Our first trip to the ER

Easton brushing his teeth after being sick

We knew the day would come sooner or later and it was so much scarier than I could have imagined.  Easton is of course "teething" but starting coming down with a cold.   I took him to the Dr. (just to be safe) and they said he had a low grade fever (99.0) but it's "probably teething".  My mom instinct said otherwise but I tried to remain calm and collected instead of thinking I'm a Dr.

We got home and Easton took a good long nap.  When it was time to get him up, he lay moaning in his crib, rocking his head back and forth.  I knew immediately something was wrong and he was burning up.  Now I started to feel panicked.  Adam was at baseball practice with his team and our daycare provider forgot to send Easton's Tylenol home.   I called Adam over and over until he picked up and told him to get to the store and get medicine.

I tried to keep a cool wash cloth on Easton's head and fed him a bottle until Adam got home.  We then immediately tried to give him a dose of medicine and that's when he gagged on it and threw up all over me. That's when I lost it and started bawling. I was so scared for him and now we had no clue how much medicine he actually got in his system. Poor Adam. A sick baby and a sobbing wife.  

We eventually get Easton's fever down and get him feeling a little better.   We got him to bed and agreed at 10pm we'd wake him up to try and give him another dose.   About 9:30pm I decided to check him and that's when I found him moaning and burning up.  He wouldn't open his eyes and I watched in horror as the digital thermometer kept ticking higher and higher finally stopping at 104.5!   I screamed to Adam we're going to the ER RIGHT NOW!  We attempted to give him the medicine again and then he gagged and threw up all down the front of Adam's shirt. Ugh..... We threw on a pair of jeans, flips, grabbed the diaper bag and packed up Easton, pj's and all, into the baby carrier and flew out of the house.

I rode in the backseat with him the whole way, and he just moaned with his eyes closed.  We pulled in to the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital ER entrance and rushed him in.  Once in triage they were able to get Easton to swallow the medicine so I knew things were looking up. Turns out he had a chest infection.  They also told us that babies can get fevers up to 105 or 106 degrees without being "Serious".  I was shocked.

Easton is his little hospital gown with his red cheeks :-( Poor baby.

Poor Easton was so exhausted from crying for 4 straight hours he slept the whole night through.  I spent the next day tracking his medicine rotation, his wet diapers, his fluid intake, his temperature.  I was exhausted!  The next day I woke up excepting a healthy baby, but we were back to moaning and a 102.5 fever!  Panic stricken and frustrated I paced the floors for 2 hours until the Dr.'s office opened.  They get us in right away to basically tell me, "You're doing the right thing- this is a nasty virus and it may take a few more days!".  A few more days?!  Luckily they sent me home with a prescription for antibiotics which I swear started working right away! 

Easton sleeping in our bed waiting to go to the Dr.

Easton struggled with his fever for 5 long days!  Honestly it was so emotional and frustrating to see your little precious baby, sick and you can't do anything.  I know that this is the first of many fevers, sickness, and trips to the Dr.  but I can say that I've never more scared in my entire life.   It's so great to see Easton back to his happy healthy self this week.  I on the other hand now have his cold! Go figure ;-)

Where's the mommy handbook?!

Easton sporting his new Summer hat!

I've got to admit, being a mom is all about learning as you go. Let me tell you, time is moving so quickly! Easton is almost 7 months old and is growing and changing so fast.  Every day he does something different and Adam and I are constantly yelling, "Quick!  Come here and see what Easton is doing!"   He is just soaking everything up around him like a little sponge.  One of my worries about this new "sponge stage" is that if Adam doesn't watch his potty mouth Easton's first word may need to be bleeped ;-)

I wish there was a mom handbook I could consult instead a doing a million internet searches every day or using the dreaded trial and error process. (hmmm... write a book?  Def. don't have enough time for that!) I  have had some serious clueless mom moments lately while trying to keep up with this little dude.  I think this one takes the cake.

I have waited for weeks for Easton to get his teeth.   I've wiped up countless puddles of drool,have been drooled on and (prepare yourself..) have had Easton's drool fall directly into my mouth!  ewww.   Let me clarify- I'm not Alecia Silverstone, but I often will lay on the couch and hold Easton up over my head to play with him.  As I'm making cute baby voices and faces- BAM!  He hits me with the drool bomb.  Anyway, on to the clueless mom moment.

Cool dude drooling in his shades

So I wait and wait and wait for these teeth.  I can be a bit impatient.  Every day I feel the two little bumps on his bottom gums get bigger.  Soon I can feel a little sharp corner poke through, but still no actual teeth.  I give him baby Tylenol and frozen teethers ect. ect.  Finally my mom and aunts came to visit and my mom exclaims, "he got his teeth!"

I of course barrel by her like, "Whhat!?  Let me see!"  I feel his mouth and sigh, "nope not yet.  Its just the tops still.  It's been like that for a week."

The girls look at me and laugh- "Carly you'd better get out the baby book because that is considered getting his teeth."

