Saturday, December 24, 2011

Merry Christmas from the Schultz Family

I hope this Christmas "card" finds you well.  Things have been pretty busy here!  The year 2011 has been a memorable one for us. Here is a quick recap. 

Sunday, December 18, 2011

This morning Tyler said "Mama" to me when I came in his room.  And then he blew a big raspberry at me. 

On another note, his naps have been pretty short or non-existent ever since he started crawling.  And this has made night sleep hard for us too, with him waking up crying every hour or so from 7pm to midnight. 

Friday, December 9, 2011

Yup. He's mobile.

Tyler started crawling.  Well, he's not really crawling, he is dragging himself with his arms.  He's slow and gets tired out quickly but it's a start.  And he only goes after something he knows he's not allowed to have, like my laptop. We've got one room babyproofed, but we have a lot more work to do around the rest of the house!

Happy 8 months, Tyler!

See my youtube page

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Wave Hi!

Tyler just learned how to wave "hello" and he has been sitting up without propping on this hands for about a week.
From Tyler 6-9 Months

Tyler 6-9 Months

Sunday, November 27, 2011

(Almost) 8 Month Update

Wow! Tyler is almost 8 months old.  He is a joy and I feel like this is a really fun age.  He is always happy and sleep problems are minimal.  And no, he is not crawling yet, which seems the be the most common question I get right now.  But he can sit without using his hands to prop himself at least for a few seconds before toppling over. While playing he enjoys laying on his stomach and can scoot around and reach for toys.  And when he sees something he really wants he can roll towards it.  So he seems pretty content with his physical abilities.  I don't think he will be crawling by Christmas but I have been told that things can change quickly.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Home!

After a full week of missing, Miley is back at home safe and sound.  At 8 this morning a neighbor come by and said she saw her, and we searched for over an hour.  Then around 11 am, another neighbor called.  He almost had Miley coming to her but another neighbor's law service just turned on their mowers and scared her into the 12" drain pipe that runs under the driveway.  So he stayed on one side and I built a rock gate to block the other side and ran to get the small animal trap that I borrowed from a friend.  I set up the trap with food in front of the pipe and eventually after a few minutes after the mowers left, she walked into the trap.  Then I just carried her home in the trap.  Good thing for the trap and the pipe because it would have been very hard to catch her by hand because she was so afraid and would not come to me while in the pipe.

Now she is home and seems just fine and healthy.  She lost a few ounces but that is all.  Billy did not recognize her at first but is fine with her now.  After some food and water, she is back in her favorite place sleeping like nothing ever happened.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Missing

Miley has been missing for 4 days now.  It is really getting me down.  We have gone from looking in our little sub-division, to the whole neighborhood.  Under decks, up in trees.  Lots of flyers.  Yesterday we got one call from a resident in an adjoining neighborhood, which is not all that far if you cut through the woods.  Luckily the weather is good for kitty-hunting.  I am a bit shy, so it has been hard for me to just walk up to strangers, hand them my flyer, and tell them my predicament.  The kids in the neighborhood have been heartwarming, searching all around, and through them the word has been spreading faster than we can pass out flyers. 

My biggest fear is that we never get her back.  My next biggest fear is that we get her back and she is injured or has contracted a disease.  She is really shy so she must be terrified.  I feel terrible because her escape was my fault.


From Kittens: Growing Up Schultz

Sunday, October 9, 2011

6 months!

Happy half-year birthday, Tyler!  You have brought so much joy into our lives.  I feel like we have gotten well past the difficult stage and the fun is just beginning.

Tyler as almost always happy, especially in the mornings.  When we makes noises for him he breaks out into a big laugh.  If he misses a nap he gets a little crabby, but it's not too bad. He sleeps 10-12 hours at night, and well, I can't ask for anything better than that.

Tummy time is getting better too.  He used to get upset after just a few seconds on his stomach but now he will spend 5-10 minutes playing this way.  He practices pushing up and sometimes he flips his legs under himself like he wants to crawl.  He does not roll over often but he can in both directions.   He can also sit up by himself if you prop him up on his arms like a tripod.

Tyler's handy work has really advanced.  He can transfer a toy from one hand to the other and will shake a rattle.   

