Sometimes I inadvertently dress myself and Simon in somewhat similar outfits. Mostly it's an accident. But I won't deny it, I love it!

My brother Robbie (he prefers Rob, of course) came to visit us last weekend! It was really nice to see him and show him around a bit. He was in WA for work and managed to stay a couple extra days with us. He won this sweet pair of dice for Simon at the Fun Forest.


We visited Pike Place Market, Seattle Center (Space Needle, Fun Forest), Kinnear Park (nice park in Queen Anne, but I meant to take him to Kerry Park), Kelly Park (stellar views), The Fremont Troll (always a crowd pleaser), Ballard Locks (I love the locks - we saw salmon in the fish ladder and a huge vessel headed to Alaska), Bick's (where the meat and seafood lovers go, Erik and I had yummy veggie appetizers while Rob enjoyed a steak), and Green Lake (for a picnic)! ( More photos this way... )

On Sunday we volunteered to work the Diaper Free Baby booth at the Baby Expo. It was interesting. It was a gorgeous day, so there wasn't a huge crowd, but we did talk to a bunch of people about Elimination Communication. Sometimes I felt a little weird talking to people about it because "Diaper Free" doesn't really describe what we do. We practice EC part time at home, but we are not diaper free. Sometimes Simon does enjoy some diaper free time, but mostly we potty him when we're changing his diaper and sometimes we catch a pee. We are most successful in catching his morning poo though, which is VERY exciting! So I definitely know a lot more about it than the average person, but it still felt a little odd to be representing, you know? Bah! I'm thinking about this way too much. It was fun, I'm glad we could do it, and I sure hope we inspired at least one person to just try it. It doesn't have to be all or nothing and that I think is a very good reason why we were the perfect people to volunteer. One less diaper to wash or put in the land fill is something indeed.

In other news, we just joined a CSA, Helsing Junction Farm and picked up our first bounty today. YUMMY! I think I ate a pint of delicious strawberries already. So awesome. I really want to make some freezer jam this year, but I think this first batch will be just for enjoying now.

Can you believe it? Simon is 5 months old already, where has the time gone?

Look at that drool drop glittering on his chin!

And here he is singing with his Daddy.


I'm off to go pick up my brother. He's here on business and was able to squeeze in a few days with us! Yippee!

Simon slept like crap last night, like after nursing for the better part of 4 HOURS Erik had to swaddle him up good and tight, bounce him on the exercise ball, and shush him to sleep. Just like the "good old days". My mission today was to tire him out! So, in honor of summer, I took him to the Mount Lake Terrace swimming pool for the first time. He looked so cute in his swimsuit (swim diaper/speedo), I'll have to take a photo another time. Anyway, he LOVED it! I was not too sure how he would react, it was loud and there were tons of kids there, but he was just interested in looking at everyone and swimming in the pool. We mostly hung out in the lazy river and he giggled and swam around. I nursed him before and after swimming and then he crashed hardcore, for most of the afternoon. I sure hope he sleeps well tonight...or maybe he won't. I just felt the tip of a tooth!

So, um, Simon really doesn't sleep all that well and against everyone's advice and my own better judgment, I have NOT been sleeping when the baby sleeps. So to celebrate, I made myself a new userpic, instead of taking a nap. That seems rational right? Maybe the lack of sleep is taking a toll...

I went to my favorite record store yesterday and it was the first time I got a CD for everyone in the family! The Futureheads for Erik, Wanda Jackson for me, and Rockabye Baby lullaby renditions of The Cure(!) for Simon. I sure hope he likes it.

My cousin Cindy and her husband Kambrell are here looking at apartments. They'll be moving here in August. Yay! We can always use more family in this neck of the woods.

It's gorgeous outside so we're going on a walk. That needs to be on record since it's been so chilly lately.

He recently started scootching. This here video shows a little bit, but he is a little camera shy. Afterwards he scootched about 5 feet! I think of it as crawling on your back. If it's a little too long for ya, you can see his beautiful smile around 2 minutes. He also likes to stick his tongue out a lot. I like to think that he is tasting the world.



