Bryce just started crusing

It's a very shy attempt. But it's definitely there. It happened along the couch from one end to the other. It seems that the couch offers him the stability he wants. He doesn't like the coffee table.:))
Can't hardly wait for the first steps.
Almost there Brycy, mommy is so proud of you.

EDIT : few minutes after I wrote this post, Bryce stood up by himself, with no support, for about 10 or 15 seconds. That's so awesome!!!!!!

The first big trip - preparation

We are only 2 days away from the first big trip since Bryce was born. We will go to Bulgaria, a country which is a neighbor of my native country, Romania. Language spoken: Bulgarian- slavic origins. I've studied Russian for 4 years but I don't know that much anymore and they're different languages anyway; I still recognize the signs of the alphabet, though.
So, first of all we're traveling with Lufthansa, an airline which is a considered a very family & kids friendly. My husband already booked the bassinet seat for both ways. That is LA to Munich and Munich to LA, from Munich to Sofia and back, Bryce will sit in my lap.
If you're flying economic, as we do, the line will allow you to have a luggage with a max weight of 23 kilos (50 lbs), whatever exceeds that weight, you will have to pay extra. Also, if you want to have a second luggage (as I have for Bryce), you pay en extra $50, but with the same weight limit of 23 kilos.
In the big luggage that I will check in at the airport and I will take it back in Sofia, I've packed the following:

FOODS:

- 6 cans of Enfamil Lipil powder;
- 1 can of rice cereal;
- 2 bags of mum-mums;
- 3 boxes of Earth's Best biscuits;
- 5 packs of different purees;
- 1 washable bib;
- 3 packages of disposable bibs;
- 1 package of disposable playmates;

DETERGENT:

- one small bottle of baby dish detergent;
- one small bottle of Dreft;

MEDICINES:

- 1 tylenol;
- 1 motrin;
- 2 night time orajel;
- 2 day time orajel;
- one salt nasal spray;
- 1 thermometer;
- 1 nasal pump;


BEAUTY:

- 1 sunscreen tube;
- Earth Angel body lotion;
- Earth Angel bottom lotion;
- Weleda cheek cream;
- 1 Johnson & Johnson head to toe;
- 1 nail scissor;

As, for clothes, to be on the safe side, I've ordered this weatherproof sac: and beside this we have the usual pants, hoodies, hats, sun hats, socks, pj's just to have a verity for whatever weather and occasion we will be in over there.

This is what I've packed so far; there will be more posts as the trip unfolds where I will note how useful or not all these stuff I've packed end up being.

Now, the carry-on luggage, the one I will have with me in the plain:

- 4 cans of Enfamil Lipil liquid;
- 6 little packages of Enfamil Lipil powder;
- 1 tube of Orajel;
- 10 dipaers;
- 1 travel pack wet wipes;
- 1 pack of disposable bibs;
- 2 sets of clothes;
- 1 sippy cup;
- 2-3 toys;

We will also bring with us in the plane the MacLaren city stroller and the Ergo baby carrier.

BEING A MOM IS NOT AN EASY JOB

DEDICATION: I want to dedicate this post to my mom who, despite all the hardships of her life, she never let go of us but kept fighting so we can have a better future. I love you, mom, and respect everything you did and do for us.

I grew up in Romania. I was born and raised by a wonderful woman, that is my mom. I remember my childhood and my youth with a very present mom in everything I was doing and needing: going to school, learning to read and write, cooking for me the most delicious meals, washing my clothes etc. My father was there but not present: my father was just bringing the money on the table and that was about it. A loving father himself but not too emotionally involved in our lives.
As the time went by and I could understand things better, I realized the kind of the society I was living in: a society where the role of a woman was to raise the kids, take care of the household and even if she was working she was still supposed to raise the kids and take care of the household no matter what, basically not having any help for anybody, it was NORMAL. Of course there were exceptions from the rule but only to reinforce it.
I never knew exactly what raising a kid meant, you don't know until you're in that situation, right. Life or destiny or you name it wanted me to have and raise kids in another country than Romania. Different country = different mentality.
I remember being pregnant with Bryce and going with my wonderful husband to a childcare class. The woman in front of us kept saying: "Please, ask for help". "It's not easy to be a mom". "You need a village to raise a baby". I remember thinking to myself: "But I'm embarrassed" "How could I ever ask for help when where I came from all the mothers are doing everything by themselves", "That's normal", "What is she talking about?".
The time came and I had Bryce, he was there with me, but my husband was also there and my mother in law and my father in law. And boy oh boy, I couldn't ask for more. And then coming home with the pain that you have after you deliver, how wonderful is to have a helpful husband that you can ask a glass of water or that can hold the baby while you're taking a shower.
How wonderful is to have a pair of in laws that can watch the baby while you, as a couple, take some hours off for yourself or just do some stupid errands.
So, I just have a message for all the moms out there that feel embarrassed to ask for help or think that it's ONLY their job to raise that baby: IT'S OK TO ASK FOR HELP, IT'S NORMAL TO ASK FOR HELP, BEING A MOM IS NOT EN EASY JOB!!!
Nobody says that you can not do them all: take care of the baby, clean the house, do the laundry, cook, etc, you can BUT the result is a tired woman with no time for herself, frustrated, annoyed etc.
So, there you go, this post just came from the bottom of my heart, from a new mom that truly acknowledges and respects all the efforts of all the moms out there.