Friday, September 30, 2011

Strike Update 2

I am still having a hard time with Tyler. See my recent blog post on the strike.  Well, since then we have really taken it easy and not gone out too much. He has been doing well but still very distracted.  I can only feed him in his dark room with the white noise.  I am feeling very isolated because we can't go anywhere because he will not feed anywhere but at home.  And I don't want to give him any bottles because I feel that was a big part of the strike. Tom has been away for the past two days on a business trip. So Tyler and I were out several hours yesterday and today and it did not go well at all.  He will nap at my friends' houses but not breastfeed ?!?!  This is very hard.  And now Tom is going to be out all day tomorrow.  This is crazy. I just can't stay home all day every day.  Gosh, I wish our society was more home-centric.   I wish my work, family and friends all lived next door... So far the hardest part about being a say-at-home mom has been the isolation.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Where did the weekend go?

So let's see.  Friday the weather was terrible.  Windy, rainy, cold.  We packed the van, hung out with the family, spent some time in the hot tub. 

Saturday I was up at 5 A.M for Tyler, and checkout was at 9 A.M. (early for rental house standards).  The cleaning crew showed up at 9:07 A.M.  Gee wiz.

Then we stopped at my parents again for a quick visit, pick up the cats, and on our way again.  Rain and wind for most of the drive.  I was exhaused and pumped constantly (what else is there to do just sitting in the car?).  Tyler was very good and slept most of the way.

Sunday the weather was nice and cool so we took Tyler on his first hiking trip.  Pictures and blog post of this to come.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Tyler's First Hike

Today we took Tyler on his first hike.  We went to Preddy Creek Park and walked about 2 miles.  He rode on Tom's back in the soft carrier.  Tyler seemed to get uncomfortable by the end so I carried him in my arms for the last few minutes.

This was our first time to this park too.  It is pretty nice and big and close to home.  We did not get too deep into the park but there were no good hills to climb.  There is a nice stream and an interesting old house that is mostly fallen down surrounded by a rusty car and discarded tires.


Tyler's First Hike - Preddy Creek

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Strike Update

Today was our first bottle-free day in a long time.  I can safely say that Tyler's breastfeeding strike is over. Beginning about a week ago, Tyler would not breastfeed, even when he was clearly hungry.  He would only breastfeed at night when he was asleep.

I believe the strike was from a combination of stress leaving for this trip, vaccines last Tuesday, and some stomach and nasal upset.  That is a lot going on for a little guy!  He just wanted the bottle.  I got very frustrated with him.  My milk supply dropped considerably and I had trouble pumping enough to keep up with him.  Luckily I have plenty of milk in the freezer.

I had several bad thoughts go through my mind, such as he would never breastfeed again and my milk was going to dry up.  We have worked so hard to establish and maintain this breastfeeding relationship, it was breaking my heart to think that it might be coming to an end.

I was ready to call off the trip I was so worried but I decided so go and do the best we could.  I pumped every 2-3 hours on Saturday while we were traveling to help get my milk supply back up.  Tyler was really thrown off by his new surroundings but still napped at least once a day and slept through the night.  Gradually he took less and less bottles and let me breastfeed him while awake.  At times the only way he would nap would be to nurse the whole time while in bed but that was ok with me.

I talked to my LC who has been helping me since Tyler's birth.  She assured me that this is common, it will soon end, and that one's milk supply is resilient and will return.  Her words really helped me feel better and push on and not give up. 
It feels so good to have Tyler nursing again and without a fuss. He is still very distracted and must feed in a dim room with a noisemaker.  But he feeds well and continues to flourish.

Here is an old picture I just re-discoverd on my ipod from when Tyler was 4 days old.

OBX 6

Thursday, Sept. 15.

My back feels much better and Tyler slept until 7 A.M.!  The family watched Tyler while Tom and I went swimming on the beach.  The waves were a little higher today but I did not learn my lesson from the other day.  I did some boogie-boarding and learned that if I stay in from the inital crash of the waves, the ride is not as good but there is less of a chance of getting flipped over and hurt.

Tyler skipped his evening nap and went to bed an hour early without much fuss.  Breastfeeding has been going well.

For the first time in our visit we can't see the moon and the beach is very dark here at night.  A storm is blowing in from the northwest and the wind has really picked up.  We lucked out on the weather so far: sunny and mid-80s every day.  Tomorrow will be cooler and raining but that's ok because we have to spend at least half the day packing and getting ready to leave because the checkout time is 9 A.M. Saturday morning.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

OBX 5 - Sightseeing

Wednesday, Sept 14.

