6 months

Ben is 6 months old!!! Half a year!!!

Height: 26.5"

Weight: 17lbs 1.5oz

Ben is now eating solid food. We started him on oatmeal cereal and he absolutely LOVES it. He is such a good eater. He gets it all in his mouth and swallows it down without making too much of a mess. As soon as he sees me scoop some more oatmeal in the spoon, he opens his mouth in preparation. It is adorable! And once the food is gone he screams at the top of his lungs. I just can't get over how smoothly the feedings have gone. I'm glad that we waited until he was 6 months old. (The doctor told me we could feed him sooner, but I figured, "why rush?" so we waited.)

Here's a video of Ben's very first time eating oatmeal (warning: it's unnecessarily long!!):

He has become much more precise with his arm movements. He can now grab what he wants on the first try. 

He smiles at everything. He loves when we clap or snap or wiggle our fingers. He loves when Dad blows raspberries on his belly, but not mom because she just doesn't do it right. He still loves taking baths and we love bathing him, because he smells soooo good afterwards. 

He cannot get enough of Owen, our dog. He loves petting him and grabbing his fur. The other day Ben grabbed a hold of Owen's face - he had his fingers in Owen's eyes - and was just squeezing his face over and over again. Owen was so good about it - he just stood there and let Ben maul him. 

Ben's favorite room in the entire house is the bathroom. He thinks the shower curtain is hilarious and he loves whacking it. I let him hang out in there when I take a shower or when I am getting ready. It's nice that he's so easily entertained. :) 

 Here's a picture of Ben watching Baby Einstein on my cell phone while I'm making dinner. It's so mesmerizing to him.

Ben fell asleep in his bouncer/exersaucer thing. About 20 minutes later, he woke up and started playing with his toys again, like nothing had happened! Gosh I love this boy! 

5 months

So, I totally failed at getting pictures of Ben at 5 months! But what kind of mother would I be if I just gave up!? So, here's a filler picture for you - and I will try to do better with the following months. :) 

At 5 months old, Ben is sitting up with support. He still likes to slouch over if you turn your back, but for the most part he sits pretty well in his bumbo or on your lap. 

He got his first cold this month. Poor boy - he was coughing and congested and couldn't breathe. We kept him medicated with some Tylenol and had a humidifier in his room. We also got plenty of use our of his bulb syringe. He is feeling much better! 

On top of being sick - he started teething (for real) about 2 days after he got sick, so on top of not being able to breathe - he was additionally fussy because he had TWO teeth coming in at the same time!! 

At 5 1/2 months we started sleep training him. I've been using a mix of the Ferber Method/Full extinction method. We got him out of his swaddle, but he is still sleeping with a pacifier. He sleeps sooooo much better now. Not totally perfect, but a couple days ago he slept 10 straight hours!! (No getting up to put in his pacifier!) It was awesome. So we're definitely making huge strides. 

He absolutely LOVES watching any sort of screen. He loves staring at my phone when I'm sending someone a text message, he loves watching his dad play xbox, and he has recently been introduced to Baby Einstein and oh my gosh- HE LOVES IT. I swear, that show is like crack for babies. He is glued to it when I turn it on. He loves those puppets! haha. Don't worry, I don't turn it on that often - it's just when we need some down time. The one episode I totally love it "Lullaby Time" - it works like charm calming him down and getting him into that sweet sleepy mode. 

He has started using his legs more. He loves bending down and pulling on his socks. He's now at the age where I will pick him up and his socks will be no where to be found! He kicks them off in his sleep, they get pulled off when he's lying on the floor, they come off when he's in his bouncer, etc. I just cannot keep socks on those wiggly little feet! :) I think I need to pull out the duct tape! 

Alright - so I didn't get any official 5 month pictures of Ben and I am not sure which pictures I took are of him at what age - but here are some cell phone pictures of my little sugar booger for you! 

Declaring Accomplishments

On Saturday, I went to a Relief Society activity. For those of you who don't know, Relief Society is an organization within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for women 18 and older. This activity was one where we learned how to do simple Christmas-themed crafts.

During the activity I chatted with several women who were sitting with me at the table. The common topic of every conversation was "I'm not crafty." For anyone who really knows me, you'll know that being creative is extremely daunting to me. I can often be found having a nervous breakdown when put in a room with beads or a sewing machine. (This is not a joke!)