And here he is trashing the place:

Simon and I went to visit thesynergizer and her son Ben today! It was fun - we had a picnic, went on a walk, ate wild berries, hung out, and had a great time! In the middle of all this merriment, Suzanne informs me that Simon is too big for his car seat. She read the height limit to me from the sticker on the seat - 26". He's 28" now. Shit, dude! We need a new car seat now!? I mistakenly thought this seat would last at least 6 months...but no. The next one would be a convertible seat, which means I can't take it out of the car...so quick trips to the library and the post office mean I have to take him out of the seat and carry him inside, even if he's asleep. It is so convenient to carry him around in the car seat, ESPECIALLY when he's sleeping. I'm going to call my uncle, the car seat specialist, and see what he thinks. I guess I've become pretty dependent on that car seat.

Simon rolled over! He actually rolled back to front when he was only a few weeks old, but that was always on the bed towards the boob, so I don't think that totally counts.


It was a little challenging to get a video of him rolling over, but here's what you get. Maybe I'll manage a better one later. ( Right this way... )

Simon had his 4 month Dr. appointment today. He weighs 16lbs 6oz, he's 28" long and overall he's looking good! He cried so hard after getting the shots, it was horrible. I was finally able to calm him down and the rest of the day was great. We went to Sears to return my Lands End swimsuit and I ended up buying him some new clothes for the summer - complete with pirates, spaceships, and submarines! So much cuter than all the stupid sport and puppy dog (?) themed stuff. I realized that was the first time I really bought a bunch of new clothes for him since he was born!

Here's a video of Simon from today. He was super chatty, until I tried to videotape him. Ah well. What can you do?


Also, a local news segment on EC with members from my Diaper Free group: http://www.king5.com/video/index.html?nvid=245901

So, I'm assuming since Erik left me a whole box of cookies that they are all mine, right? I mean, he would have taken some to work if he wanted any, right?

This past weekend was great. We went out to brunch with friends on Saturday and then spent the afternoon lounging in the grass at Volunteer Park. Simon was 1/2 naked and loving it! We did a bit of the EC outside too. We managed to "catch" a few pees and "miss" one pee - and it was pretty funny. He was laying on the blanket and peed - so imagine a nice ark of pee from the center of the blanket onto the grass. It was so nice to just sit outside and relax (especially since 'lil Mister hasn't been sleeping so great and consequently neither have I). It was also 94 degrees outside. Iced tea weather - yum! Sunday was mellow and stressful (largely because of the sleep deprived state I was in), but I got my chores done.

There's so much to report, it's a little overwhelming, so I'll just write a little bit...
We just got back from a visit to CA for a cousin's wedding. Simon was absolutely wonderful the entire time. Seriously. I attribute most of this to the fact that I successfully nursed him while riding in the car. He was in his car seat and I was buckled in and I just leaned over and nursed him. It was nothing short of amazing in my eyes. We had two long car rides to and from the airport and they would have been horrible if I wasn't able to nurse him, so yeah! Other than that he was mostly smiley and happy and content to be held by his Nana, Nana Great, and Aunty Cath when not being held by Erik or myself. We also did a bit of EC on the trip too - which was very nice and kind of unexpected. I wasn't sure if he would be into it, but there were many times when he very clearly had to go and would rather not have to go in his diaper. It was sunny and nice so he even had some outdoor naked time! The trip was too short to get in some good visiting time (you know, with a baby around and wedding things to attend to), but it was a long enough time to be away from my bed. I slept pretty good last night and I needed it.

OK, not really. I was trying to finish a bag for a swap when Erik informed me that he and Simon were wrestling! I had to see it for myself.


Also of note: Simon "slept through the night" last night! Which means he slept for a 5 hour stretch before waking up! Unfortunately, I stayed up late knitting so I really didn't get to fully appreciate it. We're experimenting with nighttime diapering. I believe he's waking up a lot at night because he's wet and in my sleep-deprived stupor I just keep giving him the boob when what he'd really like is a dry diaper. So last night we had him in a Bum-Genius diaper - he woke up less, but his PJs were wet in the morning...so I'm thinking that diaper plus a wool soaker would be awesome. Gotta get knittin', yo.

