More Pictures!!!

Taking a walk in Estes near our cabin with my family

Milka What?????

Meeting Aunt Christie

80s punk rocker

Sweet babe sleeping in the car - which has been nice since we are in it so much!

Frustration...

A while back I had predicted that the safety commission would recall Infantino slings. After reading the report today and after spending hours immersed in infant death statistics in the last couple of weeks, I'm having a hard time with the recall. Not because it is a bad thing to expect safe products, but because I believe that if we want to save babies, the mass media needs to focus on the big killers as well. 14 babies have died in the last past several year in slings. In 2005 alone 515 babies died by strangulation and suffocation in adult beds, another approximately 250 babies died in suffocation related deaths, and 1271 died of unknown causes. (typically the unknown causes is when it looked like SIDS except the baby was in an unsafe sleeping environment) From the reports I've read the SUIDs rate has been on the rise each year since 1999. Each year about 4500 babies die suddenly and unexpectedly. About half of these are SIDS and half are SUIDs. Of the SUIDs deaths, it is estimated that 80-90 percent died in unsafe sleep environments (on soft bedding, in adult beds, on their stomachs, with loose blankets...). That is about 1870 babies who's lives may have been saved if everyone, including the media would shout from that mountain tops that safe sleep environments for babies will save lives. The statistics are clear - now our nation must actually believe it and change our habits. After becoming a mother I now know that it is not as simple as "just do it" - exhaustion and doing anything so your baby will sleep are real threats to a safe sleep environment. Even worse some health care workers, infant care takers and parents don't have the information to make good decisions about an infant's sleep environment. But the risks are real - at least 5 more babies will live each night in America if we protect them while they sleep.

http://www.firstcandle.org/new-expectant-parents/about-sids-suid/
http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/03/24/baby.sling.deaths/
http://wonder.cdc.gov/

Some favorites!

Fun with the Schugs!

Our friends the Schugs are in town and came over for a visit! I believe all were entertained - Ella entertained the kids and the kids entertained us! (-:

Sleeping through the night!

Autumn has had some nice long nights of sleep, but this was the queen of long sleeps - 9:30pm - 8:30am (after accounting for DST). It was glorious and strange. The strange part is what kept me from sleeping the whole night. Aaron and I did make it to bed by 10:30 and then I woke at 5:00 leaking and needing to pump and needing to check on Autumn to be sure she was okay. )-: I woke again at 7:30 to feed the dog and check on her again. At 8:30 I walked in and she was wide awake smiling at me. Let's try this again tonight - maybe my body/mind will get used to it and I'll get a nice long rest as well!!!!

6 months old

Wow, that went by fast baby! You are now half a year old. It has been another big month for you with many changes in growth and development and for us as a family around the house.

Six months is a big baby date - we started feeding you solid foods, which also means the beginning of stinky poops. You can now sleep in your own room and the risk of SIDS dramatically drops. Mommy is working to help save babies who die of SIDS and so this is a huge one for me.

Let me go get the calendar to recall your firsts this month!

Grew out of your first pair of jeans
Rolling - back to tummy, tummy to back and the double roll - back to tummy to back
Your first cold - which was not too bad
First grin, different than your smile
First all day with daddy and mommy at work
First intentional wave
First noticeable growth spurt and worst night of sleep to date
First food - quinoa
First time in a swimsuit (now we need to take you swimming).

It has been a good month - let me tell you more about you! You continue to be very sweet natured with soft cues and little giggles. You have grown into quite the curious little girl reaching for everything in site including drinks, our phones, the keyboard and really anything. It was much more difficult to take your picture today because you wanted the camera. In the last few weeks you have become more vocal about when you want to be held and when you don't want to go in the car seat. You will let nearly everyone hold you and enjoy silly faces and peek-a-boo. The most common comment I get is "she is so beautiful!" I tend to agree with them - you have big blue eyes, a sweet little nose and a fun little smile! Another common comment is, "she looks just like Aaron." This one I tend not to agree with so much. He is cute and all, but looking at my baby pictures it is pretty undeniable that you are my girl!

Ella continues to captivate you and you enjoy reaching out to pet her. She now likes to lick your hands and is going to have a hay day when you start throwing food over your high chair - I know you will be her new best friend.
The beginning of the month was filled with nice long nights of sleep, however you have had a harder time in the last week. A couple of nights you have been up every hour and a half. My sincere hope is that it is just a growth spurt and sleepful nights are ahead soon. You have also shifted your sleep hours from midnight to 9 to 9 or 10 to 5 or 6am. I'm a fan of this when I have to work and not a great fan when I want to sleep in! You started kicking in the bath tub and play in the water when we shower.
I went back to work this month as well - you stay with daddy most days I work. Of course my first day back - you rolled over for the first time. I miss you but really enjoy helping people at the hospital. You have adjusted to the change pretty well, I always tell you to go easy on daddy. He likes to take you on walks, read to you and play on the floor with you. You already have him wrapped around your finger - don't take too much advantage of that in the coming years!
My sweet babe - you are so wonderful, fun and a joy to watch! We love you more than you can imagine and are excited for all the change in the coming months. In the next 1/2 year you will start to crawl, likely walk (I got scared when I looked in my baby book and it said I walked at 8 months, 18 days), start to talk, and eat most everything we do! CRAZY!!!
Love you! Mommy