Well, it just so happened that at this activity, I found that many of these women feel similarly to me. Our table-wide conversation started to become a "one-up" competition; each of us trying to prove that we really are the least skilled or the least crafty.

I didn't think anything of it at the time it was happening, but when I went home I kept thinking (and am still thinking) "Why do we do this!?"

Why is there this constant need to put ourselves down or downplay our abilities? I sincerely have a hard time being crafty. I honestly don't think it will ever become a passion of mine - but I really enjoy the feeling of completing a project and being able to say "I made this!"

So, I decided that for at least today, I'm going to think of things that I am good at. Everyone has skills and abilities. Yours may not be the same as mine, but you have them and they make up who you are!

So, I challenge anyone who reads this to make a list of things that you are good at! It doesn't have to be public like mine - you can just think it or write in on a piece of paper. It's easy to compare ourselves with those around us and to focus solely on our deficiencies. I really think it's okay to understand your limitations. At the same time, I think it's important to, every once and a while, remind yourself why you are awesome - because you are!

Georgia O'Keeffe once said: "You get whatever accomplishment you are willing to declare."

So with that - here's my list:

I am great at cleaning and organizing
This is the kind of stuff that makes me tick. My favorite aisles in any store? Cleaning & Office Supplies. My husband doesn't let me go down the office aisle because he knows he'll have to drag me away. When I am shopping, no matter what it is, my immediate thought when I see something in the store is "Where will this go?" It could be a carton of eggs or new board game, but it doesn't come home with me if I can't figure out where I am going to put it.

I am patient
I feel like I have always been a patient person (except for when it comes to opening presents on Christmas morning). I don't get bothered easily, I am fine waiting for things (even at the DMV!), & even during hard times I am a pretty positive, optimistic person. Now that I have a new baby, I feel like I have an even deeper degree of patience.

I am forgiving
Last night, my husband stepped on my pinky toe and it hurt REALLY badly. But the first thing out of my mouth was "it's okay, it's okay!" as I ran to the couch and curled up into the fetal position clutching my toe. This is a silly example - but I think it really illustrates how I feel when someone "wrongs me." I don't hold grudges very often, and when I do they're not for very long at all. I feel like I am quick to forgive and along with that - I am also quick to admit my own fault.  I remember a night at a friend's house. I was telling a story and my husband corrected me about something and I said "Yeah, you're right, I was wrong. Sorry." The other husband heard me say that and turned to his wife and asked, "Did you hear that!? She admits when she's wrong!" It was just a silly comment made in jest, but it made me feel good to know I was doing something that someone else found admirable.

I am a good cook
I write this one down because it's a skill I am working on and so part of me hopes if I write it down it will become more true (positive affirmations, right?). Seriously though, when I got married, I didn't even know how to scramble eggs. Now I can plan a full meal and have people asking me for my recipes! I'm far from ever auditioning for Master Chef, but I have perfected the Snickerdoodle, let me tell you. :)

I sing well
I have been singing and performing for people since I was a very little girl. I was in choir for years and took private voice lessons. I started out majoring in music in college, but eventually switched. I love music and I really enjoy singing.


These are just a few "skills" I have to list. What are your skills?

I know so many amazing women (and men!) and so I thought instead of just highlighting myself, I'd point out some qualities I recognize in other people:

My Mom
My mom is the most compassionate person I have ever met in my life. She is so willing to serve and help others, it's ridiculous. She is so bubbly and full of life it is impossible to not catch that spirit when you are around her. Another thing about my mom is she's responsible. I'm not talking about "Yes, I turned the oven off before I left the house" responsible. I'm talking about staying at work, clocked out for the day, but still working because she feels that sense of accountability to get everything done before the next day. Sucks for the paycheck, but it makes me admire her for her diligence and her accountability. If my mom says she's going to do something - she does it.

My sister Kassi
My sister Kassi has had a rough life. Things just seem to not always go so smoothly for her. But she is such a strong person. When life knocks her down she gets right back up and then punches life in the face. :) She's a very loyal person. I have no doubt that she would take a bullet for the people she loves. I think if she could take on everyone else's hardships just so they don't have to suffer, she would. & I love her for that. She is an awesome big sister.

