Matteo is 8 Months!

Teo, me say Teeeooo.  Daylight come and me wan go home.

My smirky, babbly, serious yet fun-loving dude. Time is going too fast. He is now way closer to 1 than to zero. I love watching him grow up, but I'm also sad to lose my baby.  I know, he'll be technically a baby for at least another year, but that year will whiz by and I'll have no more babies (unless God really surprises us.)  His two tiny teeth will become a mouth full of chompers. His caterpillar fuzz will flatten out.  I know it just gets better and better, but growing up is bittersweet. Makes me treasure each drooly kiss, each gummy chuckle, each raspberry.

Matteo at a glance:

• His head is ridiculously fuzzy.  Everyone admires his spiky coif!  I love to bury my nose in it.  
• First cousin playdate with several of his out of town "first-cousins-once-removed", Eudora, Ronan, and baby Miles, just 2 weeks younger than him. Such a special time!
• Loves playing in the sandbox and at  the beach.  Doesn't eat too much sand.  
• Sitting up pretty well on his own.  Falls down once in a while.
• Still not crawling!  
• Very musically inclined!  Mesmerized by my sub-par banjo playing.  Loves to drum on pots and pans.  
• Likes to make sounds in general.  Raspberries, fart sounds, babbles, scratching surfaces with his fingernails.  
• Starting to throw any and everything. 
• Two teeth and counting! 
• Still sleeping through the night about 50% of the time.  Waiting patiently for the number to increase :)  
• Used to be a mini-Joe, but I think he's starting to look like me a little bit.  Still doesn't look Korean at all!  He is all Italiano! 
• Loving solids, although still only eating purees.  He is not quite able to chew and swallow yet unless the food is super mushy.  His recent favorite is lamb heart pureed with zucchini, carrots, cinnamon and coconut milk.    
• We've started giving tiny bits of fruit- loves it!  
• I'm nursing him a lot these days- about every 2 to 3 hours during the day, because he's so itty bitty I want to give him lots of the good stuff.  Plus, it's been really hot and dry here in socal.  
• Loves his daddy!  Joe is able to comfort him and put him to sleep just as easily as I can, at least for now.  I'm so grateful for this since I'm leaving for Costa Rica (just me and my friend!) in November and Joe will be watching both kiddos for a week.  I know, crazy! 
• Still adores Sisi unconditionally.  Sisi is coming around more and more.  I love listening to them babble to each other and crack each other up in the back seat of the car.  
• Sadly, had to say goodbye to his beloved Grandpa Sam this month.  I will always cherish the sweet moments and silly smiles they shared.  I know Grandpa delighted in Matteo, and did until his last days.  

miss you already, dear Grandpa.

Eudora (2), Matteo (8 months), Miles (7 months)

MVI 2978 from kristin brancaleone on Vimeo.

Read more...

Paleo Baby #2: Matteo's Solid Food Plan

I am grateful that my husband pushed to raise Sisi on a paleo diet from the very beginning.  When Sisi first started solids 4 years ago, I wasn't even on the paleo diet yet.  I was just dipping my toes in, and not fully convinced that it was the best diet for adults, let alone babies.  I decided it couldn't hurt to raise Sisi paleo.  She immediately took to healthy foods and we've never really had food battles with her.   Mealtimes are generally happy and stress-free for us, and I attribute that to starting off with savory nutritious foods, coupled with the "French Rules" and the fact that she just LOVES to eat-   that definitely helps.

Now it's just second nature to feed Matteo paleo. He turned 6 months a few weeks ago, so he's only had a few different things.  He seems willing to try anything, but will only actually consume it if it's very smooth and liquidy. Most of it ends up on the bib or his face, but that's ok with me.  I just want him to get used to different tastes.  I know milk is his primary source of nutrients until 1 year.



Our Strategy: 

In theory, we like the idea of baby-led weaning (no spoon feeding, baby feeds himself chunks of soft food) but we also like the French way of eating (starts with simple vegetable purees, then they get chunkier and more complicated over time.)  Since France has the lowest rate of child obesity in the developed world, and French kids are renowned for eating well, the French method won.

Before 6 months I'd given him little tiny bites of raw butter and coconut oil to make sure he wasn't sensitive to them.  I knew we'd want to mix these into the purees right away.  So far everything has been either steamed or lightly pressure cooked and pureed with breastmilk to a soup-like consistency. At this point, we're still nursing 5 times a day (plus occasional night feedings) and doing 2 solid meals per day (lunch and dinner.)  Once again, I'm talking an ounce at the most.

