Mackenzie is officially moving from 9 month to 12 month sized clothing today. In German sizes, that means we’re starting on the 80 (cm) sizes now. I pulled a TON of stuff out of her dresser last night, mostly pajamas that just don’t quite stretch far enough anymore on her body. Stefan actually had to put together a new moving box for me so I had somewhere to put all the clothes. Some of them I don’t even think she had on more than once since I found many of them so late. The stack of outfits was at least 2 feet high.
I hope that this time around I’ve managed to find all the 12 month sized clothes. There are not so many stacks in her closet these days since the growth process slows down a tiny bit from here. And I did keep checking all the stacks until there was nothing that said 12 months on top, so I’m almost certain I have them all. Everything gets washed today and it’s going to be 3 loads of laundry (pinks, whites & lights, darks) and each pile is enough to fill your arms. I even set the spring/summer clothes in that size aside so they don’t just end up lost in the bottom of the dresser. Unfortunately, no one is going to be needing shorts here in Germany anytime soon. It’s just incredible how many clothes this kid has already…I can’t wait til she’s big enough for me to share her clothes too. 😉
Mackenzie has really been making the most of her sleeping time and aside from an occasional evening when she wakes up at 3 or 5 am, she usually sleeps through the night. After the start of daylight saving time, she actually started being ready for bed at 8pm instead of her usual 9. I’m sure the fact that it gets dark at 4:30pm doesn’t hurt. And then she doesn’t wake up until about 7am. Personally I could stand her sleeping a little later, but it’s not that long after Stefan leaves in the morning and when I’m up that early I do get a lot accomplished every day so I can’t complain.
I am SO thankful I’ve found the MRD (Meal Ready to Drink) that I mentioned in her 11 month birthday post. At least that’s what we call it. If you’re here in Germany and have a little one, let me give you a huge recommendation: Milupa Milumil Folgemilch Schlaf Gut Fläschchen, starting at month 8. Learn more about it on their website. It’s a baby formula from the company Milupa in their “sleep well” line which is really heavy and filling.
I have been breastfeeding Mackenzie since day one and haven’t really decided when I will stop yet. It won’t be past the time she turns two, though, and I don’t really see it lasting too much longer since she’s starting to lose interest. She’s really only been nursing about 3 times a day (after waking up, before a nap and before bed) but starting at around 8 months old, she started needing something more substantial in her belly before bed. Even after eating a ton of solid foods during the day, when she starts getting really tired, she doesn’t want to eat real food anymore and only milk will do the trick. But late in the evening, as every breastfeeding mother knows, the milk production slacks off a bit. And without feeding her over and over again, she’d either just stay awake being hungry, or wake up a few hours later hungry again.
And that is when I discovered the Milupa formula which has been fantastic. I wasn’t a fan of giving her formula but like I’ve mentioned, this is sort of a meal in milk form which works for us. They have a morning version also which we haven’t tried but so far she doesn’t mind eating cereal or other solid foods for breakfast, even after she first wakes up. She’s a morning person, what can I say?
If your little one is having trouble sleeping at night, make sure he or she is getting enough food, especially starting at month 8. Mack continues to devour everything you put in front of her and just can’t get enough food. I think she must already have a hollow leg or two because I honestly don’t know how she eats all that she does at one sitting. But since she went from fitting in 9 month sizes to stretching them in about 2 weeks time, I guess the mystery is solved.
Also, don’t forget to hydrate your kids. There are lots of children’s teas available here (fennel, fruit, apple melisse) starting at very young ages and Mackenzie was always a big fan of them. She still drinks a whole lot of water every day and sometimes it’s not just hunger but actual thirst that can make your little one cranky.
