Milestone - 7 Months

7 months

I have decided Mikael is a busy girl.  My sisters are rolling their eyes at me right now.  They think all the Baum babies are calm babies - like drunk, sleepy sailors.  They think I don't know what a busy baby is and maybe they are right.  But for a Jace/Lindsay Baum baby - Mikael is busy.  And it just happened this month.

Warming up.  Stretching out.

She turns circles on my lap.  She scoots, then crawls, then dive bombs to anywhere she wants to go.  She does her morning push-ups in her crib everyday.  She still frequents the all you can eat buffet at night.  She's ticked if she's not the one manning my cell phone.  She types 60 wpm.  And she is completely offended if she is not bumbo sitting in the middle of the table at dinner - she needs to watch every bite and hear every word.

Mikael - bumbo sitting

And I'm happy to report that my teething suspicions are true!  5 months later!  She is finally cutting her two bottom teeth.  She still loves her mother the best and is a champ at spitting her baby food out.  My children are the world's worst solid food eaters - or is it a lazy mother?  Who prefers nursing over a 30 minute pea spooning-spitting session?

Check my photography skills.  One eye out out of focus.  One in focus.  Tricky.

Looks like my baby is growing up.  It is a good thing she gets cuter every day she gets older or I'd protest.

Lactating Parents Club

Yes.  This is another post about breast-feeding.  I'm sorry but when it's your only special talent, you end up talking about it (and displaying it in public) too much.  I produce whole milk.  I produce fat and happy babies - all without so much as a thought.  What can I say?  It just comes naturally.  And it's special.

This month, the lactating club around my house had a new member join up.  Jace thought driving to Casa Grande to pick up 16 day old calves would be a good idea.  I tried telling him that he would not be a good substitute for the mama cows udders.  I tried telling him how much work it would be - he would be way in over his head!  He knows nothing about proper head cradling positions, proper latching techniques, colic, ensuring adequate hydration, and analyzing the newborn poop.

But all my warnings fell on deaf, naive ears.  He could not think of anything else.  Talk of anything else.  He hauled those poor orphan calves up the mountain and started his 2X a day feedings.  Soon those cows took over his mornings, his evenings, his thoughts and prayers, and my kitchen.  There was milk substitute to be mixed, mathematical formulas converting pints to gallons and then back to quarts to be figured, bottles and nipples to be washed and sanitized.

It wasn't until they starting dropping like flies that he admitted to his fellow club member that maybe 16 calves at once was just a few too many.  After all those feedings and stall cleanings.  After all that Pepto bismol and all the antibiotic shots, those cows were leaving this life faster than Jace could count.  Jace was saddened and confused.   After 2 weeks, we he went from 16 calves to 4 calves.  That's right.  4.  And I think it's worth mentioning that all 4 of the surviving, prancing calves are little girl calves.  I want to say that I think Jace learned his lesson but he I can hear him now talking in the other room about ordering just Holstein calves next time maybe they are a heartier breed.

I am going to tell him again tonight that the lesson to be learned here is this:  Unless you are born with the equipment attached - Leave the nursing of newborns to the mothers.  Go on home and eat dinner with your other 4 (real) children.

Love you Jace.  Maybe we could think of another club we could join together?  Book club?  Our kids our the cutest club? Chess?  Let me know.  I'll let you be club president.

Sunday.....(and Milestone 6 Months)

Sunday afternoon, Ezra on a scooter, spring weather, and the return of the sprinklers.

Today was Sunday.  Fast Sunday.  Fast Sunday may or may not be the reason my children are usually potty trained before they are weened from my breast.  Gestating/nursing mothers are excused from fasting (at least at my house).  I am a lousy faster, especially when church is at 1:00.  I felt like a dog this morning, eating my hot Grapenuts in front of Jace and Macy.  This was Macy's 1st attempt at fasting 2 meals and she did it! Without complaining!  I was so proud of her and I told her that a couple times.  She didn't see what the big deal was.  I didn't tell her that I could probably count on my hands how many times I have fasted an entire day.  And that is why I love that girl so much and why she is a way cooler person than me.

He really can't get enough.

During fast and testimony meeting today a man who served as bishop of the ward years ago stood to bear his testimony.  While speaking from the pulpit, he mentioned Brother Baum.  He said he loves watching Jace hug and kiss on his youngest daughter at church and that Jace sets a good example of what kind of father he wished he would have been to his children.

She rocks the leg warmers, btw.

He really does french kiss Mikael all thru Sunday school....it's like a tick....if any one of his children are near him, his lips are on them. I hope my kids know how lucky they are to have a father like Jace.  It was one of the many reasons I fell in love with him, he is not afraid to show or exclaim his love thru words or public displays of affection.

And she knows it.

And so we should now discuss the lucky youngest daughter.  Mikael has reached milestone 6 months.  And I hate it.  I hate that she getting older and bigger.  I loved her newborn days and am sad to see them racing away.  I am constantly trying to play the "I just had a baby" card and that is now a lie.  She is half a year!

6 months.

Today at church, (yes, we are still talking about church) a new gal in the ward was admiring the Mikael in my arms.

"Oh!  How old is she?"

"6 months."

She was clucking and shaking her head in disbelief when she said, "And you already look awesome."

To which I replied, "I know."

She smiled, turned and started walking away.  After a couple steps following behind her, it hit me.


Whaatt the???  Did I really just say that?  Why?  For the love.


I sped up, grabbed her shoulder, turned her around and tried to explain,  "I did not mean to say that.  I thought...mmmmm........ we were still talking about the baby....mumble....... mumble........ ah....... she....I do not.....sorry."

She smiled and said something like, "There is nothing wrong with having confidence."

Ya Right.  Nice.

All I meant to say today is what I have been feeling all week.  I have been clucking and shaking my head in disbelief that my newborn baby is 6 months old.  I wish she would just stop growing.  I wish she would learn how to sleep thru the night but just stop growing bigger.  I love that little lady.

And while we are talking about wishes, I wish I could spend the rest of my life on the "breastfeeding diet."  I wish I looked a little more awesome holding a 6 month old baby in my arms.  I wish I didn't say embarrassing things in public.   And I wish I could get Jace to spread the french kissing love around my way in Sunday school  (I'm sure somebody would have something to say about that in the next fast & testimony meeting).