I make a batch of food at a time (for example, steam a filet of salmon with some zucchini in the pressure cooker, then blend it with butter and milk in my mini blender.)  I serve some right away, and freeze some in silicone storage trays for later.  On days when I don't have time to cook, I take out a few different frozen portions and blend them together with a little boiling water.  The boiling water warms it to the perfect temperature and helps it blend more easily.

Lunch is his heaviest meal, usually containing egg yolks or meat, and dinner is usually some veggies mixed with some kind of fat (butter, breastmilk, or coconut oil).

We are holding off on fruit, like we did with Sisi.  In our family, fruit is a special treat or dessert served after the meal, similarly to the French.  You should see Sisi's eyes light up when someone offers her a piece of orange or a berry.  The farmer's market samples are her candy store.

I know you're supposed to start off super slow to catch reactions, and I kind of did.  I waited a day or two between new foods.  But after a few weeks, I couldn't resist mixing and matching and starting to add more interesting herbs and spices.  I really want food to be delightful for him.  I'm excited for him to try basil, oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.

First foods in order of introduction.  *= actually ate more than a few spoonfuls.

• steamed zucchini with raw butter
• avocado with lightly cooked egg yolk
• *egg yolk with lamb heart
• *egg yolk with salmon and raw butter
• carrots with butter
• *egg yolk and breastmilk
• avocado slices (didn't eat them)
• green beans and carrots with butter
• *green beans and salmon with coconut oil
• sweet potato with butter
• sweet potato with salmon
• salmon with coconut milk and dill
• *mahi mahi with butter and breastmilk
• *lamb liver with spinach, butter and mint

So far, he seems to prefer the protein meals instead of the veggies.  When I try to give him avocado, he looks both confused and repulsed.  He didn't even like sweet potatoes with butter, to my great surprise.  His faves have been the egg yolk, pureed lamb heart, lamb liver, and pureed salmon mixed with veggies.

I bought the book Bebe Gourmet for some new puree ideas.  The combinations are creative and elegant!  Elegant baby food- it's possible. I use the book more as inspiration, since many of the recipes are not paleo.

I truly hope we are raising another awesome eater!  You just do what you can and hope it all works out.

Read more...

Matteo is 6 Months!

We've already reached the halfway mark!  It has really flown by, and it's been mostly lovely.  Matteo is such an even-keeled baby.  Even on hectic days, he remains pretty zen.

He does have his limits though- he likes to be in bed by 7pm, and if I stretch him too far past that, he gets quite fussy.  He also wants to eat every 2 to 3 hours, sometimes even more, no negotiations.  But his fussiness isn't usually wailing and screaming, it's more sad faces, silent cries, and whimpers.  I can handle silent cries and whimpers.

I think he's incredibly secure for a baby.  Not only has he been soothing himself to sleep since 5 days old, but I can already see good coping skills during the day, too.  He is able to distract himself when he's feeling tired or lonely.  He has incredible patience.  Although he's getting more active and wiggly, he is pretty content to sit back and watch the world go by.  It also means he's not super ambitious with the milestones, but we don't mind him taking his time.  Trust me, we are perfectly happy with him not being mobile.

Matteo is so in love with his big sister. Siena's silly antics make him belly laugh.  We're trying to teach Sisi that she doesn't have to be his mommy figure (she is constantly lecturing him- "Matteo, don't touch that.  Matteo, don't smile at me.  Don't even look at me.") But he seems to admire and look up to her anyways, like she can do no wrong in his eyes.  I am excited to see how their relationship develops.

Matteo at a Glance:

-Pretty consistent schedule right now.  Naps at around 9:30 and 1:30, for about 1.5 hours each, then in bed around 7-7.30, up for the day around 7am.
-Still waking up to eat once or twice a night, but increasingly able to go back to sleep without my intervention.  I try to wait at least 10 minutes before I go in, and by that time he's often back to sleep. He gave me a nice 11 hour stretch last night, but that is a rarity and a gift.
- Starting solids today!!! I was trying to find some good solid food advice, so I googled "paleo baby first foods" and stumbled upon an old article I'd written when Sisi was a baby.  That's when I realized "if it ain't broke don't fix it" and maybe we should just do exactly what we did with Sisi, since she's a very adventurous eater.  So we'll start him on avocados, liver, egg yolks, fish and assorted veggies like we did with Sisi and hope for another amazing eater!
-The only solids he's had so far are tiny bites of raw butter and coconut oil.  He likes it.
- Finally takes the bottle (kinda!)  Just a few ounces, but it's allowed us to get away from some date nights.
- Starting to embrace independent play.  This is a skill that I highly value in my kiddos for their own good and my sanity.  I don't think it comes as easily for him as it did for Sisi since he's definitely a people person, so we're being strategic about it.  We started leaving him in his crib with some very simple toys for a few minutes here and there, and each day we increase the time. I'm always sure to casually say, "I'll be back" and "I'm back" so he knows I always come back and he doesn't have to be watching for me.  He's now doing up to 40 mins of play in the crib, although some days he refuses.

