Baby

Grayson Allen: Seven Months

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Our wild little boy is almost eight months old!

It’s hard to believe. This past month was a huge month for us filled with many ups and downs. We had a wonderful time visiting my family on the east coast for Christmas! However, while we were there, Grayson came down with his first ear infection AND cold…AND mama got sick, too, which is no fun at all. I swear, there’s nothing worse than a sick baby…except when you’re a sick mom trying to take care of a sick baby while traveling. Isn’t that always how it goes?! We had a really rough few days but things turned out quickly once we got some antibiotics in him and the flight home was nowhere near as painful as the flight there.

Other than sickness, we’ve been dealing with teething and more Wonder Weeks leaps! Grayson finally cut his first two teeth – they made their grand appearance on New Years Day – and it’s probably the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen. I’m shocked at how quickly teeth grow once they’ve popped. It’s like, one day they didn’t exist and now they are almost fully there. Crazy.

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He may not be crawling yet, but boy…can this boy roll. All day long, Grayson rolls around the house. He can easily get from one side of the room to the other by rolling. Every time I put him down on the nursery floor while I fold diapers, he instantly rolls underneath the crib and starts inspecting it. It’s too funny. He started to army crawl and it’s clear he is really trying hard to lift that belly of his off the ground and take flight. Right now, Adam and I are still enjoying this “not quite mobile” stage yet because I know the minute he starts to crawl it’s truly game on.

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(yes, that’s a glass of red wine next to my side of the hotel bed. Don’t judge.)

Also, this past month we kicked the infant car seat to the curb (or rather, garage storage) and got a new convertible car seat for our big boy. We probably should have done it before now, to be honest, since he’s been quite squished in there for a while now. Anyway, we decided on a Diono Radian RXT and I love it so far! It’s really easy to get him in and out and he seems much more comfortable in there.

We also started a mom and baby music class, on top of our weekly Waldorf class, and it’s so fun! The class we do is actually an international program called Music Together and I highly recommend it for all the moms and babies out there. Grayson loves the bells. 🙂

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He’s eating everything in sight, obviously. Mornings are old fashioned oatmeal with apple butter (I make a big pot and we all eat it!), lunch is usually homemade chicken and veggies and “dinner” is either more chicken, smashed lentils & veggies or veggies and Greek yogurt than I mix with a little homemade apple butter. Homeboy LOVES him some apple butter. I canned a bunch this past fall and wish I would have made more! I’m also still nursing and plan to continue for quite some time.

I’ve been on a major cookbook kick lately and have been cooking up a storm. Every week, I make some type of roast chicken and always save the bones for stock. I’ve been cooking a bunch out of The Art of Simple Food and A Mouthful of Stars, amongst others. If you’re wondering how I am doing all this cooking with a baby rolling around, my secret is that I usually wear him on my back while I cook! He loves to watch and smell everything…and sometimes, if I’m lucky, he takes a little nap up there. 😉

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We are looking forward to my parents coming to visit next month for a week! Also, a possible beach weekend either this month or next. Adam has been traveling more for work and between that and stressful holiday travel + sickness, we could use some R&R.

Hope you all are well and had a wonderful holiday with loved ones!

 

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  • Chelsea
    January 8, 2015 at 1:50 pm

    Aww, I love the idea of wearing him on your back while you cook. So cute! (And smart!)

    • Laura @ Raise Your Garden
      January 12, 2015 at 4:19 am

      Love him snugging you on your back as well. It never ceases to amaze me that teeth really bother some kids and other kids could care less. My first, no problem. My second ate our crib (pretty much!)

  • Jessica @Myhealthypassion.com
    January 8, 2015 at 2:23 pm

    He is TOO cute!!!! And….no judging here, love the wine next to the bed!!! 🙂

  • Nicole
    January 8, 2015 at 2:51 pm

    He is too cute! I love your teething necklace! Where is it from?

  • Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat
    January 8, 2015 at 3:29 pm

    Jenna, he’s adorable! I can totally see you and Adam in him. I’ve been doing the same as you and making homemade stock with chicken and turkey bones. It’s been so cold here and it’s just so nourishing!

  • !Maryea {happy healthy mama}
    January 8, 2015 at 4:02 pm

    Aww he is such a cutie!! I love reading your parenting updates. 🙂

  • Katie sB
    January 8, 2015 at 4:37 pm

    I love the beach. It’s so rejuvenating. We live near San Jose and last weekend we went to Santa Cruz Harbor and it was so good for my soul. Walked down the beach with my dog for a long time while my husband went paddle boarding.

