Lunch Time!!

Blake has been eating solids at lunch for the past few days and it is going really, really well!! I try to give him mostly finger foods at lunch! He loves to feed himself, although it seems like a lot of food lands on his lap and not in his mouth! He is starting to eat a lot of variety. The latest new foods are parsnips, spaghetti, puffed wheat cereal and beef! I just cut the spaghetti up small and let him feed it to himself. At first I don't think he was crazy about the "stickiness" on his fingers!! So he's doing great with his meals and I think he's happier now that he's eating lunch! I wish the weather would warm up so we could get outside for some more sleigh rides - but in time I suppose :) Got to love this Alberta weather!!

Feelin' Bad ...

Today I cancelled our Happy Nappy diaper service and I feel crappy about it! I really wanted to continue using cloth diapers as long as possible. Two reasons why I cancelled: 1) Most child care providers do not allow cloth diapers on children while they are in care and 2) It was costing us approximately $75 a month more than disposables. But what kills me is the cost to the environment of disposables!! Maybe I'll just have to force potty training on Blake earlier!? NOT! I thought about washing cloth diapers myself but that is not realistic for me! I already don't care for laundry so adding another 5 or so loads of laundry a week just wouldn't work! BUT, when we have another baby we will use the service again and if Blake's still in diapers at that time we'll switch him back too!! I guess we did good using cloth for almost 9 months!! (as you can tell I'm just trying to make myself feel better)! Anywho, on a more positive note Blake continues to be a rollin' machine! He gets himself around pretty good by rolling around the room! He has also started getting his bum up in the air when he's on all fours so that's a start to crawling! Today I started giving him solids at lunch time! He was seeming hungry the past few days around lunch so I figured it was time to start! Maybe he won't eat so much at supper time now? Who knows!! He has his 9 month pediatrician appointment on Feb. 5 so we'll see how much he's grown in the last couple of months! So that's about all that is new with us!! Hope everyone is well and keeping warm :)

Love Tracy

4 Teeth!

Hi everyone! Blake now has 4 teeth : ) The top two are finally through! It's crazy how they break through and then it takes another few weeks or even months for the teeth to fully come out. This morning he was grinding his teeth - I couldn't believe it! He was eating breakfast and between bites I could hear this noise and was surprised to see him grinding his four little teeth! Hopefully it will be one of those things that he does for a bit just because it sounds cool and then he stops because I don't think it's good!! A couple of days ago he also started "clucking" his tongue and quite enjoys it!! He continues to be a good eater and hasn't turned much down so far! Anything he's not sure of I just mix with sweet potatoes or squash and he gobbles it up. His sleeping patterns have definitely started to change. He went through a bit of a rough stage for a few weeks which I attribute to those top teeth but now when we are home and maintain his naps and bedtime it goes something like this - supper at 5:30 or 6:00 pm, bath, and bed between 6:30 and 7:30 pm. Sometimes we have to give him his soother back, sometimes not and then he nurses at 5:15 ish am, back to bed, and up for breakfast between 7:30 and 8:30 am. Nap around 10 or 10:30 am. Nurse a couple times during the day, then nap around 1:30 or 2:00 pm and back to supper! Everyone always comments on what a happy baby Blake is but we really notice a difference on the days he doesn't get his naps in or has a late bedtime - not as happy!!! LOL! But I quite like the routine and try to stick to it. Next month I am going to start feeding him solids at lunch too. It's getting hard to keep up with all this baby food making but I think most things are best made by me and not Heinz!! We do buy a few of the fruits and squash though! We've had a few visitors these past days - on Friday my friend Sarah and her little guy Gibson came by and today my friend Krista came for a visit! It was great to catch up with everyone!! Today I took Blake for a sleigh ride - it was such a beautiful day! We had our first Baby Laptime of '08 on Tuesday and I must say the program looks even better then last year. The leader is much more interactive with the babies then the past one. On Wednesday our Mom's Group is going to Baby Sign Time at the library and I am looking forward to learning some baby sign language. I'm kind of on the fence as far as the whole baby sign language thing goes but maybe this class will help me choose a side!! So that's what is up with Mr. Blake and his Mom & Dad :)

Take care!

8 Months Old Today!

Today Blake turned 8 months old! Wow! Where has the time gone?? It has been an absolutely fantastic 8 months with our son. He brings such joy to our lives and we could not imagine life without him! It is amazing to witness how fast a child changes and grows in such a short period of time. He is such a little character now! I love seeing his little personality shine! Although sometimes it's screaming at me! LOL! Just yesterday he started this weird jaw thing. He kind of tenses it up and then moves it up and down! Hard to explain but it's funny!!! I think maybe it's one of those things where he's discovered it and will do it for a few days because it feels neat! Today we visited with Grandma Bev and Aunty Carmen at Blake's cousin Colby's baby shower! Colby is sure growing fast and is a real cutey!! On Tuesday Blake and I start a new Baby Laptime session. I've been continuing to sing the songs to him over the holidays! His favorite are Zoom, Zoom, Zoom and Criss-cross Applesauce!! Then on Thursday we are starting a Strollerobics class at the YMCA. We took Strollerobics during the summer and it was outdoors, but this one will be inside. We're not registered for swimming or Salsa Babies this time round but we will go to the occasional Water Babies class at Fountain Park in St. Albert because it is drop in. I know I am going to miss Salsa Babies, but I'm thinking of taking a Salsa Burn class (for Mom's sans baby)! Take care :)

Tracy

Rolling Machine!!!