Up at 1 A.M.  My back hurts so much it is hard to pick up Tyler.  I put him in bed with me and nursed him on and off for most of the night.  Around sunrise I poked Tom to put Tyler back in his crib in the other room.  The bed is a firm king-size so it works well for co-sleeping.  It was nice to sleep with him and I managed to get some good sleep.

I was a little grumpy in the morning so I slept in.  Then Tom and I headed out for some sightseeing with Tyler.  First we went to the Bodie Island Lighthouse, part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, near South Nags Head.  The visitor center was closed due to flooding from the recent hurricane.  The boardwalk through the marsh was nice but a little buggy.  Tom pushed Tyler in the stroller.

Then we headed out to Fort Raleigh National Historic Sigh and toured the museum of artifacts for the lost colony of Roanoke Island.  I wanted to see the remains of the fort, but again the mosquitoes were really bad so we headed back to the house.  I can't imagine what the colonist went through living here without bug spray or even nets to protect you while you sleep.
The highlight of the day was going out to dinner with just Tom while my mother-in-law graciously babysat Tyler and put him to bed for the night.  I believe this was only our second time out for dinner together since he was born.  We even got to stop a few times on the way home and shop.  Afterwards we went for a walk on the beach.  The harvest moon over the water was beautiful and lit our way.  But alas, the mosquitoes, even on the slightly breezy beach, drove us inside.

We heard from the locals that the mosquitoes were very bad because of the hurricane and planes were used last week to spray the area.

OBX 4 - Mom Gets to Boogie

Day 4 - Tuesday, Sept 13.

Up at 5:30 A.M.  Nursing strike progress is flat.  Sleepy nursing is ok but daytime is not good at all. 

Tom and I too Tyler for a short shopping trip to the outdoor outlet mall.  Tyler did well and took a short nap in the stroller.  The mall did not have many deals, but it was nice to walk around with views of Roanoke Sound.

I went swimming in the surf.  Taught myself how to boogie board and did pretty good until I caught a wave wrong and sprained by back.  So now I am going to take it easy in the water.

An old friend of Tom's dad who lives in the area came for dinner, which was served in the middle of Tyler's bedtime routine.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

OBX 3- Tyler's First Ocean Swim

Day 3 - Monday, Sept 12.
Up at 4 A.M. and again at 9.  Watched dolphins swim by. 

Tyler's first day in the ocean.  There are little pools knee deep created by a sand shelf so the waves are not to strong, so I took him in the water and he seemed interested.  I would not say he enjoyed but but he did not hate it either.  I tried to get him to nap in the beach tent but that was not happening so we headed back to the house.  He got a bath in the the kitchen sink and after a good nursing session he took a nice long nap. 

Non-sleepy nursing is still a no-go.  Bedtime ritual is taking two hours every night.  Tom starts out with giving him a few ounces from the bottle, then rocking and singing to him to get him to calm down.  Then I come in after he is drowsy and nurse him to sleep.  He then wakes up an hour later and I nurse him back to sleep on the other side.

Before bed Tom and I went in the hot tub.  But we had to spray our heads and necks because of the mosquitoes. 

The sleep deprivation is starting to catch up with me.  I must take a nap during the day.

Monday, September 12, 2011

OBX 2

Day 2 - Sunday, Sept 11, First full day of vacation.

I fed Tyler at 5am when he woke up and I had trouble getting him to go back to sleep so Tom helped out. I watched the sun rise over the Atlantic from the house windows. Later in the day I took Tyler for a walk on the beach in the carrier. He was fascinated by the new sights and sounds.

The mosquitoes are ferocious here.  There has been a lot of rain so they are abundant any time of the day, especially when the wind is calm.  It's a pain to go the the car or the extra frig outside because they swarm you the second you walk outside and follow you back into the house.

I went shopping for a new bathing suit since I forgot mine.  I got a bikini for the first time.  Maybe bold since I just had a baby, but I am feeling comfortable in my new figure.

OBX 1 - Travel and Set Up

Day 1 - Saturday, Sept 10, Drive from Cville to Nags Head, Stopping at Hampton

This is our first trip with our new minivan.  Tom packed it the night before and all we had to do was add a few extra things and Tyler and the cats and we were on our way by 9am.  It was stressful the day before getting everything packed and Tom did most of the work. 