My sister Kristi
My sister Kristi has always been extremely good at "reading people." After just a small amount of time she can tell you just what makes them tick. It's probably what makes everyone feel so close to her. She's so good at making friends, because she genuinely is interested in knowing people and their lives. It's actually pretty amazing to witness her at work. I am amazed by her perceptiveness and the sympathy that she has for others.

I'm sorry I'm not going to list all my other siblings (I come from a family of 13...) that would just be too crazy! So, sorry other siblings who are reading this - if you want to email me, I'll tell you why you are awesome too! :)

Grandma Helen
My grandma is so cool. For one, she raised 6 kids all by herself. So she's not just my Grandma, she's also the Grandpa too. :P She has always been a hard worker. She worked nights as a nurse for years so that she could be home during the day for her kids. She's supported and housed her kids and grandkids on and off for years (especially the bratty ones). She loves her family. She makes you feel like you are her true "favorite" no matter which child or grandchild you are. (I really think, it's me, though - seriously.) And she makes the meanest cinnamon-sugar toast you'll ever taste. :)

Jessie 
My friend Jessie is one of the most "put together" ladies that I know. She is stylish, nice to everyone, fun to be around, AND she is seriously one of the best moms out there. I love watching her with her kids. She is so creative and fun when it comes to playing with her kids. Almost every status on facebook is about some fun thing she and her daughters have done. There is no doubt that she absolutely adores her kids and I know they love their mom. How could they not!?

Kelsee
Kelsee is a new friend of mine, but I think she is amazing. She is such a strong, positive person who sincerely cares about people. She is a skilled conversationalist. Things seem to just flow when she's around and I admire her for that because I feel so awkward the majority of the time I'm awake! She takes away so much of the awkwardness and I think that truly is a skill!

Anne
This lady is one of my BFFs. She is so much fun to be around and she always makes me feel so good about myself. Okay, enough flirting. Seriously, Anne has so many skills - she's an amazing photographer, she is great at graphic design, she's super stylish, and she's one of the friendliest people You'll ever know. I don't think I've ever met anyone with something bad to say about this girl. She's awesome.

Okay this will be my last one - but certainly not the least!

Kelly
Kelly is my personal aspiration. She is good at EVERYTHING. She sings, she plays the piano, she can cook, she crafts, she's made furniture!, she takes gorgeous pictures. Basically anything that you can find on pinterest she can do it or has already done it. On top of all her amazing qualities, she's a really good friend and is so fun to be around.


Okay - Now I know as you were reading this you were thinking of your skills or people who you admire - so go make your own list! :)

4 months

Ben has hit the 4 month mark! At his 4 month old appointment he weighed 16.3 lbs and was 25 1/4 inches long. He's still a little above average, but the gap is closer than it was last month. This month he didn't put on the pounds, but he did shoot up in height. So now he's not such a chunk.

Don't get me wrong, he's still a fatty - just less so! :)

News since last month:

Ben is starting to enjoy being in his swing.
He loves sitting up in his bumbo seat.
We've been putting him in bouncy-seat and he loves it. He's getting really good at kicking his legs.
He's also starting to enjoy car rides. He doesn't fall asleep in the car - ever, but he doesn't cry anymore. (yay!)
He smiles and laughs a ton!! He cracks up all the time- sometimes at nothing! It is so much fun! He smiles really big whenever we walk up to him. Who doesn't love being appreciated like that!?
His favorite toys are: his ball, his turtle, and his frog.
He also loves staring at the dog's tail when it's wagging.
He doesn't sleep very well at night, so this month I'm slowly starting to put him on a regular schedule and some semblance of a routine- we can adjust from there.
Ben is a very sweet, happy little boy and I absolutely love being his mother.

3 months!

Ben's Stats:

Height - ~23 inches (not too much change in height from last month)

Weight - 16.6 lbs

Things Ben Loves:

The ceiling fan

Owen (the dog)

Being tickled all over

When mom wiggles his arms and legs really fast

Kisses on his chin

Being lifted up and down on our laps

Being outside

Sitting up, looking out at everything

Going to the store with mom (unless he's tired, then he screams the whole time)

Things Ben Hates:

Having his bottle taken away (he screams bloody murder!)

