emerald city diaries

{letterboard: Letter Folk (Poet) // jammies: Hanna Andersson // Santa hat & blanket: made by Aunt Kelly}

{week 42} This week has been fun (& a little different) because it is the start of Aaron’s paternity leave. Well, the second half of it; he took the first half in the summer. So we have had a lot more time with Papa which has been so fun!

This week’s photo really captures how Daphne is these days which is that she wants to be up and interacting, and not lying on her back. At all. She is go-go-go and never wants to keep a hat on!

We have also started being a lot more consistent with water in a cup at mealtimes this week. I know we are approaching a big transition soon where Daphne will go from a bottle (or breast) to a cup and we just haven’t been offering it, mostly because it is just one. more. thing at mealtime. Sorry Daph! But she is learning how to drink and swallow out of a cup (we use a plastic shot glass which actually works so well since it is small enough for her little mouth) and she LOVES it! And Aaron re-taught her how to use a straw the other day and now she is drinking out of a straw and (mostly) swallowing the water. We haven’t started offering (breast) milk or formula in a cup yet, but that will probably be starting soon.

The biggest update for this week is that I had to start weaning Daphne from nursing to a bottle for two of her feedings (late afternoon and dinner). I have mentioned it before, but I have had SO many issues with Daphne biting while feeding and I got to the point last week where I was just done. I want to continue nursing her and will try to do so for her first two feedings where biting doesn’t seem to be as much of a problem, but I guess blood was the end point for me. I don’t want to bleed while nursing! So, I am still nursing her when she wakes and right before lunch, but then we are offering bottles (4 ounces) in the late afternoon, evening, and at bedtime. We still have some frozen breastmilk available that we are using along with Holle formula. It has been a change for me/us but Daphne doesn’t really seem to be phased at all (which is great)! Since Aaron is home now during the day on leave, it has been nice to feel like we have a bit more flexibility in the afternoon since I don’t have to be home or with Daphne to nurse her. It has been a little hard for me (mostly emotionally) because I am not ready to wean Daph just yet, but I think it was a good decision for everyone.

And here is Eloise’s 42 week update.

Happy 42 weeks Daphne!

M

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{letterboard: Letter Folk (Poet) // top: Target (old) // jeans: Gymboree (old) // slippers: Hanna Andersson}

{week 41} This week marked the worst of this cold Daphne has had recently. Coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and one or two short episodes of a low fever. Definitely not horrible, but it is awful to see a baby sick and not feeling well. But, the best thing about Daph not feeling herself was all of the cuddles! Mostly these days she is so busy and on-the-move that cuddles don’t get to happen, unless it is in the middle of the night for a wake-up, so Aaron and I both cherished those cuddles from Daphne this weekend.

I think we are mostly on the back-end of this cold (although we are all sort of stuffy still) and I am so thankful. Obviously because of her age, we couldn’t give her anything (like medicine) but we did run a humidifier in her room overnight and put Honest Breathe rub on the bottoms of her feet and on her chest before she went to sleep. Surprisingly she slept pretty well at night, despite her not feeling well, and we would hear her coughing some times, but then she would go right back to sleep!

This week we also met Santa, which I mentioned in the weekend post, and Daphne did pretty well. We were waiting (forever!) in line during her usual morning nap, so I expected she might be fussy, but mostly she only wanted to snooze if I was holding her. And once we got to Santa, I thought for sure she would lose it because she was sleepy and stranger danger, but she did well. No smile, but no tears either! Again, I will share the official Santa pictures when I get them.

Daphne is really wanting to clap (and loves it when you clap) and she hits her chest instead. She also hits my chest when I hold her and it is so endearing! I think the chest hitting is either her way of clapping or waving, two things we are working on.

This weekend also introduced the Christmas tree to the living room which I was a little anxious about. Daphne is in the phase where everything (literally everything) goes into her mouth and often she leads with her tongue… But, she actually ignored the tree for the first few days, and then just last night approached it. She went for the lights, which wasn’t a huge surprise, and wanted to pull on them. Eloise and I made sure to hang only soft and stuffed animal-like ornaments on the bottom of the tree where Daphne can reach. I am still slightly worried about her trying to eat the pine needles (since we have a real tree) but so far “no thank you Daphne” has worked pretty well!

Biting during nursing has still been an issue, especially during the last two feedings (in the late afternoon and evening) which has not been fun. I am not quite ready to wean her yet, but may be forced to, at least down to just two or three feedings! I am going to attempt to get thru the next two weeks and the re-evaluate. We aren’t ready to introduce cow’s milk yet, so any weaned feeding would have to be replaced with either pumped milk or formula in a bottle; not the end of the world, but definitely some logistics involved, especially if I decide to pump during those two nursing sessions instead.

And here is Eloise’s 41 week update.

Happy 41 weeks Daphne!

M

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