20 weeks!!!!!

This week can be summarized by one word: impressive!! KR and I have been saying it daily!!
*he has really been starting to grab things in his peripheral vision. Like the sides to the carseat handle, the poles on his play mat, the bathtub (he looks like he's hot tubbing haha)
*he's started his lip sucking again.
*he really seems to look for things to grab, rather than just grabbing what he sees.
*sitting up is getting soo good!!! We had him sitting up for pictures and he held it for really long periods! It's official, he can sit up!!
* last week and this week, he started really lifting his head up while laying on his back, working his abs like crazy!! He does not rest!!! He does bicycles hahah. Abs of steel!
*if he's laying on his back, sees his pacifier to the side of him, he can roll to his side, use his arms to scoot it, and gets it under his face while almost on his tummy, puts his mouth over it and rolls back with it in his mouth!!! Impressive!!
*while sitting up, KR will pass the ball to him and dean will swat at it and it kind rolls back to KR. They play pass forever!!
*he has a cough and a goobery nose. Poor little guy but he doesnt seem to be affected by it other than it disrupting him when he's relaxed. That and I have to suck his nose more and he doesn't love it as much as he used to....
*lots of rain here which has meant cute outfits!! He finally got to wear his cute hat we got him!!

Man what a big week for Dean!!! We have so much fun and love watching him learn and love loving him!! It's also been so nice having KR home all week. It hit me this morning that not only will we not see him much this next rotation (6 days a week, about 7am to 7pm for 10 weeks) but I won't get much breaks either. Im nervous. But my main worry is just not having time with KR, especially not having our Saturdays. I keep thinking, when will we go to the pumpkin patch? When will we get our Christmas tree? I'm trying not to feel sorry for myself- we really are so very very blessed and things could easily be a lot worse- but I'm going to miss him :(
But the show must go on!! Just grateful we are sealed and one day we can be together all the time forever! In the meantime, I gotta take deep breaths when the going gets tough!

Pecan Pear Banana Bread

I got pecans stuck in my head a few weeks ago and when I mentioned it to a friend, she gave me a bag because she was given a ton. So I've been wanting to make something delicious but couldn't decide. When KR came home with pears last night, my mind paired them (haha pun unintended) with pecans. I searched pinterest and apparently pears and pecans is a thing! Long story made longer, I couldn't find a healthy recipe for pear pecan bread so I made my own adjustments to an unhealthy one and we loved the results!!

Preheat 400*
1/4 c. Applesauce
2 bananas
1 egg
1/4 c. Sugar (my applesauce was from my father in law-homemade- but he adds a ton of sugar so I only added another 1/4 c when most recipes were calling for a whole cup. So you can adjust accordingly. I just didn't want the bread to not be sweet.)
1 pear, diced (mine was very unripe so after dicing it, I microwaved it till soften it up a bit)
2 1/4 c. Flour (I used whole wheat)
1/8 c. Flaxseed meal
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
Chopped pecans
1/8 c. Pecans ground up in food processor (to like sprinkle size-I had some left over from another recipe so I just threw some in just because. I didn't regret it :) ha ha)

Mix the applesauce and bananas, add egg, add the dry ingredients- basically fold in the chopped pecans and pear last. Put in greased bread pan. I sprinkled more ground pecans and drizzled honey on top- just a touch.
Baking it is the only thing I need to mess with. I set the timer for 30 min. When 9 min were left, KR checked and the top was burning and the rest was still very doughy. So we turned the heat down and baked it longer. Next time I will do that from the start.
Yummy!! The pear resembles apple and the texture seems the same at first but it is a fun surprise when you get the unique texture of a pear and its juiciness! I'm a fan!

Forgot a few

Two more things I remembered.
*dean will sometimes hum himself to sleep. It's a low pitched humming type sound/ugh sound. Ha ha. Do this: with a closed mouth, make a groaning, humming sound. That's it! He just does it constantly until he is asleep. He doesn't do it all the time but it's so cute!!
*he has also started grabbing his pacifier from his mouth. KR found him asleep once with it in his hand.

19 weeeeeks!!

This week has been much calmer!! No moving! No construction! No shots! KR only had four days and just had lectures, so It's been nice!! Wet even had friends over one night! Dean is healthy and happy as usual. I've really learned to feed him while he is sleepy, if I can. It translates in to a bit more often but a lot less stressful. He is still getting up one to two times a night but oh well! More snuggle time right??
*he used to really grab our hands as we have him his pacifier. Now he pushes them away haha. Not because he doesn't want it but just because ha ha. It cracks me up.
*he is getting better at sitting up! He Can balance for a few seconds ha ha getting closer
*we took him up to Washington to see a museum about mt st Helens. We went to the wrong place at first and overall did a ton of driving and he did great!!
*today he reacted to peekaboo!! Video will be on instagram
*we started "sleep training" today and he slept in his crib for a little while!! I think it was a great first day!!
*he's getting really grabby!! He reaches for things if I hold him in my lap.
*he rolls a ton now and if there is something in front of him or to the side, he works so hard to get it! He can't usually get it and gets frustrated but I think he is super close to scootching. If on his back, he will arch and push with his legs. It won't be long until that moves him up. When in his tummy, he moves all his limbs like he is swimming and tries so hard! He also can hold his head, shoulders and arms up all at once!
*when I am holding him upright over my shoulder, he seems to hold on to me/hug me. I love it!