We stopped in Hampton to drop off the cats at my parents house and have lunch.  My mom's friends Joan and Anne stopped by to meet Tyler.  It was nice to stop there because I could change and feed Tyler at the house instead of a rest area.  At a spur of the moment decision, I cooked a sweet potato and fed it to him.  He seemed to really like it.  It was his first taste of food besides breastmilk. 

We made it to the rental house by 5pm, set up Tyler's room and had him down to sleep by 7:30.  He napped some in the van but seemed very tired.  The house is a bit noisy and he wakes once before sleeping through the night.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Strike Update

It turns out Tyler may be a little sick.  He has a stuffy nose and diarrhea.  This combined with the travel may have caused the nursing strike.  We are going to take it easy for the next few days and see how it goes.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Strike!

Tyler is on a breastfeeding strike.  He won't breastfeed during the day, but will feed a little in the middle of the night when he is too sleepy to remember to protest.  So now I am pumping and bottle feeding.  I am told it will pass soon, but it sure is frustrating. 

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

vax went much better than

Tyler's vacninations went much better than last time. We tried but he would not bf-too distracted. Tom held the binky in, I looked away when they stuck him. I did not want to see the look on his face. He gave a short yelp but did nto cry.

He weighed 15 pounds (25th percentile) and his length was 28 inches (97th percentile)

Friday, August 26, 2011

The art of sleep

Big milestone today in the relm of sleep.  We put Tyler down in his crib tonight wide awake.  And with no fuss and no crying, he went right to sleep.  He has been doing this for months with naps but it's different story for night time.  We have been putting him down partially asleep and we have to go back several times to reassure him after a few minutes of fussing.  For a week now it has only requred one return trip.  And tonight, he went to sleep on his own!  Lets see if we can keep this up...

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Rollin'

Tyler rolled over today for the first time, from his back to his stomach.  He was supposed to be taking a nap and was talking and carrying on.  Then he started to really yell on the monitor, so I went in to check on him and he was on his stomach!  Pretty funny actually.  He rolled onto his stomach and was pretty upset, because he does not like tummy time, and could not roll back.  So I rolled him back and put in his pacifier and he went right back to sleep.

Tyler has also found his new voice.  It is in the form of pterodactyl scream.  I asked him was happened to his cute cooing, and he just answers me with a smile and scream.  Still cute none the less.

Oh, and we had an earthquake the other day.  It was a 5.8 and it was about 40 miles away.  Tame for California people but very eventful for us eastcoasters.  I was out shopping and Tom was home with Tyler, who was just beginning to stir after a nap.  Tom picked up Tyler and went outside for safety, but when it was over, returned him to his crib and Tyler went right back to sleep.  We have had several aftershocks since then, including one in the night that was a 4.5.  It woke me but Tyler slept right through it. That's my baby! 

Now we have a hurricane coming.  My parents might stay with us if they have a mandatory evacuation.  We might lose power, which only bothers me because I have almost 3 days worth of breastmilk in the freezer that might go bad.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Our typical day...

Our typical day starts 7-8 am with a diaper change and feeding. This is the time of the day that Tyler shows me his new skills. Lately he grabs his feet and rolls to his side, all while babbling and razzing. He squeals with delight, especially when he sees his meal coming.

Tyler is ready for his first nap soon after his first feeding, almost like a continuation of his night sleep. It's easy to get him to take this nap, just put him in his crib awake or mostly awake. I usually get some breakfast and go back to sleep.

Then after a two hour nap, another diaper change, feeding, we have some good, hard play time. We rotate between the bouncy seat, bumbo, play mat, and crib with the mobile. He does not like tummy time much, but we are working on that. Part of the time I get down on the floor and play with him, other times I prop him up so he can see me while I get ready for the day or do house work while talking or singing to him. Sometimes we venture out for a quick trip to the store right after his feeding in lue of play.

One and a half to two hours of awake time is all Tyler needs before his next nap. I know he needs his nap when he starts getting loud, hyper, fussy, or just quiet with a distant stare. If I get him back into his crib in the magic window, it is pretty easy to get him to take his nap (after some wind-down time). If I wait too long it takes longer to help him fall asleep.