The only one

Every time I go out with my baby boy, I get the same reactions from people, over and over again:

- OMG, he's so cute;
- OMG, he's such a present baby;
- OMG, he has something up there (meaning the brain);
- OMG, his look is so intense;
- OMG, he doesn't look like baby, but way more mature;

OF course, I love hearing all that, I'm his mother and for me, he's the most handsome, brilliant, intelligent smart baby in the whole world.

But, sometimes, I just sit and think to myself, why Bryce is so special:

- he's very interested in everything around him;
- he looks very carefully at new faces;
- he's focusing in the stuff he's doing ( playing with a toy, discovering a new tool in the kitchen or opening a new cupboard door);
- he interacts with anybody that interacts with him; he's very responsive to funny faces, sounds, songs etc;
- he's always inquisitive (what is behind the door, what will happen if I close the door, what will happen if I smash the door, what will happen if I drop the toy on the ground, what will happen if I bang on things etc)
- he wakes up in the morning with a very big smile on his face and greeting with you with "bababa"...
- he loves the camera and he's so aware of it every time you try to take a picture of him;
- he has charm and he's a flirt, he just knows when to use his inner beauty;

I know I can not be objective and probably I will never be but I'm so in love with this precious boy that words can hardly say.

Enjoy another video of him doing his morning routine.:)

My little pianist

He loves the piano. We realized that while our amazing grand pa' (himself a great pianist) took him by his side while he was playing the piano. In the beginning, Bryce was just watching mesmerized by the sound, as his motor skills developed, he started contributing to the song. And now he's composing his own part.
Enjoy the video!!! I love my little pianist!!!

8 months check-up

Can you believe it?
My baby boy is already 8 months. As unreal as it seems, time does fly.
Today, we had the 8 months check-up, basically he's 8 months and 3 days old.
The results:

- he weighs 19 pounds - approx 8.61 kg
- he is 29" 3/8 - approx. 74.4 cm

Again a very happy meeting with our adorable doctor. I think she likes him a lot. But I mean he's super charming with her, smiling and flirting...:)

Until next month: laugh, play, enjoy!!!

BLW - 2nd month

This is how the second month went by. So fast and so enjoyable. He's still interested in solids. Of course, he doesn't eat them with the purpose of filling up his tummy but aside the playful intake, he gives me the impression that he wants to put something in his little belly. :)

Things we've tried this month: fish, watermelon, yogurt, grapes (he just loves them, I can say that it's his favorite fruit, by far), belle pepper, rutababa, mushrooms;

Even if I'm not the best cook in the world, I try my best to come up with something new for him every single day. Can't hardly wait for papa to come back home so he will make one of his great pizza so Bryce can enjoy it, too. :))

Until then, more fun in the 3rd month of BLW.

A toute a l'heure!!!!

Better night sleep

It's been more than a week now since little Bryce sleeps a little bit better at night.
His new sleep pattern is:

- he will go to sleep around 8:00-8:30 pm in the evening;

- he will sleep through the night and not waking up as often as before ( if before he would eat 400-500 ml at night now he's drinking only 250-300 ml at night);

- he loves to find different position of sleeping than only on his back ( the one on his tummy seems to be his favorite);

- he wakes up around 7:00 - 7:30 am ;

Looking forward to more calm and full of sleep nights.:)