18 weeks

I'm just going to jump right in to it since I have posted a lot recently, or so it feels like it.
*he has started doing this high pitched shriek/scream. So far, he only seems to be doing it because he is exploring his voice. So for now, it's super cute ha ha
*he has learned to do... Oh man how do I explain it....like brrrr sound, like a boat, like blowing bubbles? I will have to get that on video.
*he has really started pinching! Ha ha. He just gets a handful of skin and clinches his fist tight. It hurts! Ha ha.
*he seems to be getting stronger and stronger and sitting seems to be more of an issue with balance, not strength. So I feel like its not too far away.
*now that he has his play mat, he rolls over a ton!!! But he doesn't seem to Luke rolling back to his back. He just gets stuck on his tummy. He knows how though so I don't know why he doesn't. Sometimes I think he just knows I will come get him ha ha. And so it begins...
*also, there is a mirror on the play mat. At first he didn't ever give it a second glance. But slowly he is playing with it more and more.
*he has always been super vocal, but he is really looking exploring what sounds he can make
*I think he is going through a growth spurt, (or at least I hope so) because he is getting up every three hours at night again. Im not complaining though, because he eats great during them. So its literally a 20 minute process. Not like when he was little, where I was up for at least an hour each time. So as much as I hope he starts sleeping through the night again, this is still better then it was on the beginning so I'm happy. And again, he is eating! Since im not always confident in how much he eats, these extra feeding reassure me.

4 months!?

My goodness where has the time gone??

Dean and I went to his four month check up on Wednesday, his exact four month mark. I scheduled with a different doctor this time because I didn't really like the first one. She was very nice, an older woman, but I just felt like she has been doing this for too long. She would never offer up any information unless I specifically asked, (which I don't know the right things to ask) and she would forget and check his ear again and ask me if she already did them. So when I met with the lactation consultant, who I got along well with, I asked her opinion on a Dr whom I might like. She suggested Dr Johnson so that's who I tried. Anyway, I really like her!! She was so sweet, a little younger and has a lot of the same opinions as me. And! She confirmed he is teething! She said because he is advanced in other milestones, its most likely that he started feeling the teething sensation as early as 2-2 1/2 months, which is when all his nursing issues began!! I felt sooo relieved to have an answer!! And I love that she came to me with that info, rather than me asking. She said her first daughter didn't break her teeth until 16 months!! And the top ones came first! In the meantime, poor little girl, she was teething that whole time!! So its nice to know its not the same for every baby (although I know that) and it is in fact possible for him to have started teething that early!
Anyway, his measurements are great. Weight had tapered off to middle of the chart, maybe like 60-70%. His length was like 90% and his head! 99% hahaha. Maybe I'm blinded by love but I don't feel like he has a big head! Haha. He's just perfect and healthy!!
He got his shots but did so so well! The nurse was shocked out how quickly he stopped crying. He did seem to be in pain later so I gave him a little medicine and he did much better. So much better that we were able to escape the 97 degree heat and go to souplantation to cool down!! Haha.
So grateful to be his mama and that he's doing well!
Here is the collage of pictures I took, sorry I know I already posted them on fb and ig.


One more.

17!

This week was another doozy although nothing compared to last week. KR was back on a normal schedule (5am to 630pm). It was no fun getting the last of the old apartment packed up but we did it. I did a little each day, with some wonderful help from KRs parents on Monday. Then the last of it and the cleaning was done on Saturday (mostly KR since I was on Dean duty). But we turned in the keys Sunday and we are finally done there and can put all our focus on the new apartment.

We love it! Pictures to come!
So on to Mr. Dean!
*he is really finding his voice, and lots of new syllables. I've heard an 'n' sound. Also he literally makes goo goo ga ga sounds ha ha. Especially when I'm holding his pacifier in his mouth for him. he has started making the "th" sound, often combined with raspberry sounds. 

*we got his crib set up and although we aren't trying to get him to sleep in it yet, we are letting him get used to it and hopefully we will work up to that. I'm not rushing it or pushing it. Sleep is precious and few so its scary to have to sacrifice so much of it during this transition. We will get there though.

*he's really getting good at grabbing things. toys are finally in our lives. Especially his new play mat (which will have to wait until next week because technically it's part of week 18 ha ha)
*4 month appointment on Wednesday. More shots for the little guy. I hate it and in so so scared! He was hurting and miserable later that night last time. I will update you guys though on his new stats.