- Our dear Mother's Helper Miss Katie has graduated from high school and can't work for us anymore :(  I'm forced to go on more outings with both the kids and it's definitely becoming second nature, but we keep it simple.  We go to Dana Point Baby Beach once a week, the local library every 2 weeks, walk to the grocery store and Petco, the mall, etc.  But our favorite thing to do is lounge around and sunbathe in the yard.  Teo has a pretty good base tan going on.
-Eyes are still brownish/grayish/hazel (aka brown). Inherited daddy's luscious lashes.
-A few weeks ago, he woke up with a light brown birth mark above his right eye.  Weird, right?
-I cannot resist his fussy caterpillar hair and his intense Dave Matthews brows.
-Someone said that he has "smiling eyes", and I agree!  He is not a super smiley baby (in fact, he usually looks quite serious) but his eyes are very twinkly and full of joy.
-Size 6 mo clothes, not sure about height and weight but we have a well-check appt next week.  I am guessing he's still exactly average.
- Nicknames- Teo, Taters, Saj (his middle name is Saja)
-Nighttime routine-  nurse, read 2 books, put on his zipadee zip, close blinds, turn on waterfall sounds, sing the "Matteo song" and gently place in the crib.

Matteo Song by Joe Brancaleone

Matteo, Potato bug butt.

Matteo, Sack of potatoes in a swaddle.  

Matteo, potato bug butt. 

Matteo, lots of farts after his bottle. 

He's a lot of fun, 

He's a little baby. 

He's a lot of fun,

He's a little baby.

Read more...

Matteo is 4 Months!

He keeps giving me Dave Matthews expressions.

Our little charmer is four months today.  He is still a mellow, go-with-the-flow baby, although I find 4 month olds to be quite intense. He's no longer a passive observer; he needs to grab and stuff everything into his mouth.  He wants to experience it all firsthand. There is so much he wants to do- the will and the energy is there, but the coordination is not. Some days, he needs extra cuddles and reassurance.  Some days his naps and nights are crap, but we're getting through this phase just fine.  I found this old post about Sisi and "Wonder Week 19" and just had to laugh at myself a little.  I remember taking Sisi's fussy periods so seriously (so personally, too!), and I would slip back into depression with each Wonder Week. It's only funny now, it wasn't then. I thank God almost every day that I am feeling so sane and balanced this time around. And HAPPY.  I enjoy both my kiddos so much I get butterflies when I look at them.  I expected to be a total wreck.  How's that for positivity?  ha.

The (often contradictory) comments I receive most about him are:

• He looks like an adult! 
• He's a mini Joe.  
• He doesn't look like either of you.  
• He looks so Italian/masculine/not Asian.  
• What a mellow/content/happy baby!  
• He is so serious. 
• He has expressive eyebrows.  
• He doesn't look like Sisi.  
• He looks just like Sisi, but a boy version.  

Matteo at a glance:

• starting to understand object permanence.  If I move a toy out of sight, he will look around for it. 
• when it comes to learning new skills, he seems pretty aggressive. He reaches, grabs, punches, slaps. Two days ago, he was just starting to think about rolling over.  The next day, he was charging it and got 95% there! Is this a boy thing? 
• still happily swaddled in the miracle blanket for night sleep. He was consistently busting out,  then I found boingo diaper clips to keep the flap closed, and they work perfectly.
• just for naps, we've eased him into the peke moe sleep sack. He self-soothes much easier if he is allowed to suck on his hands, but I think he transitions sleep cycles better when swaddled.  Any non-parents out there are probably annoyed at all this baby sleep jargon.
• sleeps about 11-11.5 hours straight, although inconsistently.  He'll do a great week of long nights, and then a crazy week with wakeups.  Sisi was the same way- slept through the night very early on, but off-and-on until she was about 1 year.   
• sometimes gets himself to sleep by clicking his tongue or sucking on his bottom lip.
• size 2 diapers, size 3-6 month clothes, no idea how much he weighs but he's a healthy little chunker. Definitely had a growth spurt last week.  
• sometimes 3 naps, sometimes 4.  We're in that weird transtion period.  
• still won't take the bottle!  Hope this changes soon so I can resume my Saturday morning surfing ritual.  
• eczema is pretty much a non-issue now that I can control it with Formula One cream. 
• first beach outing on Easter.  Dog beach is not a good place for a baby, btw.  He almost got trampled and peed on many times.   
• seems to love movement.  He laughs with glee when I do airplane with him, and seems oddly content when Joe holds him upside down by the ankles.  Sisi didn't (and still doesn't) like a lot of movement or horseplay.  
• finally has a middle name!  "Saja", which is a Korean word.  Does anyone know what it means? Hint: it coordinates with our last name.  

