any extra food. But he seems to be doing fine. I feel like I have plenty of milk again (for a little while I felt a little empty, but I think he might have just been nursing more to help my increase my supply).

He still nurses at night, but doesn't wake as ofen as he used to several months ago. I can lay him down after he nurses to sleep and he'll often stay asleep at least for two to two and a half hours and even sometimes three before waking up and wanting to nurse again. (For a while he was waking up after only about a half an hour of being asleep!)

He likes to say the sound "duh!" a lot. It's very cute. He loves to drink water. I still haven't given him any juice, except that he's gotten a hold of Ellen's cup and taken a sip at least once. He loves to use sippy cups, sports water bottles, and those children's cups with straws. I am going to try and not give him quite so much water in hopes that he will nurse more often during the day. If we are busy out of the house like at a store he can sometimes go about 4 hours without hardly nursing (I offer more often and he takes a couple sips). But of course he seems to make up for it at night. He nurse quite a bit early in the morning before we get up. He also nurses well before he takes a nap and before he goes to bed at night.

November 27, 1999
Late Saturday Night

Calvin's sleep was very restless a couple nights ago, but he slept better last night. Today her took about a three hour nap. I let him get too tired before I put him down for his nap, and felt badly about that, but I thought I had better do something with Ellen before I took the time to sit down and nurse Calvin to sleep.

Ellen had been upset because I told her she couldn't do something, so I told her she was really upset, that she was really angry, and that it was hard (I tried to affirm her feelings and show her that I understood how she felt). Well, my feeble attempt actually worked and she calmed down. Then I asked her if she'd like to make some chalk, so that's what we did while poor little Calvin was acting very tired.

He nursed a little while we were making the chalk, but her is so curious and just wants to do everything we do so badly! It's very frustrating for him sometimes.

He nursed right to sleep after we were done.

Sometimes I feel like I have so much milk. I guess that Calvin nurses so differently from day to day, and sometimes Ellen nurses and sometimes she doesn't, so I guess that's why my milk supply is out of wack? ... I mean I guess that's why I feel so full sometimes and I've been leaking quite a bit lately? But I don't know. Sometimes I wish so much that Calvin would nurse more often during the day. Boy, he sure nurse well last night during the night!! I wish he'd nurse better during the day and less at night. But sometimes it's nice not nursing so much during the day, but sometimes I feel so full and leaky that really wish he'd nurse. I can usually get him to take at least a few sips, but it doesn't always help. Sometimes I then I ask Ellen if she would like to nurse some since I am so full, and she very happily obliges. She says it tastes so good!!

How many solid foods he eats varies greatly from day to day. Somedays he doesn't eat breakfast... like on Sunday mornings before church. We get up earlier than we do the rest of the week, and we're always running late. He then nurses well at church, otherwise I don't think he'd nurse very well. Then he eats a snack after church with the rest of us during fellowship time.

He really seems to enjoy his food. Oh, and did I tell you how much he likes his sippy cup?? He has water in it. He had juice for the first time (besides "stealing" a little taste of Ellen's juice) last week. It was fresh squeezed apple juice, and of course he loved it! I'd really like to get a juicer.

He was screeching last week at church (the week before he nursed and fell asleep; that was nice :)), so I didn't get to hear most of the sermon (we left the room because he was sooo noisy). Ellen sat through Sunday School and the church service very nicely (though John said she was a little too squirmy).