Happy 2013!

Well, the holidays are almost over – now we just have to get through Russian Christmas and New Year Old Style (it’s a Russian thing…) Hope everyone got to enjoy their time off, some good food, rest, and the time with family. This year everything sort of came together for us and we realized just how important that time is – now that we are a real-deal family, I guess.

And of course, I’m worried that my baby’s 1st Christmas and New Year weren’t special enough. But you know what – I had him asleep almost by his bedtime, I didn’t drink any alcohol, and I was more focused on changing his diapers than on opening gifts, so all in all I think I did well.

Other news so far:

1. During the family Christmas dinner baby had his first rice cereal! It went extremely well, until the next day, when we got all scared because someone mentioned that rice could make him constipated. So we were all holding our breath until we heard that first poo drop at around 5 pm =) I didn’t even realize how much I was waiting for that moment, until I realized how much relief it brought to me as well!

Since then we’ve been doing rice cereal every night, he seems to really love it. Now I am a little bit confused on the logistics of introducing other foods – I have to replace one breastfeeding session first, before I can start feeding him at other times, but I can introduce new foods every week. So would I give him a taste of the new food, and then rice cereal and then finish it off with some milk if he needs some (though I usually don’t… so does that mean I’ve replaced the session? because I top him off an hour and a half later in bed..)  Clearly – some more reading to be done,

2. Perhaps the doctor was right and giving him rice cereal would make his tummy less sensitive. Before I had to stop eating bread completely (except for pita bread) because 1 slice of whole grain bread would trigger a reaction to where each time he pooped there was blood in his stool. Now I’ve been having some butter here and there, and today even a whole slice of cheese for breakfast – nothing!!! I’ll get maybe 2 specs at best. I’m scared to do the happy dance just yet, as I am also scared to have some milk or anything that says whey powder on it… but maybe in a few weeks – who knows!

3. I’ve signed up for a trial class of Gymboree’s Play & Learn. So we’ll see what that’s about in a week.

4. Someone got a killer deal through Ebay on my lot of gdiapers. Yes, I sold them. And you know why? Because it seems like I was always buying more pants in the next size. And I just had to stop and say – wait a minute! I just got a new set, and he’s already growing out of them?? So my husband and I did the math, and we would’ve actually spent less on regular diapers in that time. I didn’t really feel like I was saving much. And as I was finishing off the giant pack of diapers we got for our New York trip I realized – I didn’t really care to go back to the gdiapers =( I have to be honest with you guys.

They’re great and there’s nothing wrong with them. But the rinsing off poop after each diaper change vs not having to do that at all – kind of did have an impact on my daily life.

Plus – I would have to dress him in little t-shirts so the cuteness factor could be observed and that wasn’t very practical, plus now it’s cold…

Anyway, I don’t really have to explain to you how disposable diapers are more convenient. But the gdiapers weren’t as less convenient as other people made it sound. It definitely didn’t make me do the laundry less!

5. My baby has been completely replaced. Now I see what they mean with the “4th trimester” theory. My little boy was a super-cute zucchini the first 3 months compared to the funny little guy I’ve got now! The week he turned 3 months old things started changing! He started seeing things, noticing, touching, reaching.. Laughing! It’s so heart warming when someone is holding him, and he sees my face and smiles!!! Of course he does that with everyone now, but he’s still more giddy with me! =) And with other people he quickly gets shy and turns away, it’s the cutest thing!!

Booboo bear has also touched his first snow already and is already able to sit up by himself a little bit! No definite crawling yet, but reaching efforts are totally being made!

And traditional questions for you gals/guys:

1) What are some of your favorite holiday traditions – from your own childhood and with your children now?

2) When did your baby get the first tooth?

3) What was your baby’s bedtime?

Thanks!!