Tyler's afternoon nap, typically 1-4pm, is when I can venture out on my own if Tom is working from home. I can go to the gym, run errands, or shop. This habit of his developed about a month ago, and has been truely liberating for me.

We try to have dinner finished by 7pm.  Tyler hangs out in his swing or bouncy seat while we eat and we talk to him or hold him.  This is the time of the day that Tyler likes to laugh, especially when his dad laughs with him.

Before bedtime, Tom gives Tyler a  bath every two or three days.  Otherwise I give him a quick wipedown with a warm washcloth if he is in the mood for it.  Then I feed him to light classical piano music until he is almost asleep and set him in his crib.  Lately it takes two or three more tries of coming back in his room to help him calm down and go to sleep.

I feed him one more time around midnight before I go to bed.  This is what is called a "dream feed" where I pick him up, feed him, and set him back down in his crib without him ever waking.  Then he sleeps all the way until 7am! 

So, that's about 6 feedings a day, about every 4 hours during the day and every 2-3 hours in the evening.  If I am away, Tom feeds him a bottle of expressed milk (Tyler has never had formula).  We've had a babysitter twice and that has worked well too.  Tyler is very good for her and my mom too.

Saturday, August 13, 2011

4 Months Old

Tyler is doing great.  He is really growing and developing both physically and emotionally. 

Two weeks ago we moved Tyler to his crib in his own room.  The transition was fairly smooth and liberating for everyone in the family.  It was a big step for me, leaving our bedroom showing that he is not a newborn anymore.  I believe that our movements in the room disturbed him and woke him, especially in the morning when Tom was getting ready for work, even though he was very quiet.  I sleep much better now, and Tyler lets me know if he is hungry through the baby monitor.

We also dropped the swaddle, or at least Tyler told us that he was going to rid himself of it.  Keeping his arms in helped him fall asleep, but he was free by morning and it did not seem to make him wake early most of the time.  I started out with no swaddle for naps and moved to night time.  Now he sleeps in a one-piece outfit and Halo Sleep Sack

Here are some of the milestones Tyler has reached:
  • hold his head and trunk steady when supported at his waist while sitting
  • roll onto his side, but not all the way over yet
  • while on his stomach, he can lift his head all the way and look forward. 
  • bear some weight on his legs when I hold him up on my lap
  • keep his head level with his body when I pull him up to a sitting position
  • grab a toy (most of the time) and bring it to his mouth
  • turn his head when someone comes in the room and or talks
  • laugh out loud, especially when enticed by his daddy
  • squeal with delight, especaially when he sees his meal coming
  • say ah-goo and make razz noises, among other babbling and "talking"
  • notice the cats walk by him

Tyler is a joyful, happy, and content baby.  As long as he gets his naps, he is not fussy and rarely cries.  He laughs with us and plays by himself at least half of the time.  When adults are making converstion around him, he stops and studies them.  He enjoys stroller rides and looks around to take everything in.  Sometimes he has trouble falling asleep and staying asleep and wakes more than once a night, but never more than a few nights in a row.  Difficult nights are usually followed by good naps the next day to give me a break.

Tyler's growth is right on target and the breastfeeding is going well.  We are both hungry all of the time, but that's the way it's supposed to be :)

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Sleep - The First Three Months.

A friend of mine asked what to get for her baby, and I thought that I would share my knowledge with everyone.  And since I love baby gear, let's do it with Blogger because the format is so much fun.  Keep in mind that this is all just my opinion, based on my own experience of only one child (and some input from friends).  But, it's very fresh in my mind, considering my little one is only 3 1/2 months old!

DaVinci Emily 4 in 1 Crib with Toddler Rail, EbonyThe first three months, especially the first 6-12 weeks, can be the hardest when it comes to sleep derivation and baby fussiness. I have read in several places that it is recommend that you should sleep next to your baby for the first three months of her life.  This is probably instinctual for many moms, so the search is on for a pregnant lady: What to buy?

If you are on a budget and you have the space in your bedroom, just use the full-size crib for your newborn. Or set up an adult bed in the nursery. 

Delta Play Time Jungle Rocking BassinetLet's say you want to sleep with your partner in your own bedroom, and don't have space for the full-sized crib.  Or you just can't stand to put your tiny bundle of joy in a giant crib.  You can buy a pretty bassinet, which does not take up much floor space.  This bassinet has a rocker base.

