Noah's first teeth!

Noah started showing teething signs around 3 months (excessive drooling, fussiness, chewing on everything) so we knew he was going to pop a tooth sooner than later.  His first bottom front tooth starting showing through his gums around 4 months of age and his second bottom one joined that one about a week or two later.  You can see the teeth well now although they aren't fully through.  I keep trying to take a photo but Noah's tongue is always in the way!  Our favorite teething remedy is Hylands teething tablets. These seem to give a little relief and calm Noah down!  I also got Noah an Amber teething necklace, despite Nick's opposition to this idea :) Nick laughed when I told him about the necklace and tells Noah he looks like a hippie when he has it on.  I love to try all these "natural" methods so even if it doesn't work, at least I can say we tried it!  I didn't get Noah the necklace until his teeth were pretty much through the gums so we will have to see if it helps when the next tooth comes in!

sporting his new necklace

chewing on everything!

39 degrees...woohoo!

Today (Jan. 19th), the temperature made it up to 39 degrees!  It felt like summer...people were shoveling their driveways wearing shorts and short sleeved T-shirts...only in Minnesota!  Unfortunately it is supposed to go back to negative temps and single digit temps.  It was nice to enjoy at least one day of "warmth" though!

Noah and I went for short walk to get him some fresh air and give him a little 20 minute snooze since naps are long gone these days!

Taking a short snooze in the Ergo

Rosy cheeks!

my little monster!

Bye, Bye nanny (&Auntie) Sari!

As I mentioned in previous posts, Sari nannied Noah over her month long Christmas break. It was so nice to have her but terribly sad to see her go.  Noah was napping in Sari's arms so well and taking a few 30-60 minute naps each day.  Now that she has left, it is a bit chaotic.  

Noah goes to my parents twice per week and our new nanny's house three days per week. We are so thankful to have found a nanny once Sari went back to school. Noah's days are never consistent with Nick's and my crazy work schedules and then carting Noah back and forth to my parents' or the nanny's. Plus add our varying child rearing approaches and it's pure craziness!  Hopefully one day down the road things will be a little better!

My fav pic of Sari & Noah

Noah's daycare sheet from his nanny...notice his long 30 minute nap ;)

Noah's 1st day with his new nanny!

Cranial Osteopathy

Since Noah was born, Nick thinks I am glued to my phone searching Google for answers...which I am!  I did figure out Noah's reflux from my obsessive google searching so it's not as negative as he thinks!

While searching for sleep help, there are millions of articles but most didn't help us. When I saw some people try cranial osteopathy, I had to try it. (despite the fact it's not covered by insurance and costs a pretty penny...but desperate times call for desperate measures!)

We started taking Noah to an Osteopath (Doctor of Osteopathy (DO)) who does cranial osteopathy on Noah.  He's had two sessions so far and have four scheduled total.  I don't know if it will help any but I've read articles that say forceups deliveries (and other types of traumatic births) put a lot of pressure on a baby's head and causes them to be in pain/uncomfortable.  The DO has felt a ton of pressure in Noah's head so he works on that each session (while Noah screams for 45 minutes).  Even if these sessions do nothing to help Noah, I'm glad we are going as the DO is so much more empathetic than the pediatricians we see.  He assures us it's okay to have Noah sleep with us and to do everything we can to make sure his needs are met.  I so wish he could be Noah's Pediatrician!

I will keep you updated if these sessions help at all...at least they're helping mama feel better about Noah's well being!

Sleep (or sleepless) thoughts

Noah's only 4 months old and I get knots in my stomach everytime we have to take him to the doctor (which has been a lot with his reflux and eczema).  We had Noah's 4 month appointment this week and of course we got asked "what's the longest stretch Noah sleeps at night?" And I told them the truth...one hour (If we are lucky) !  Of course then I got told we can let him cry and he needs to learn to not be fed to sleep or bounced to sleep. We even got a packet on Ferberizing.  Are you kidding me?!

Now let me mention that I used to be the mom who thought crying it out was the solution to getting Noah to sleep.  It didn't feel right but when the nurse we saw at Noah's 2 and 3 month appointments told us he's manipulating us and can cry for 10 minutes before we check on him.  So idiot me believes her and tries this.  Well our high needs baby doesn't just cry...he full on screams.  His face is beet red and he can't calm down.  I paid for this 10 minutes of agony in the days to follow because that 10 minute crying made Noah's reflux 20 times worse.

So of course when we got told to let him cry again, I tried explaining I won't do that because of his reflux and the fact that it just breaks my heart.  I don't think the doctor cared or believed me. 

I am so sick of hearing about "what's best" for my baby when they aren't with him
24/7!  I understand that some people let their babies cry it out and I'm happy this method works for them but unfortunately it won't work for us with Noah's high neediness and his reflux.  Noah does cry in our arms at night and I believe it's because he's uncomfortable due to his reflux or another issue we aren't aware of just yet.  He tosses and turns all night while crying his poor little eyes out.  We have yet to find a way to make him comfortable as he goes ballistic on a mattress and will only sleep in our arms for 30-60 minutes before becoming uncomfortable again.

We are praying everyday that Noah becomes more comfortable and can get some sleep. We started taking him to an osteopath to see if that will help...keep your fingers crossed please :)