We planned on going to the Tulip Festival today, which is about an hour drive north on a good day. One million other people decided to go too. So after ditching them to have a picnic lunch (the first one of the year - yay!) at a park in Mount Vernon, we decided to get back in line. I think it took 30 minutes to drive 5 blocks. So we ditched them again and went to Camano Island State Park instead. I love tulips, but not that much. The beach was so much more fun! I nursed Simon while we watched clams spit water up in the air - hilarious! It was so nice and relaxing. This was our first adventure with Simon - so we brought a bunch of diapers, spare outfits, and a relaxed "agenda" and it was a success!

( Isn't he cute? )

I've created a Google map with all of the places I've nursed Simon. Of course, this will be a work in progress, but I think it's kind of neat.

View my map here!

For the fans:

He loves the mobile over his changing station, but the camera was throwing him off a bit.

Simon and I went to Mom and Baby yoga today. It was so nice to be in a yoga class - even if it was bookended with nursing! (Add yoga studio to the nursing list/map...) He mostly looked around, giggled, smiled, and was interested in what was going on while I was able to do some much needed stretching. I was actually a little surprised at how easy it was, in terms of keeping an eye on him and doing the poses. I guess I was a little worried that we would spend the entire class nursing, which, you know, I can do at home for free. But we didn't. Yay! We will definitely go again.

Then I came home and made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies because I've been craving these for DAYS!

I also watched him try to suck his thumb this morning - it was so cute! I was a thumb sucker for many years...

Happy Earth Day!


*I'm not sure where we got that nickname, but it's his...

This past weekend was nice and mellow. On Friday Simon and I had a date with thesynergizer and her son Ben - we went to Chocolati (yummy peppermint patti hot cocoa!), walked part way around Green Lake, took a break at the community center to nurse Simon, and then on our way back, it was HAILING! Like the size of small peas! Luckily I actually dressed us semi-appropriately so Simon was in a warm fleece outfit and I had my rain jacket on. I was wearing him in the mei tai and we both had hoods on, but of course he was getting pelted in the face by the hail. He cried all the long way back to the car. Despite the hail, I had a great time and I'm glad we could all get together!

Erik turned 32 on Saturday and it was the quietest birthday we've ever celebrated together. We took Simon to the mall for some 3 month photos (the cuteness was unbearable so naturally we spent a ton of money) and also so Erik could pick out his birthday present - a cast iron skillet! We were there for a few hours and I ended up nursing Simon at JC Penney and Nordstrom. I should make a map or a list or something and keep track of all the places we've nursed...anyway, we had pizza and cupcakes for dinner and watched some House (season one). Normally we would go out to dinner with friends, or go bowling, or do something, but Erik just didn't seem to be into it this year and I really didn't bug him too much.

On Sunday we were thinking about going to the tulip festival, but it was snowing when we woke up. So the thought of driving north, with snow, for an hour, to look at tulips just didn't seem like a good idea anymore. I hope we can go next weekend. Erik made delicious tofu scramble in his new skillet! Then the day turned sunny! So we went for a walk around the neighborhood and Simon actually fell asleep in the mei tai. And then, later in the evening, it started to rain! Crazy spring weather weekend! And to think it was actually 80 last weekend!

In other news I've started to think about Simon's sleep (and mine too, of course). I just started to read The No-Cry Sleep Solution and I'm in the process of noting his sleeping and napping habits. So far I've learned he needs more sleep! He should be getting about 15 hours a day and I think he's getting closer to 12-13. We've been sleeping in as long as possible depending on my whim and I would like to be able to get up earlier. He also naps at his whim, so I was thinking a semblance of a plan or schedule or even like a sleep goal would help us all out.

And in hormone news: I actually started crying at the mere mention of "cry it out" in the book. We also had to skip an episode of House because it was about babies. I cried in the intro. Seriously. I'm not anywhere near as stoic as I used to be.