Irritated and shocked I reply, "what do you mean?  I don't see two 'tall teeth'?"

They then let me know that once the teeth break the skin that's it.   It takes actual time for the teeth to grow upwards into 'tall teeth'.  I was, well shocked and replied,

"Well shoot.  He's had those for a whole week then!"

I have teeth but I'm not gonna show you for the picture!

Operation Baby Food: I'm up for the challenge!

I love spending time in the kitchen cooking up all sorts of new recipes.  Now that Easton can eat solids he gets to partake in eating mommy's culinary creations!   This is extremely dorky but it's so important to me that Easton grows up with a good palate, because I refuse to have a picky eater on my hands.   I'm trying to expose him to fresh healthy foods.   Am I going to let him eat Cheetos and cupcakes when he's old enough?  Of course!  BUT I feel like starting him on fresh food instead of processed will help him appreciate good fruits and veggies.

I thought for weeks about what his first food would be.  Savory or sweet?!  I toyed around with doing sweet potatoes but I heard about kids turning orange from eating too many orange foods (not going there just yet).  Then I thought I know, Avocado!  But my own mom looked at me like I was crazy and what baby would want their first food to be an avocado?  I finally settled on Butternut Squash which was also my husband's "first food" as a baby.

I was so excited I bought these fancy little baby Tupperware containers in bright colors to store the food, and got everything prepped. (I paid way to much for these but when you're an excited new mom buying baby's first food containers- you just toss it in the cart and throw budgeting to the wind).   I lugged out the food processor from it's dusty hideaway above the cookbooks and got to work.

Step 1: Peel and chop.   I opted for the busy mom "food prep" and bought a bag of pre-peeled and cubed squash.  So this step was more like, "Cut open the bag". ;-)

Step 2: Steam.  Again- I took the easier route and used a ziplock microwavable steam bag.

Step 3: Puree.   I put the steamed squash in the processor added a little water and presto!  Baby food.

pureed pears

Step 4: Taste.  Here is where I found out that I didn't steam long enough.  Whoopsie!   Totally gritty mess.

To say the least I had to scoop all of my gritty baby puree back into the steamer bag- resteam and repuree.  (Ok- I actually had to do this about 3 times because I obviously do not understand how long it takes to steam a butternut squash.)

Step 5: Cool and feed to baby.  Easton looked at me like I put a spoonful of doggie doo in his mouth.  I had to laugh.  He eventually came around!   Though the squash wasn't a huge hit he is loving, sweet potatoes (and has not turned orange), apples, pears and bananas.  Next up peas, then peaches.

peas and peaches

apples and sweet potatoes

I learned a great tip (Thank You Sarah Lake!) to ditch the expensive little containers and freeze the food into ice cubes trays.  It's the  perfect portion and you just store them in a ziplock.

sure I would love to eat dinner in my Elmo bathrobe!

 Easton Update: 6 month checkup: 19.5 LBS (must be loving the baby food) and 29.5 inches long.

Ok- you can stop growing up now

Easton will be 6 months old in just a few days.  How did this happen?!  I mean come on did time fly or what?!  He's just doing so much cool stuff these days.  I can see the wheels really beginning to turn all of the time.

He is really improving his coordination.  He looks at something, grabs it and puts it right in his mouth.  Maybe it doesn't sound like much but watching him learn all of the steps and put it together is so cool.  He puts everything in his mouth and loves to grab my hair and either, pull it or put it in his mouth... sigh.  At least he hasn't found my earring.

He LOVES to jump.   His grandma and grandpa bought him a Johny Jumper for their house, so of course we stole it for our house.   He will just jump and jump and jump.  He is also rolling over like a crazy man.  If you put him on the floor he'd roll straight across the room if you'd let him.


He's got the energy for it all because he's now eating some solids.  I am making his baby food (which I find super fun) and he's tried:

-Butternut squash- (Easton gives it 4 of 5 stars)
-Pears (Easton gives it 2 of 5 stars)
-Sweet Potatoes (Easton gives it 4 of 5 stars)
-Bananas (Easton gives it 5 of 5 stars)

 Tonight I found myself at dinner chatting to Easton, asking him about his day and dreaming up all of the fun scenarios that may have happened at daycare.

Easton did you go outside today and take a stroll around the neighborhood?
Easton did you eat pears or sweet potatoes for lunch today?
Ut-oh Easton those aren't the clothes I sent you in this morning.  I bet I can guess what would require an outfit change ;-)

 I finally looked at Adam and said, "Won't it be fun when he talks back ;-)"   Now I'm wondering what does a Easton think about?   Here's my best guesses:

1.  Boy these two are funny- I think they're my mom and dad.
2.  Where did that short dog with the funny smashed face go?
3.  Hello!  Hello!  God, they must have awful hearing, it's 2am -Mom I want you to wake up from your warm bed and come get me- hustle up!
4. Food
5. My teeth hurt :-(
6. More food
7. Yah! It's my grandma & grandpa.  I love all of them!
8. If I could j--u--s----t pick this up and get it into my mouth.  Victory!
9.  Oh that's a good lion's paw (sucking on his little stuffed lion toy)
10. I wish someone would play Justin Beiber again. (see video below of the cutest baby dancing to "Baby-Baby" by the Beibs ;-).