  • jenb
    January 8, 2015 at 5:12 pm

    This may sound a dumb question but how in the world do you wear him on your back with a wrap? Would it work with a Moby wrap?

    • AshleyL
      January 9, 2015 at 8:25 am

      YouTube has great videos!

  • Linda | Brunch with Joy
    January 8, 2015 at 5:57 pm

    Jenna, you’re so sweet! I love how you carry him along while you cook. Soon enough, he will be ready to be your personal sous chef.

  • Jeannie
    January 8, 2015 at 6:03 pm

    Hope you are able to go far on your Waldorf journey. I am so grateful that my three daughters have been able to experience this wonderful education.

  • Ally's Sweet & Savory Eats
    January 8, 2015 at 6:54 pm

    Love reading your updates as your little guy is the same age as our baby #3. Although, I will say I am jealous of the food thing. Our first two kids took to “real” food like pros. This one? Wants nothing to do with it! She mostly spits it out on me. So far we’ve tried sweet potatoes, avocados, bananas, oatmeal and green beans (I just mash up real food, nothing jarred). Any tricks to get her to like it better?

  • Mrs. O
    January 8, 2015 at 7:05 pm

    Precious! My little boy began his sous chef career on my back????. Now I am cooking with a 6 year old boy who insists on doing everything in the kitchen “by myself momma”! I am loving our cooking adventures????

  • Mrs. O
    January 8, 2015 at 7:07 pm

    Don’t know why all the question marks popped up! Funny! Must be my red wine on the nightstand – Ha!

  • Jodi@prairiekuchen
    January 8, 2015 at 7:08 pm

    OH – isn’t he so sweet! Love his amber necklace 🙂 My 15 month old is wearing one – she just got her bottom molar – it was a tough couple of days! I’m still nursing as well 🙂

  • Katie
    January 8, 2015 at 9:47 pm

    Love that you carry him on your back! I’m currently working in Zambia, and all the women carry their children on their back — wrapped in chitenge (the traditional, colorful fabrics). It’s SO practical!

  • Michelle Uger
    January 8, 2015 at 10:47 pm

    Music Together is awesome and truly international! I live in Okinawa and used to go to one. The instructor moved and I miss it dearly. Enjoy!

  • Emily @ Life on Food
    January 9, 2015 at 3:35 am

    It looks like you are much more confident in everything you are doing. Way to go Mama!

  • Lorie
    January 9, 2015 at 4:43 am

    Love the “one sock on, one sock off” look! That’s how my 6-month old ends up much of the time, too (why don’t the darn socks just stay on?!?)!

  • Anne Weber-Falk
    January 9, 2015 at 6:34 am

    It’s nice to see you again. I enjoy reading about your family. It brings back sweet memories of when my family was young. Thank you for sharing with us. The three of you are doing fine.

  • DessertForTwo
    January 9, 2015 at 6:55 am

    What a little cutie! I’m so glad you reminded me of Waldorf! Some of the most creative, successful people I know in life went through Waldorf school! Keep it up 🙂

  • Kasondra
    January 9, 2015 at 8:08 am

    could you please do a cloth diaper update now that he is on solids and much bigger. 🙂

  • AshleyL
    January 9, 2015 at 8:24 am

    How funny my baby loves rolling under her crib too! My baby is 6 months old she’s been up on all fours for almost a month but never did the army crawl. She is trying so hard to crawl!
    Are you doing the moms on call schedule of feeding (nursing first then feeding an hour later) or are you feeding and then nursing?
    I just started wearing her on my back in the evenings but I need to get a different wrap. Love reading these!

    • jenna
      January 11, 2015 at 2:09 pm

      I’m doing a loose version of the MOC schedule with him. I nurse three times a day and in between nursing he gets solid food…then a bottle at night. I think it comes out to him eating every 1.5 or 2 hours. It’s great!

      • Lori
        January 13, 2015 at 2:00 pm

        Does Grayson’s pediatrician not recognize the World Health Organization’s recommendation that breast milk or formula should be a child’s main source of nutrition for the first year, and that when introducing solids, “under one, just for fun” ?

        • Laura
          January 13, 2015 at 3:57 pm

          What does this comment even mean??? Jenna never said she is replacing nursing with solids. Nursing 3 times and a bottle at night works out to Grayson getting breastmilk every 4 hours which is totally normal. And what we do as well 🙂 eating food is a fun and stimulating activity for babies.