Wow! Just yesterday afternoon Blake was still playing the "put me on my stomach and I'll roll to my back" card and now he's rolling around the family room!!! Amazing how fast they change/learn! Yesterday evening he rolled from his back to his stomach and seemed to not mind being on his stomach and now he's rolling back and forth to move around and get to his toys! Just a few days ago I noticed on his baby monitor when he was sleeping that he was sleeping on his side which he's never done (unless I've put him that way) and now I think that was a precursor to rolling around! I'm thinking that he may begin sleeping on his stomach or side regularly now! It's very exciting to witness these changes! Also, those 2 top teeth that have been giving us a run for our money are coming out finally! One of them has broken through his gums and the other is extremely close. Then they'll just have to come fully out, but I think that is less painful! Anyways, just had to "diary" this exciting day!!! Crawling news next ... LOL!

Luv Tracy

1st Sleigh Ride & Last Day of 2007 :)

Today Cal and I took Blake for his first sleigh ride!! He got a sleigh for Christmas from Grandma and Grandpa Smith!!! It was sooo... much fun! He was so cute during the ride, thanks in part to his adorable snowsuit from Grandma Smith! At times he had this look on his face like he was thinking, "You guys are so weird. Why are you so excited about this?" We got a few smug grins though! It was colder then we expected. The Weather Network said it was -9 outside, but it sure felt colder. So we walked to the lake near our house, took some pictures and walked home!

On another note, today is the last day of 2007! WOW! What a year it has been! It has definitely been one of the best years of my life! I've often said that, but this year has certainly been fantastic. We have so much to be thankful for and are so blessed! We are looking forward to 2008! Who knows what the year will bring!? Best wishes to everyone for a healthy, fun and love filled 2008!

Love The Cameron's
XOXOX

Wonderful Holiday Season!

Happy holidays everyone!! We hope you all had a very Merry Christmas! We had a great Christmas! The whole holiday "season" has been wonderful! Cal is on vacation from the 21st - Jan. 2 so it is great to have him home! On December 21st Lindsay and Jeremy came down from Fort McMurray and my Mom and Lindsay came over for a visit. Then, Cal's sister Kathy came to our house from Grande Prairie and stayed the night and on the 22nd we went to Gerry and Lesley's house with Grandma Bev and Kathy and had a nice visit and dinner! We left for Saskatchewan the morning of the 23rd. Blake traveled very good (we only had to stop once)! We arrived in Tisdale that evening and got unpacked, etc. Blake was up more than usual that night, probably due to sleeping so much in the car. On the 24th we did some preparation for Christmas Day and went to church in the evening. We woke up on the 25th and opened presents and visited with family - Oh and ate (and ate, and ate ...)! It was a great time and we were very glad the whole family was together! Blake behaved magnificently!! He was spoiled rotten of course! He ripped the paper quite well on his first gift and then lost interest! My cousins kids, Ryder and Ryann, were really good with Blake and it was cute to see them together! The camera's were sure busy Christmas Day :) We headed home to Edmonton on Boxing Day. We had to stop a few more times on the way home then on the way there. We stopped in at my Grandma Kelley's work for a quick hello! We got home Boxing Day evening and then Eric and Christa came over for a visit. Blake was pretty tired from travelling and all the Christmas festivities so he went to bed without a bath. Today we went to Beaumont to visit the Hrdlicka's! I was glad we were home in time to see them! Nicholas and Blake opened their gifts together and played a bit. I have a few other friends who are home for the holidays so hopefully we'll be able to get together!! Blake doing really good, continuing to grow and learn and change! This afternoon he just started breathing heavily through his nose?! Sounds weird, but try it and you'll see what I mean! LOL! I think he's just doing it for the sound effect?! We bought him a Leap Frog toy that he can stand up to and he is loving it! And for the first time on Christmas Day my cousin was holding his hands and he took a step forward! We were very surprised!! I wonder if he'll walk before he crawls!? Blake also started reaching out a couple of weeks ago! It's pretty darn cute when he reaches for you!!! He's talking more and more each day too! You can carry on a conversation with him sometimes, where he pauses and you talk then you pause and he replies! It's cool! I've also noticed how his grasp is improving. He can use his pincer grasp quite well now to pick up small things. Actually just today he was picking up small pieces of toast (like cheerio size) from the table and eating them! He was also taking Nicholas' soother out of his mouth and putting it in his own!? It's really fun to watch him change and discover and learn new things! He peeks around you if you're blocking his view of something or if you drop something on the ground he looks down for it. He has fun with peek-a-boo too!! We hope you had a great Christmas too and all the best in 2008!

Love Cal, Tracy & Blake