Maybe you feel you need to keep your baby really close, but don't want her in your bed (something I don't recommend), you can get an Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper that fits up against your bed.  It's basically a pack-n-play with a drop side.  The mini version goes up to 23 pounds, which will get you through the first three months.  And then if you change your mind because the baby is too close and keeps you up all night, you can move the Co-Sleeper away from your bed and put the side up.

I was lucky enough to borrow this cradle from my in-laws, the same cradle that my husband was rocked in as a baby. At first I did not know if I should accept it because I was scared by a Consumer Reports article that said you should turn down all heirloom baby items for safety reasons.  But, with my husband's help, I got past my pregnancy-induced hormonal derangement, applied my common sense, and happily used the cradle for our baby.

Fisher Price Newborn Rock 'n Play Sleeper - Split RingsAnd WOW what a God-send this cradle was.  For those late-night fussy spells, Tom or I could lay in bed and move the cradle with one hand in a semi-conscience state. If you are not as lucky as us to inherit an heirloom cradle, you can still find one at yard sales, consignment shops, or even on-line.  Another low-cost alternative is the Fisher-Price Rock 'n Play Sleeper that also has the advantage of inclining the baby, especially helpful if your baby is colicky.  (Any of these sleepers can be fitted with a foam wedge under the sheet for a similar effect.)

Hushamok Organic Hammock, NaturalOne last option worth mentioning, recommended by my doula, is the baby hammock.  If you have a really fussy baby, are desperate for sleep, and have money to burn, give it a try.  It is widely used in Europe and suspends your baby from the ceiling with a nice natural sway motion (provided by you).  It is probably not safe to let your baby sleep in all night, so you will still need a regular bassinet/cradle/sleeper.  I have not tried it though.

I say, whatever newborn sleeper you choose, put it on your partner's side of the bed.  Then, at night when you hear your baby stir, before she starts to cry, elbow your partner.  Tell him to change the baby's diaper and then bring her to you so you can side-lay feed.   Then when the baby is finished, elbow your partner again to put the baby back her sleeper.  That way you don't fully wake, and it's the least your partner can do to make up for the fact that your body is on loan to this little creature for two years, counting pregnancy.

In conclusion, choose a sleeper that moves.  Even if you are blessed with a textbook baby, you will have periods of fussiness.  And God help you, if you have a fussy or colicky baby, you will buy anything to get some much needed sleep.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Tyler's Baptism

 A whirlwind weekend.  Many family members converged on Charlottesville to share in this special event, the most since our wedding. 

The prep work started last Monday when I scoped out food at Sam's Club and picked up supplies at Wal-mart (a special outing for me because Tom watched Tyler during the day).  Then Tuesday we started cleaning the house.  I spent all day Friday picking up with the help of my friend Rachel.  The first guests arrived Friday evening: Bobby (Tom's brother), Megan (Bobby's girlfriend), and their dog Ginger.  They drove over 8 hours from Ohio.



Tom shopped for the reception on Friday, and prepped all day Saturday.  More cleaning and picking up by me on Saturday.  Then my family arrived Saturday afternoon: My mom, dad, brother Eric, and his wife Elizabeth.  They stayed in a hotel.  Megan and I ran to Kohl's to shop for clothes for the service. 

Tom's family arrive Saturday evening: Tom's mom, dad, sister Christiana, Aunt Ria, and Grandmother.  They stayed at the same hotel as my family. They drove over 6 hours and hit a lot of traffic.

We all met around 6pm for dinner at Bonefish Grill in Hollymead.  Tyler got fussy and tired halfway through and slept in his car seat, thank goodness.  Then we hung out at our house and the weather was nice so some of us sat out on the back deck.

Tom woke early Sunday morning for more prep work and to pack the car.  The family attended Mass together, except for me, Tyler, my mom, and Elizabeth, who helped me get out the door.  Tyler does not get up until 10 or 11 every day, and I was not about to wake him!

The baptism was beautiful.  Bobby and Christianna are his Godparents.  Tyler was a little fussy during the service, and I used his pacifier to keep him quiet, something I don't normally do.

The reception was at the church and went great, thanks to Tom's prep work and our Cville friends for setting up things.  We had deli meat sandwiches, fruit, corn-tomato-avocado salad and chocolate cake. 

Tyler had a lot of trouble getting to sleep Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights.  He was overtired and I got him to bed a little too late every night.  He took a lot of naps Monday, as if to make up for lost sleep.  But overall he did great all weekend being social with minimal fussiness during the day.

"Easist Bedtime Ever"

I got to go to Birth Circle last night and Tom watched Tyler and put him to bed.  Tom said it was his easiest bedtime ever.  Tom gave him a bath starting around 7pm, gave him a bottle and he was off to sleep by 8:15pm.  Lately Tyler has not been doing well at night - taking a long time to rock to sleep, and then waking again 10 minutes after putting him down.  Usually because Tyler missed naps and/or got to bed too late.  This causes fussiness in the evening and trouble falling asleep.  This good bedtime last night was a breakthrough for all of us, and made me feel better about getting out and leaving Tyler with Tom.  Tom does great, but if there is a chance of fussiness, it is hard to handle on your own! 


And then Tyler did not wake until 6am!  After a full feeding he went back to sleep until 11am!  Wow.  What a great sleeper.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Wow, if we had weather every day like today, it would be much easier to be in a good mood every day.  Sunny, warm but not too hot, and low humidity.  I took Tyler for a nice long walk in the stroller and he just loved it. 

Saturday, July 9, 2011

3 Months Old

Happy birthday to my wonderful baby boy Tyler who is three months old today.  Yesterday at the doctor's we weighed 12 pounds 10 ounces (45%) and measured 25 1/4 inches long (90%).  I am not too worried about growth curves, and thankfully neither is my doctor.  Tyler is long and lean like his dad and is growing quickly and will soon fill out. 

From Tyler William



Yesterday Tyler had is first round of vaccines. We got them all--DTaP, Polio, HIB, Pn.  My normally mellow baby has been fussy and crying a lot and not sleeping well.  

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Sleep.

Sleep.  Sleep.  Sleep.  Amount and quality.  Day or night.  Babies and adults.  This is my new reading topic of interest.  I am currently reading "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weissbluth, and have cued up other sleep books.  I am fascinated by this subject not only because I don't get much of it, but it has always been an issue for me, and I want the best for Tyler as a baby, child, and adult. 

I am only a few chapters into Weisbluth, but he says that a lot of childhood behavior problems stem from parents bad sleep habits on their children.  "My research has shown that when infants who are easy at five months of age develop into crabbier, more difficult three-year-old children...I think that parents' helping or hindering regular sleep patterns caused these shifts to occur."  Tyler has definitely been a mellow baby so far, but lately has needed regular naps to prevent fussiness. 

My new goal with my baby care has been to be more aware of Tyler's sleep cues and make sure he gets his naps.  No rigid schedule, but protect his sleep time, especially during the day when it is tempting to run errands and socialize.  This means shorter outings and making sure he is back in his crib before he gets crabby and hard to fall asleep.  A big sacrifice but well worth it so far.

Monday, July 4, 2011

My return to blogging.

My Blog Fernweh started out as a way to tell friends and family my ski injury story and recovery and grew into my travel blog.  Some ordinary life stuff too, but mostly travel was my interesting thing to talk about.  Now that we have Tyler, I was thinking of starting a new blog, but what the heck, lets just continue with this blog, and call it the Schultz Life Blog.  Nothing amazing or profound here, just a way to keep up with our life, if you are interested.

April 9, 2011 my life changed forever.  Tyler was born at 8:06 pm, 8 pounds, 12 ounces.  I have most of my birth story type up, thanks to my mom, but I have not decided if I am going to publish it.

For now I will just update with Tyler's progress and work backwards as I think of things.  On July 1st at 12 weeks old, he weighed 12 lbs, 2 oz.  This is about the 50-percentile, and our doctor is happy with our progress (this is significant, a story I will share later).  He seems long and slim to me (like his dad) with some nice rolls around his thighs.

We spend our day in a constant eat-play-nap cycle, with each stage of various lengths depending on the time of day and where we are (home or on the go).  I am still breastfeeding which has it's advantages and challenges.

Tyler's personality is very easy-going for the most part.  As long as I read his cues and get him to take a nap before he gets cranky, there is minimal crying.  He plays in his crib looking at the mobile, on the play mat, in his swing, bouncy seat, or his favorite, looking at mom and dad.  I lay him on his tummy for a few minutes every day but he does not seem to like it much.