Toy Takeover! What happened to my living room?

Now that Easton is 5 months old he loves to play!  He is learning to use his hands and his coordination is quite entertaining to watch.   He often looks at his own hands as he opens and closes them, scratches at things and tries to shove his entire fist into his mouth- Delicious!

For Christmas he got loaded up with new toys.  I thought, "how cute" and bought and assembled a special shelf for his room to display the toys on (true Carly fashion right there!).  What I didn't take into account is that lugging the toys from the "cute shelf" out to the living room every five minutes is super annoying.  Thus the toy takeover has begun!

I remember 5 months ago when my living room was spotless (if my own mom is reading this she probably is picking her jaw off the ground, shaking her head and thinking ya right, it's only spotless if she cleans it, but hey I have a "selective" memory lol).   Now every nook and cranny is packed with toys.   It started off innocently enough.  I would bring out A (singular) toy for Easton to play with.  Then I would put it back.  Then it grew into a small toy area on the fireplace next to the box of doggie toys.  Shockingly Otis knows the difference between his toys and the baby toys.

Next, I was able to get rid of the swing but swapped it for a bouncy seat.  Then Easton grew into his walker toy, so that gets parked next to the bouncy seat, across from the fireplace toybox.   Then we moved his pack and play into the living room which is squeezed next to the tv, next to the bouncy seat.   Did I mention he also has a little baby playmat jungle gym too?!  Ahhhh! 

In addition to all of his "gear"- we often store the baby carrier on the dining room table next to the high chair which is home to several bibs and toys to occupy his during dinner.  My favorite is when I'm laying on the couch and am like, "ooh what's stabbing me from under the cushions?!"  Oh of course a set of baby keys! LOL

Every night I have to do an entire sweep of the house to help with the toy takeover.   Clear the coffee table of bottles, pacifiers, a bib or two, check the cushions, push the walker and bouncer back to it's corner parking lot and shove the basket of clean baby laundry to it's hiding spot next to the couch.  AND of course put all of the doggie toys away.  They love the "Baby Stuff" (see pic below!)

 Funny thing is- though I miss my "aspiring pottery barn" style living room I can't imagine it any other way than littered with Easton stuff.  I mean look at him?!  Hugging his little moose toy- god he is so cute!  I'm sure in 20 years when I get my living room back, I'll be wishing it was still covered in his baby things :-)

Meet the Modern Day Mommy

I got the chance to sit down with the hosts of eightWest to talk about my baby boy, my blog and my new role on WOTV 4 Women as the Baby Expert.

Blog Confessional: Mommy Mistakes- Whoops!

I'm learning that little "Mommy Mishaps" simply happen.  A good mommy friend and I just had a vent session over how easy it is to feel like the worst mom in the world.  So in order to clear my conscious I'm going to have a little blog-confessional. Here goes:

MOMMY MISTAKE: Over-achiever attitude

I'm rushing out the door for work.  I've got the stupid heavy baby carrier in one hand with my laptop bag slung over my shoulder and my purse in the other hand.   Right on cue the over-excited bulldog shoves his way past my feet and tries to escape out the backdoor.  As I yell at him and try to use the baby carrier as a barrier my laptop bag slides off of my shoulder and lands (you guessed it) directly on the baby's lap.    I scream a blur of cuss words and drop to the ground to make sure little man is ok.  I think the swearing scared him more than anything because he looked startled but thank god- unhurt.

MOMMY LESSON LEARNED: Make two trips.   Always ignore the dumb dog.

MOMMY MISTAKE: Bundling blunder

I wasn't so crazy about bundling up the baby at first until my mom finally sternly looked at me and said, it's cold and this kid needs to be in his snowsuit/blanket ect.  I think I may have taken it too far.   I started putting Easton in his fuzzy bear suit (hooded snow suit type thing),  a winter hat AND covering him in a blanket. (writing this now I think I sound like a crazy Eskimo mother!)  I take him to the Dr. for his checkup and they are like- he has a fever!   What?!  Come to find out they recheck him again and I had bundled him soooo much that his temperature temporarily spiked.  


MOMMY LESSON LEARNED: It's west Michigan, not Antarctica.  A coat and hat is suffice.

MOMMY MISTAKE: Hydration Overload

So when Easton got his first cold the Doctor recommended keeping him warm (see "bundling blunder") and hydrated.  Since he only drinks to begin with I thought my best bet was to give him a little bit of a bottle every hour or two instead of a few larger feedings every three hours. But Easton was a little piggy and kept trying to chug way more than he should have.   To say the least the poor little guy got sick 2 times in the night.


MOMMY LESSON LEARNED: Don't put 4 ounces in a bottle when you only want him to eat 1-2.