Getting dressed

Being in his swing

Raspberries on his tummy (I'm hoping he'll grow into this one)

The car (he's getting MUCH better, but he still really doesn't like car rides)

In honor of Ben being 3 months old, and also because we haven't gone in about 2 years - we decided to go camping this weekend! This was Ben AND Owen's first time camping with us! They both had soo much fun! Ben loved looking at all the trees and watching the fire. He also slept really well in the tent with us. (As well as he does at home, anyway). I brought the mat from his Pack N Play with us and laid it down in the tent for Ben to lay on, and that worked out really well. 

And like I said, Owen LOVED camping too. He ran around the campground the whole time we were there. (We were the only campers there). I don't think there's a single speck of dirt in our campsite that he did not sniff. When it was time to go, and we were driving down the road, Owen totally crashed in the car. He was exhausted! I'm glad we found a way to wear him out. :) 

We all had a ton of fun and enjoyed being outside. I wish it weren't starting to get too cold, so we could go again soon! But I'm thinking we'll have to wait until next year to go again. But that's okay, at least we broke Ben in while he's super young. He's officially a camper! :)

Kristi & Ryder came to visit

So, Ben had his baby blessing on August 4th. My sister and Grandma and Doug's parents came down to visit for the occasion. It was really fun to see them all and I put a few pictures on facebook, but I found a few more on Doug's camera, so I put my favorites together. Here they are:

and here's a few of Ben, that aren't necessarily from his Baby Blessing, but they're just too cute not to share! :)

2 Months

 My little boy is officially 2 months old! He had his two-month appointment today. 

He weighs 12 lbs, 14.5 oz 

and measures 23 inches long. 

The doctor kept saying "There is nothing petite about this kid"

And the doctor is the 2nd person to comment that he has a "man-cry" (I'm assuming that means his cry is not as high-pitched as other boy babies - which is true.)

• At two months old Ben is smiling and cooing like crazy. 
• He likes when Dad tickles his feet. 
• He loves to be outside, going on walks, or else being held by his mommy. 
• He absolutely hates being in the car. He screams the entire ride. (He doesn't mind the car-seat, just the car)
• He loves taking baths.
• He consistently eats 6 ounces at every feeding! (What a fatty!)
• He has some serious head control. He likes to lay on his tummy and lift his head and look all around.
• He's extremely strong and has already rolled over a couple times. 
• He thinks he's old enough to stay awake all day and night, but he and his mom largely disagree on that point! :) 

He just keeps getting cuter and cuter everyday! I love being this little boy's mom! 

A Garding Family Photo Shoot

So one of my good friends (Cassie Thiel ) is a photographer and she wanted to have some family pictures taken of her and her family. My wonderful husband knows how to use a camera pretty well (even though he's not comfortable with portraits) and so we decided to "trade" family pictures. Here are some of our favorite ones from our little photo shoot.

He's Here!

Benjamin Robin Garding is here!

Born June 15th, 2013 at 7:53am

Weight: 8.1 lbs

Height: 20 inches

Ben's birth story:

I had a doctor's appointment on Thursday before Ben was born. I was dilated to about 2cm, but wasn't feeling any contractions. I was exactly 40 weeks at my appointment. I wasn't really sick of being pregnant, but I did have my mom coming into town and wanted her to be able to help with the baby. So, when my doctor asked if I wanted to be induced I said, "yeah, let's do it!" So he told me to go to the hospital the next day, and we'd get things going. I was so excited and super nervous. It was nice, after waiting for 10 months for him, to know he was finally on his way! 

So, on Friday afternoon, I drove to the hospital and checked myself in. (Doug was in charge of picking my mom up from the airport, so he met me at the hospital a little later on.) I tested positive for Group B Strep, so they had to give me an antibiotic for a few hours before we did anything else. I have to say right now - that was honestly the worst part of the entire process. My IV hurt the entire time I was there, and the antibiotic burned as it entered my bloodstream. Ugh. It was terrible. 

Moving on, okay, so eventually, they started me on Pitocin. I don't really know how IV drips work - numberwise- but they said that the Pitocin drip starts at 2 and goes up by 2 every hour until you reach 20. I guess generally people start feeling contractions waaaay before they ever reach 20, because my nurses thought it was really weird that I wasn't feeling anything.

