Cuatro Meses

Yep, that's right our big boy is O-fficially four months old. The doctor's appointment early this morning confirmed it for us. He is considered a big baby now and I mean this literally!

He weighed in at 14 lbs and 15 ounces...I'm sure by now it's more like 15 lbs, but who's really counting anyway? He has doubled his weight, he was born weighing 7 lbs and 1 ounce. I'm so proud of my little guy. His height is impressive, he's measuring just under 26 inches, which is no surprise since his daddy is a tall fella. His doc congratulated me on doing a good job breastfeeding, which made me a very happy mommy.

We stuck with our original vaccination schedule that my sister-in-law shared with us. You can check that post out by following this link. I have posted his schedule below and the AAP recommended schedule, so you can compare the two. Garrett's pediatrician was awesome about having an alternative schedule which was nice to see. Anyway, Garrett only received 2 shots/2 vaccines. Although, I'm not sure if I believe this will prevent any autism or anything like that, I do feel better and safer knowing he isn't receiving so many things at one time. To me, it just seems like overkill on the number they give them each time. He still managed his pouty face and a short cry with only two shots. Imagine 2 in each hip! Yikes!

Garrett's Immunization Schedule

No Daycare/In Daycare

2 months DtaP/HIB ******** DtaP/Prevnar
4 months DtaP/HIB ******** DtaP/Prevnar
6 months DtaP/HIB ******** DtaP/Prevnar
9 months IPV/HBV ******** IPV/HIB
12 months IPV/HBV ******** IPV/HIB
15 months IPV ********IPV/HIB
18 months HBV/Trihibit ***** HBV/Trihibit
24 months Prevnar ******* HBV/Prevnar
26months MMR ****** HBV/MMR
36 months Varivax ******* Varivax

This is what all that lingo stands for:

DTAP = diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis

HIB = Haemophilus Influenza type B

IPV = Inactivated polio virus

HBV = Hepatitis B virus

TriHibit = DtaP and HIB

Prevnar = invasive strep pneumonia

MMR = measles, mumps, rubella

Varivax = chickenpox live virus

AAP / ACIP Immunization Schedule

2 months Prevnar / HIB / HBV / DTaP / IPV
4 months Prevnar / HIB / HBV / DTaP / IPV
6 months Prevnar / HIB / DTaP
9 months HBV
12 months Varivax / Prevnar
15 months MMR
18 months TriHibit / IPV


Garrett has been a little cranky, but overall is handling the shot pretty well with the addition of some Tylenol and a few naps. In the interim, he decided to perfect his giggling (we've been working on it, he's getting pretty darn good!) Overall, today hasn't been that bad. I hope the rest of his vaccines go this smoothly. :)

The doc gave us the A.O.K on solids, too. This simply makes a dilemma for me....I'm thinking I may start rice cereal soon and then wait on the 'baby food' until next month. What do you guys think?Do you think this is detrimental? I've read all the hype on the appropriate time...but is it really bad for him in the long run....so long as I watch for allergies?

A week's worth of rantings and realizations

Mommyhood truly is a full time job. Nursing is a second full time job. Cleaning the house is a third full time job. Cooking for anyone, save myself is sometimes impossible. Remembering what I need to do at my 'part time real job' the following morning is pointless. Making time for my husband and then for myself is a nano shy of obsolete. Where are my personal assistants when I need them? Oh yeah, I don't have any...that's right. So exactly why does a celebrity like Britney go cuckoo?

I'm jumping on the whine train tonight and I so wish that meant a red bottle of wine, like the good old days. But, shamelessly it doesn't. Rather it means five minutes on the deck as I take the trash out for Monday pickup as Bryan tries to coax Garrett back into LA-LA land.

Let's be candidly real for a minute. I miss me time and really miss we time.

Don't get me wrong, I love my baby more than anything in the world. He's perfect. He's always happy...that is, he is happy now. Once upon a time, I had a colicky baby...miraculously that period ended as if someone hit a switch when he turned six magical weeks old. No doctor bills or prescriptions needed. Luckily, the days have gotten much much easier. But, the long days have not ceased to exist and neither has his growing need for attention.

My day begins around 9 a.m. as we all begin to wake up. Depending on the day, I am either off to work by 10, sometimes by the grace of God I make it out by 8. But, that's on a very good day. Most days Bryan is off to work at noon and works a 11-12 hour shift. On lucky days like today, he leaves at 10 a.m. and doesn't return until 12 a.m. These days remind me of those first few weeks with baby Garrett and truly tempt my sanity. It's a day of constant struggles, in how to fit in all of my jobs without compromising Garrett's growing and learning.

I feel guilty if he doesn't get enough attention or if I take a moment to make myself a sandwich or browse the Internet for a few moments. He usually wins. No, he always wins.

We interact, we talk non-stop. I always had been told I was a talker, hence my name Brook. Yet, now I am a flood of words. We read books, sing songs and sometimes simply talk about everything. I tell him the who, what, where, why and how of everything. And Garrett eats it up and looks up at me with a twinkle in his eye, gabbing back as if he is in conversation over the most fascinating discovery. And I am certain that he is.

Today, he has completely found his toes. He grabs at them and holds them, feeling them with his fingertips. I try to show him my feet too, that way he knows that I have feet also. He has started perfecting his laugh. His first giggle was when he wasn't even 3 months old. We were in Walmart as a lady started talking to him. Of course, he has yet to giggle like that again, but he is getting close. I know any day now it is bound to come out! I am almost sure he laughed at the lady like that because we were playing with the giggle stuffed animals right before she spoke to him. So tonight, I bought a giggling frog. I know I 'm a sucker. And yes, I made a trip to Walmart at 8 p.m. on a S-U-N-D-A-Y. I hate Walmart, but with a child it becomes an experience and somehow makes the hours fly by.

Back home, we settled in to complete our nightly tasks. OK, those would be my tasks...I start cooking my dinner, make sure the dogs are taken care of and change Garrett's diaper before laying him down for bed. No night-time stories or a bath. We are both, too pooped for any routine other than the bed and the boob. He comes from a long line of sensitive skinned people and too many baths a week would surely ruin his precious baby skin. No lotions, either. Besides he smells sweet as it is. Of course, do I really need to justify this?

Except this go around, Garrett doesn't want to sleep without mommy. Yuck. Two tries and still a baby fussing. Finally, I bring him out to the living room and hold him, as I eat. Multitasking has taken on a whole new meaning. And then, finally at 11:53 my sweet relief walks through the door, takes a shower and keeps baby for twenty whole minutes.

I emerge renewed and remember why we decided to become parents. Tomorrow night I need to make time for 'we' so Bryan remembers that, too. Because, what would I do without him? He makes mommyhood and all it entails so very worth it.