One reason for my lack of blogginess lately . . .

Gotta go right now. Be back to explain later.

Upgraded the co-sleeper!

Here is the old Arms Reach co-sleeper bassinet currently serving as a changing/dressing table. Mariele just seemed a little cramped in there lately. I felt like she needed room to roll around a little:



My solution was this convertible crib. The crib is currently in the toddler daybed configuration (the drop rail is off) and the mattress is in the second highest configuration. The castor wheels are not on the legs. The crib is heavy enough to stay put right next to my bed. So this way I get to safely co-sleep and Mariele has her own safe space in the bed. Last night she slept on the side next to the railing on her side (she is a side sleeper like me). I think we are both sleeping better this way!



To fill in the gap caused by pushing our mattresses together, I tightly rolled a blanket and some towels on the other side of the crib. Everything is nice a tight now with no suffocation risk:



Graco does not realize that this convertible crib has a co-sleeping configuration. I am super excited about it myself. Mariele really likes it too!

I wish I had this set-up when Analese was a baby. We did more bed sharing with her. I like co-sleeping with my kids, and I realize it is not something that I will do forever. In fact, sometime after the second birthday it starts to become less fun and they get longer and wigglier. Analese enjoys her own bed now, and we enjoy having our bed back too. It is nice to be able to still co-sleep with Mariele, but to spread out a little.

Now for grins and giggles here is a pic of Mariele enjoying her sweet potatoes:



And here she is enjoying a piece of nectarine inside the mesh feeder:



We are slowly starting solids. She is getting only an insignificant amount so far. Just tasting and she is not really in love with anything yet. I will keep offering and introducing some new foods and see if anything in particular will tickle her taste buds. I have made all of her baby food so far, although I am giving her the rice and oatmeal cereal from the box. I made her some homemade oatmeal cereal. I ground the oats as fine as I could, but it is still a little clumpy for her to have yet. She has the one tooth on the bottom (will try to get a good pic now that it has emerged enough to see it if she gives me an open mouthed grin).

Wordless Wednesday - Sisters at play!

Mariele's 6 month well baby visit . . .

Poor Mariele had to get 3 shots and an oral vaccine today. I tried to tell her that it is better than the alternative, but she would not listen to me and just kept crying.

But her stats look great! Her development is right on track and she is an extremely healthy baby!

Weight: 16 lb. 13 oz. (70%)
Height: 25 1/2 inches (45%)
*Head: 17 inches (73%)

*I have big headed babies, what can I say?

At 6 months, Analese was 16 pounds 6.5 ounces and 27 inches! So Mariele is a little shorter and chunkier, but in my eyes both of my girls are so perfect. I can't imagine either one of them being any different than they are.

Still waiting . . .

to get my computer back. There are cute pics in my iPhone, but I have to sync it to my computer. There are cute pics in the regular camera, but I don't want to dump any more pics into Lee's computer because it messes up my system. So not doing much blogging til' the puter comes back, unfortunately. I hope I get it back this week.

Thanks for all the great ideas about paci weaning. I had to laugh at the paci inside the build-a-bear. Yep, I'm pretty sure that Analese would find some way to rip into that poor animal! I do like the idea in general though. I may try the snip and cut method. She has never chewed holes into her pacis, so she just might not like that. But I think I will leave it alone for just awhile longer and continue to be strict with the only at bedtime and naptime rule. At least Mariele does NOT take a paci, so that will be one less thing to wean! She likes to suck her thumb, but she does not suck it constantly or anything.

I've been sick this weekend. I hate summer colds. They somehow seem even yuckier than winter colds. I'm trying to take it easy as much I can with Lee at work. He helps out tremendously when he comes home. I'm also trying to make sure I drink enough water, although with nursing I always have to do that anyway. I had a fever yesterday, but so far today I do not have a fever. Just lots and lots of snot. I know, TMI!

Advice please!

Trying to wean my 3 year old from the paci is not going so well. I've reserved it only for nap/bedtime for a long time now. She is cooperative about this and willingly hands her paci over to me when she wakes up. Today I tried to lay her down for a nap without it. I promised her a treat at the grocery store later if she complies. Well, she cried and cried like her little heart was breaking in two and said, "I want my paci! I want my paci!" I gave in because I just could not stand it. Honestly, if it were not for the issue of pacis affecting the teeth, I don't even think I would worry about it. It is such a comfort object to her (along with her bunny) . I mean, she has had paci even longer than bunny. She has sucked a paci every night for the last 3+ years! Oh what to do? I wish she would just forget about it or lose interest or something, but somehow I don't see that happening.

Half a Year Old!