I was at 20 (pitocin-wise) for about an hour before I started feeling anything, and when I did - it just felt like Braxton Hicks; tightening of the uterine muscles without any other pain. I think fairly soon after that, my doctor arrived and broke my water. That's when I actually started feeling the pain. But it just felt like menstrual cramps to me - and not even the worst I'd ever had, either. With the real contractions started now, I dilated to 3cm. The anesthesiologist was just in the next room over, so they said, if I wanted, they'd have him come drug me next. I certainly wasn't anywhere near a 10, pain-wise, but I was pretty uncomfortable, so I told them I was ready for my epidural.

Let me tell you - an epidural is the best thing ever! The anesthesiologist gave me some awesome hybrid of an epidural + spinal tap. He explained the whole process in great detail to me, but it was all just medical mumbo-jumbo, so I don't really know what he did, but I could not feel a thing! He actually had to scale back on the meds a little bit because it worked too well on me. haha.

After getting the epidural, I finally was able to get some sleep. They keep you all hooked up to pressure cuffs, and belly monitors, etc. and so I couldn't really lay on my side (which is the only way I sleep, because it hurts to lay on my back because my spine is curved), but with the epidural I had no problem sleeping on my back at all - yay!

While I slept, my body did all the work and by about 5 am, I suppose, I was finally dilated to a 10 and they had me start pushing. It was extremely weird to push without feeling anything. They tell you to push like you're taking the poop of your life. I've been having bowel movements my whole life, so I figured I could handle that much. :) But unlike pooping, when you push with an epidural, you don't get the satisfaction of feeling anything "moving down." So, you just have to push and push and push and the doctor keeps saying, "that was so good", "you're almost there", "I can see this much of the head", etc. I only had to push for about an hour and a half (which they told me was pretty average for a first-time mom being induced) and he came right out.

When Ben came out, they pulled him out and up so I could see him. He looked like an alien. That was the weirdest looking thing I had ever seen! haha. I was prepared to see some purplish-white, puffy little body. But it was his head that was crazy! He had been turning his head all around the whole time I was pushing, so his bump on his head was really off to the side. I was also surprised that he had any hair at all! My family generally had bald babies, so for him to have hair - that was weird.

My little alien baby

Of course, once they cleaned him up and wrapped him up he looked a lot cuter - and a lot less alien!

My human baby! :) Isn't he so cute?!

I did end up tearing and needed stitches. They said it was a 2nd degree tear. I don't really know what that means, other than they told me I tore part of my urethra! Ouch. But actually, as far as recovery is concerned, I haven't been in too much pain. A little sore every now and then, but overall, I feel great! I think a huge thing that helped me throughout the whole labor process was expecting the worst. I figured if I plan for the worst possible outcome, anything less will seem like a piece of cake! And, so far that's been true. And Ben is just the cutest thing ever - so it makes it all worth it. If I could have the same birth experience all over again, I'd have a million children! :)

Okay, okay, I know you're not actually here to read what I have to say - so I will stop talking now and just post lots of pictures of Ben! :)

Sleeping after a bath

Warm and dry after his bath

Sleeping next to mama (we were both exhausted!)

 Doing what babies do best.

Making faces while Mom tries to burp him

Going home! First time in his convertible carseat - he doesn't look very comfy!

Finally at home! 

(If I left anything out that you would like to know, just tell me and I will add it in!)

He's ALMOST here!

So just as an update: I am 38 weeks and 3 days as of right now. I am barely dilated (not even 1 cm). Right now, I'm betting that little Ben will be staying inside until I'm 41 weeks. He seems pretty comfy in there. I also figure, if I plan for the least appealing outcome, I will then be pleasantly surprised if he shows up before then. :)

I have put both of these pictures on Facebook, so they're nothing new, but I figured I'd update my blog for the 2 people who read it. haha. I put the pictures together, so you can see the comparison. The left side is when I was about half-way (20 or so weeks) and the right side is from 37 weeks. It's funny, because I feel sooo much bigger than I look in pictures. 

Funny story: 

I was at Costco several days ago and while I was walking down one of the main aisles, an older lady who was handing out samples called out to me, "Excuse me, but you're going to put that basketball back, before you leave right?" I looked over at her and just cracked up. That made my whole day. I couldn't stop laughing about it the rest of my shopping trip! I wish everyone could be that fun and creative when they talk to pregnant ladies. 

Anywho, that's about all the update I have for you! Sorry to disappoint - Ben has not made his arrival yet! But he will be here extremely soon whether he comes on his own or he has to be evicted. He will be here by the 20th of June!