Dear Dr. Tony; is 2am too late to call?

We have the best pediatritian in the world. Dr. Tony. Ezekiel loves him. When we leave our visits he always says "remember, we are open 24 hours a day!" Marty is all gung-ho and ready to give a call to ask our "pressing" questions that aren't really pressing and could wait until tomorrow morning when the office is open. oh, and did I mention that I used to work for his answering service (Dr. Tony doesn't know that) and I'm pretty sure that they wouldn't love getting woken up at 2:00 on a Thursday morning to ask a mundane question.

Anyway....here is the thing. Ezekiel was born Dec. 5th. That makes him 3 months and 1 week. He is a hungry bug (you've probably seen the pictures) and he happens to love to eat. We give him stage one vegetables and fruits. He has his favorites (squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, and peaches). When I give him a mouthful and he finishes it, he sits there with his mouth open waiting for the next spoonful. I decided before he was even born that I was going to make his baby food but to try it out, we have just been buying Gerber already made. So, tonight, I look up to find out how to store homemade baby food and what not and I read this:

Babies don't need solids until 6 months of age. Breast milk has all the nutrients babies need. For babies who are not breast fed, iron-fortified infant formulas provide complete nutrition for babies.

Solid foods given too early can cause food allergies. The foods are not digested properly by young infants. Then the baby's body treats them as "foreign bodies" by producing an allergic reaction.

Giving solids too early might also cause choking. Babies aren't yet ready to swallow anything but liquids. Their tongue and cheek muscles are designed for sucking at this early age. They do not move solid food from their lips to their throats to swallow it. Instead, their tongues have a thrusting action that pushes solid food out of their mouths.

You'll know your baby is old enough for solid foods when he can sit well with support and has good head and neck control. He can turn his head away on purpose if he doesn't like the food or has had enough to eat. This usually happens around 6 months of age.

So, now I'm all freaked out thinking that E. isn't really swallowing, he is just letting the food fall down his throat. oh, and that I'm giving him life long food allergies to potentially his favorite foods on earth. And Marty wonders if we push him too much. Now that I'm a mom, I seem to be able to find guilt in the oddest places......he's growing quite nicely though

Here's a video too:

Home

Every day, I am thankful that I get to stay home and raise Ezekiel. Marty works so hard to help make that happen. When I first left my job, I was so worried about how that will look in 5 years when I go back into the work force - then I was like, 'you know, I don't care. I'd give up my all for this kid..not just my resume'.

So, anyway.. everyday, Ezekiel changes so much. He is growing so, so fast. He is no longer content to just lay back and look at me (although, late at night, he still loves his 'nuggling. My little snuggle bug). We have been giving him "big kid food". He LOVES peaches (which is funny. I was allergic for years to peaches. When I got pregnant, I had such a craving for them - so I ate them and didn't have an allergic reaction!). He HATES peas (what a good boy! Mommy hates peas too!!). And he just discovered carrots. He seems surprised by the taste:



But then decides he must love them:



He also likes to do things. It is tough to find things to do with three month olds. I put on more puppet shows with stuffed animals then I can begin to describe. Honestly, I'm not sure who enjoys them more - Ezekiel, or Marty when he gets to witness them. He (Marty) gets a kick out of all my voices. Out of desperation two nights ago, we pulled out his jumperoo. We thought he would be too little for it, but he LOVES it! Here he is jumping (that's right, it is a motion shot):



And here he is 15 minutes later, totally tuckered out:

''

And just one final shot for your viewing pleasure. Daddy snuggling up the Bear:

I days off (part deux)

pictures are in part one. This is a video of today. It might be a tad long, but it is of Ezekiel practicing his talking and ending it all off with a puke.

I days off

Today was Marty's day off, so we spent a nice, relaxing day just hanging out and going places like the fish store. Ezekiel was particularly spicy today. He made sure to show off when my mom came over to visit. In this picture w/my mom, he doesn't look too impressed:



Daddy and E. managed to hang out and do some silly faces and what not too:



After a big meal of pears and cereal, it was pass out time:



side note: I realize that E. is wearing a different outfit in every pic - these really were all from today, I change him a lot.

new picture

Last night was a great night. Frank and Rhianna came over for dinner with their two little ones. Gwen is such a little bitsy angel and Little Frankie is anything but little - he is a bruiser! He is 6 weeks older than Ezekiel, so it was hilarious to put them side by side. They looked like two little brutes (or two little weebles laying side by side). He is a little charmer though - and he is sitting up (on his own) and pulling himself into a standing position - at 4.5 months old!!! I hope E. can do all of that at such an early age.

We bought Ezekiel a Bumbo chair so he can practice sitting up. He is simply hilarious in it. He sits there like he thinks it is his recliner and bobs his head around, smiling. Here he is, he looks a bit silly but it was the only picture we got of him in his Bumbo:



We went to Ezekiel's pediatritian last week for E's two month appointment. He weighs 15.85 lbs (97th %) and is 24.5 inches tall (97th %). He had his FOUR shots and he was a little trooper (but more composed than either me or his Daddy). We talked with Dr. Tony about how Ezekiel eats SO much (and I have to pump EVERYTHING, so it is getting a little rough). Dr. Tony asked a bunch of questions (like, does he open his mouth when you are eating and try to get your food? can he hold his neck up on his own, etc etc). After the question session and explaining to us about Ezekiel's size so he needs more food, Dr. Tony told us that E. is ready for food! Like, for real....not in his bottle (which we had a problem with anyway). He wanted us to start him on rice cereal in a bowl with a spoon. So, we listened and started it. The very first night, Ezekiel opened his mouth wide after like the third spoonful. He "got" it. He loves his food like his daddy loves his food! It was so awesome, but so sad too. We both cried watching our little tyke open his mouth wide for the spoon. He has nights when he doesn't want anything to do with the cereal, he only wants his bottle and that is ok with me. He is only 11 weeks old, after all. Next, we will try Rice Cereal with Banana.

Tonight, he is a little cranky. Here is a pic of him tonight in his pjs though:



This is another of him tonight in hs pjs. Yep, different pjs. This was before the poop-pant-mishap of 2007. You will notice the big smile; he knew what was coming....



I am so in love with this kid. It is crazy.

what a face

Everyone keeps saying that Ee-key has me wrapped right around his finger. I don't know what they are talking about.......

update

Ezekiel is getting to be such a big boy. He weighs in at 15 pounds now! We have had to pack away so many cute outfits (many that he never even got to wear) as he is now in 3-6 month clothes. He is learning "fake-fussing". I still get a kick out of it. If he isn't get his way with something, he sticks out his little bottom lip and then makes this ahh-ahh-ahh noise that scares him if he does it too loud. Of course, he is only 9 weeks old - I imagine I'll be pretty sick of it by the time he is, say, 2.

We also had to take care of his co-sleeper. His arms were touching both sides and since he is moving now, we would wake up to find his face pressed into the side of the sleeper. It has been difficult moving him to his big boy crib. He doesn't like it and it makes me so sad to see him swimming in this huge crib. He is still in our bedroom though, so that makes it easier on me to be able to see him from my bed.

Here he is in his big boy crib. You can tell he isn't too sure of things (this is the first moment when he was laid down in it for the first time)



He did finally pass out and sleep for a half hour in the crib. Then we put him in his swing to sleep. The next morning, he refused to sleep in either. I laid him in bed with me and Marty and apparently all three of us passed out. This is me waking up to find the little turd sleeping soundly in our bed



and this one is just one I'm including because I thought Beckie (my sister) looks so pretty holding Ezekiel: