The Bottle Debacle of 2008

Medela, Avent, Breast-flow, MAM, Adiri, Platex Vent Air

For those of you who keep up with my blog you know that I have had trouble getting our stubborn little girl to take a bottle in my absence. We have tried everything I can find on the Internet. Taken lots of advice. I have even posted a thread on a breastfeeding website hoping for some nugget of knowledge that can solve this issue. I hurry home during my lunch break to feed her. This means she goes from 7 am to 1:30 pm with no feeding. I usually don't get home until 5:30 pm. I know she won't starve, but it's unfair to her and my mother-in-law who must deal with crying because she's hungry and Grant who is the typical 20 month old boy! It's a handful everyday!

I have come to the conclusion that she just not going to do it! She can and has taken all of these bottles. I have decided that I am not going to buy anymore bottles. So here I am trying to work things out at work so that I can continue to work part time and provide for my daughter.

Our Rainbow

Yesterday evening we finally received some much needed rain. It has been very hot and dry lately. The rain came right before evening worship service. I had dropped Stephen off at the building early because he had a meeting and I went to my parent's house to kill some time. As we pulled into the parking lot the rain was pouring down! There was thunder and lightening and the wind was blowing. We had even had some hail. Luckily, my parents were right behind me. I pulled up under the overhang and got the babies out of the car and shoved them inside with my mom. My dad and I went to park the cars. Wouldn't you know I didn't have an umbrella. My dad had a small one, so we decided to try to wait until the downpour stopped. Well, it didn't, at least for a while. Erin was starving and Grant has developed a fear to thunderstorms. My poor mom had to deal with the kids while I waited it out in the car. Grant was glued to Mimi the rest of the night. Finally, I reached Stephen on his cell phone and drove back up and let him take the car and park it.

The power went out in the church building and we had services in the dark. It was a stressful night, but we had a nice reminder from the Lord as we returned home. The rainbow was a perfect arch. It was too large to get the whole thing in the photograph. I know I did not do it justice.

Sprinkler Fun

I love this picture! If I only knew what he was thinking!

Mr. Mechanical

Gotcha!

Yesterday afternoon I decided to get out the Elmo sprinkler mat I had bought for Grant. Grant wasn't quite sure about the whole thing at first. He preferred to investigate how it works and wanted to operate the hose. I set it up next door so his Granny, Great Granny, and Grandaddy could take part in the fun. We would turn the water down low so that Grant would get close to the sprinkler and then surprise him by turning the water up.

Grant and Hunter

The last two pictures were taken earlier in the week:

Swimming at Mimi and Papa's on Memorial Day

Best Friends Forever!

Erin this Week

Watching Mickey before church

Anniversay/Birthday Celebration

Saturday evening Stephen and I went out to dinner to celebrate our wedding anniversary and my 27th birthday. I am too ashamed to admit the last time we went out on a date. The evening was long over due! I don't remember the last meal we had without Grant screaming at some point and Erin crying. Most of the time we eat in shifts and I inhale yet another meal. My parents volunteered to watch the kids while we went out. This was great because we were going to Carrabba's which is about five minutes from their house. Erin is still not wanting to take a bottle so I felt like we could leave her for just a little while and she would be ok. After we leaving my mom and dad's house Stephen told me that he got us reservations at The Melting Pot! I was excited, but of course the mom in me worried about Erin. We had to drive into Jacksonville and it always takes longer to do fondue. The meal was delicious! If you have never tried fondue you ought to. We have been several times to the fondue restaurant in Orange Park, but this was our first time to The Melting Pot. It was by far a better restaurant! Stephen had flowers waiting for me at the table and we enjoyed a quiet meal together.

Mom and Dad survived Erin's bottle strike. She did not, however, take the bottle. She is quite the stubborn little girl! I hope tomorrow goes better because I have to work.

I Need Help!

I returned to work a couple weeks ago working two days a week. So far Erin has only taken a bottle two of these days. Luckily, the days that she has refused to take the bottle I had cancellations before lunch and I went home to nurse her. It still makes for a long and difficult day for Erin and Stephen's mother who takes care of her and Grant while I am at work.

I didn't think we would have a problem introducing a bottle because Grant went back and forth between nursing and bottle feeding with no problem. I even introduced the bottle at 3 weeks and she took it with no problem. She would have an occasional bottle when I needed to be away from her. A week before I was to return to work (she was 10 weeks old) I tried to give her a bottle at the mall. I figured it would be quicker and easier since I had Grant with me too. She wouldn't take it. Ever since then we have had difficulty getting her to take a bottle. The day that she has taken one for my mother-in-law she had to really work with Erin to get her to except it.

I have tried several different bottles to no avail. If she even catches a glimpse of a bottle she screams. So now I am asking for help. If anyone has had a similar problem I would love to hear from you. I have a freezer full of breast milk!!! I am going to try to pump some and work with a bottle at home this weekend. HELP!!!!!

Random Pictures

Happy Anniversary

Stephen and I have been married eight wonderful years today. It's amazing to see all that we have shared over the years. We started dating when I was fifteen. Stephen has been there for every important moment in my life. He practically taught me how to drive! He tells me that he knew he was going to marry me the first time he met me. (I was in 9th grade and vaguely remember it!) Well, he got his wish, and I am thankful everyday for it! I am so fortunate to have such loving and considerate husband. He is the most patient man I have ever met. He is a wonderful father too! Stephen I love you and I can't wait for fifty more years together!

We Miss Our Daddy

Stephen left early (1:30 am) yesterday morning for a quick business trip followed by his brother's graduation in Panama City. He will return home sometime tomorrow night. Grant has woken up in the middle of the night for the past two nights crying for his daddy. It's so sad!

Stephen, I hope you are enjoying yourself!

A Visit from Lindsay

We had a busy day today. I have broken it up into several posts. Stephen's Aunt Pat brought her granddaughter Lindsay over to play. They had a great time!

Up, Up and Away

WARNING: GRANDMOTHERS MAY WANT TO SKIP THIS BLOG

Grant wanted to climb!

Our fearless little guy went all the way to the top practically by himself. Don't worry his Grandpa was there just in case. The only problem was convincing him to come down.

Cupcakes!

Yum yum! Grant likes cake now. Too bad he didn't like it at his Birthday party!

A Quick Pic

Happy Mother's Day

Swimming at Mimi and Papa's

A Little Bathing Beauty!

Grant LOVES the pool!

We celebrated Mother's Day today at my parent's house. My grandparents, Aunt Vicki, my parents and our family enjoyed an afternoon swim, followed by a delicious dinner. This was Erin's second time in the pool and she seems to like it! She was fussy before she got in the pool, but she stopped fussing once in the water. It must have a calming effect on her. Last year, while on vacation at the beach, Stephen would wade out with Grant and let the waves rock him to sleep while he held him. It was so cute and it allowed us to stay down on the beach longer. We'd just put him down for his nap under the tent. I'm hoping for a similar effect on Erin this year, otherwise, I might spend most of the vacation up in the condo.

Now that I am a mother, I am able to view my mom differently. I have always loved her, but I have a new respect for who she is . My mother endured pregnancy and childbirth three times. She sacrificed, as most mothers, so that her children's needs could be met. When my sister, brother and myself were very young my dad had a job where he had to travel every week. He was only home on the weekends for ten years! My mother took care of the three of us by herself. My mother is a strong woman. She went to college while working and raising a family. She graduated as the valedictorian of her class. I was so proud. Most importantly, I am thankful for the example she was to me. She showed me how to be a loving, christian wife and mother. I hope that I can do as good of a job raising Grant and Erin as she did raising the three of us.

Happy Mother's Day Mom! I love you!

A Trip to the Park

This morning we took Grant to the park with his cousin Dixie. He protested when we put him in the car seat this morning. I think he thought we were taking him shopping. His daddy will be so proud! When we got to park he was so excited he started shaking in delight. (This was his first trip to a park, and I'm sure he was in heaven!) He loved every minute of it and he played hard. He's fast asleep now!

Who Says...

...he doesn't look like me. While I agree that Grant does have some of his Daddy's features, he looks like me too!