content to hang out in the grass for long stretches of time.

better post a butt picture before it's no longer ok!

Read more...

Matteo is 3 Months!

Matteo turned 3 months last week!  I enjoy him so much.  He continues to fit like a glove into our family and he seems very happy to be here.  I know I shouldn't put labels on him, especially this early, but I predict he will be an extravert. He is a people person, more interested in faces and voices than in objects or animals (opposite of Sisi).  If you want to catch one of his smirky smiles, just sing him a ditty; he loves to hear songs, and he will try to sing back.  He is not really a crier, but he doth protest a lot. Compared to Sisi (and we can't help but compare kids, huh? even though we shouldn't) he is quite vocal. In the last few days he started doing this adorable high pitched dolphin squeals when he's exasperated. It's so hard not to laugh at him when he does this.  It's neat that he's discovering other ways to express himself besides crying.

 

 

Itchy cradle cap and eczema.  Ugh. He's always grabbing chunks and scales off his scalp.

 I think he's soooo handsome!  A lot of people tell me he looks very masculine and adult-like.

He still sleeps in his Moses basket, but he's almost too big for it!  Luckily, putting the Moses basket in his crib has gotten him used to the crib, so it shouldn't be too rough of a transition. 

Matteo at a glance:

• We took our first babywearing ballet class last week!  He slept the entire time in the ergo carrier while I did my rond de jambes and plies.  I am so grateful for creative ways to work out with baby.  I am also taking him to my mommy yoga in the park and he just lays in the grass watching me do my sun salutations. 
• Size 3-6 month clothes, I am not sure how much he weighs.  Probably like 13.5 pounds or so? 
• Still sleeping through the night most nights, but it's been a little rocky the past few weeks (eczema itchies? wonder week? who knows! I don't overthink it too much.)  
• Beginning to self-soothe by chanting, just like Sisi did around this age.  She would do this "hmmmmmm" meditation to get herself to sleep, and Matteo does more of a melodic "haaaaa haaaa haaaa haaa" sound like he's doing vocal exercises or something.  It's pretty fascinating. To all those who don't believe young infants can self-soothe, I beg to differ.  When given the chance, they find creative ways to get themselves to sleep.
• Starting to grab things.  
• Turns the pages of Joe's books on biophotons.  
• Drooling lots.  Loves to suck my knuckles.  Pre-teething?  Is that a thing?  
• Was taking the bottle, now he's not.  We've tried like 5 different bottles.  It's a good thing I'm not working outside the home or this would be a very stressful situation!  Google "3 month bottle strike"- apparently it's a thing.  
• His eczema is getting slightly worse each day, which is discouraging to me.  I am already on a fairly strict paleo diet so I avoid the major allergens like gluten and dairy already. But I am also trying to cut out eggs (and maybe cut down on nuts, which is a super bummer for me) just in case it's diet-related.  We use all-natural cleaning and bath products, and are now using water wipes instead of our beloved costco wipes because we are wondering if he has chemical sensitivies.  I also wonder if our household mold issues during pregnancy have anything to do with it?  Eczema is an autoimmune reaction, and the fact that my bedroom was a petri dish of toxic mold could be to blame.  Thankfully, his eczema doesn't seem to bother him as much as it bothers me.  The so-called "miracle cream" that everyone raves about is coming in the mail tomorrow, so we will see if that makes a difference! I hope so, because his skin issues are starting to drive me bonkers.  I can now empathize with other eczema mommies out there!
• ECZEMA UPDATE- the miracle cream works.  Just started using it yesterday and the redness and inflammation is gone, there is just some rough skin left but that is quickly disappearing.  I'm totally amazed!!!

Oh Matteo, you bring me so much joy!  They say mommies and sons have a special bond, and I think it's so true.  I can tell you adore me.  You light up when I talk to you.  It feels so good to be so needed and appreciated.  Trust me, the feeling is mutual x a million!!!  

Read more...