  • Laurel
    January 9, 2015 at 9:32 am

    That photo of you cooking dinner with him is precious!
    My little girl is about 6 weeks behind Grayson and she’s started to do the roll all over the house thing too with a tad of combat crawl on the side. 😉 It’s too cute! Whatever gets them from point A to point B, they’re on it!
    We did the Diono Radian RXT with my first when she outgrew the infant carrier and we’ll do the same with my second. It’s the best and great for fitting in compact cars (albeit a TAD heavy for moving, but worth it IMO).

  • Rebecca @ Bring Back Delicious
    January 9, 2015 at 9:35 am

    I do most of my cooking and grocery shopping baby-wearing our 5 month old. Luckily she loves it! Otherwise, I wouldn’t get anything done! I’m hoping she ends up loving cooking as much as I do. Given how intently she watches, I think she will 🙂

    We just went through everyone getting sick as well. When the baby’s unhappy, everyone’s on edge 😛

  • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy
    January 9, 2015 at 9:49 am

    What a genius idea to wear him on your back while you cook! Definitely remembering this when I have a little one 🙂

  • Lauren C
    January 9, 2015 at 10:46 am

    Grayson is looking a lot more like his mom these days. Rock on with your wine beside the bed! 🙂

  • Dawn
    January 9, 2015 at 10:58 am

    I just love your updates and how you wear Grayson! Grayson is beyond adorable and you are so inspiring. You have such a healthy attitude that is certainly admirable especially during the tough days. My son is just turning 4 months and we started moms on call during the third month. It has helped to have a flexible routine and predictability to our day . Curious to see how your day looks now that he is a bit older and eating solids with moms on call. 🙂

  • Karen T.
    January 9, 2015 at 6:48 pm

    That last picture with Grayson asleep on your back–it just slays me with the cuteness!!

  • Shannon D'J
    January 10, 2015 at 3:55 am

    Grayson is ridiculously adorable. Loved reading about what he’s up to and what you’re cooking these days. Keep the updates coming! : )

  • Kay @ goaloflosing.com
    January 10, 2015 at 1:34 pm

    What kind of necklace is Grayson wearing? Does he seem to mind it at all? It’s so cute!

    • jenna
      January 11, 2015 at 2:10 pm

      It’s an amber necklace for teething – it supposedly helps with the pain and inflammation. I honestly don’t know if it works or not but I’m too scared to take it off since we are in the trenches of teething right now and need all the help we can get! 😉 People do swear by them!

  • Tanya
    January 10, 2015 at 6:21 pm

    I just found your blog looking for birth stories, and I am instantly in love with you since you have a glass of red wine on your nightstand! It was the first thing I noticed LOL. Cannot wait for my glass of wine after this baby decides to get here!

  • Meg
    January 11, 2015 at 7:15 pm

    I found A Mouthful of Stars in a bookstore this past summer and am kicking myself for not getting it there (though I guess I could easily just go on Amazon…). I remember it being an absolutely beautiful cookbook and the recipes looked amazing! I’m glad you’re getting some more cooking time in!

  • Kay
    January 12, 2015 at 7:55 am

    Please don’t use a teething necklace on Grayson. Even if beads are individually knotted, a single bead presents a choking hazard for a baby. Better safe than sorry.

  • Nicole
    January 12, 2015 at 7:11 pm

    I love seeing these updates. It gives me hope that things get better. I’m currently in the hell of a 10 week old who screams her face off most of the day. Yet, she sleeps all night. What kind of baby screams their face off like they’re in horrible pain, but sleeps through the night? My baby, that’s who. Oiy.

    • Stephanie
      January 30, 2015 at 6:23 pm

      Just saw this comment and hope you come back to read this. My second who is now 7.5 months old starting screaming 90% of her waking hours from 1 month to about 3.5. Then it slowly got better. She also slept all night. She was a combination of severe reflux (wouldn’t eat and eventually was on 3 different meds), milk intolerance (tested stool and found blood) and colic. It.was.miserable. I swear I heard crying in my brain even when she wasnt. Please rule out medical issues. Then just know you are in the height of it and it will get better. Lots of hugs to you. I survived with help from grandma and my husband.

  • Deya
    January 14, 2015 at 11:26 am

    I really love reading your blog, recipes and your parenting updates. I have a 5 month baby girl and we will begin solids soon. I am currently nursing and love too having the ocassional blessed glass of wine, but I’d like to know how long do you wait after drinking it to nurse? And last question, what do you do to keep your breastmilk supply?

  • Regina Shiner
    January 20, 2015 at 8:43 am

    Love your site …just put your maple Djohn pork chops on….cant wait to see how they turn out…smells delish. ..let you know..