10 Months In: Let the Crawling & Talking Begin!

This last month has been a lot of fun. Little Lady mastered crawling in a matter of days and quickly went into cruising like it was no big deal... MY BABY ON HER OWN TWO FEET IS A BIG DEAL, PEOPLE! Where did my my snuggly, fluffy-headed infant go?

In other news, Lady has started talking quite a bit. She loves to repeat and always says "pishhh" for fish and "ba ba byeee" for bye-bye. I love her little voice. We have been doing some baby signs up until this point, but not that she is expressing more and more interest in talking, I think we are going to let them go and start working on words a little more.

It was fun to go to the bookstore and let her play in the kid-zone. She absoultely loved it. I am so blessed with such a happy baby girl! (I must mention, her laugh is contagious!!)

She may only have six teeth, but have I mentioned how much she grinds them!?



Kept on Edge by a Baby on Her Feet,

D

Month Nine was Fine!

Little Lady is growing so fast. She has started to show signs of getting ready to crawl. Mostly she tried to reach for the dog and will scoot a little on her belly to get his paw or tail! It's so funny to watch her concentrate.



The weather has been beautiful, so we've been doing laps around the park down the street with a friend of mine and her two little girls. Lady will love the swings one day and hate them the next... What a diva, right? We also visited Auntie Cussy and walked around the lake and had some delicious pizza. We really enjoyed the view.

We started sippy cups this month! Let's hope bottles go out the window by December!!



Acting Funny While These Days are Sunny,

D

A Very Happy Half-Birthday, To You! To You!

We made it a whole SIX MONTHS! I can't believe that half of a year has already passed us by! (I also can't believe I am not another month late on this update.) 

Little Lady allowed me to celebrate my first Mother's Day by sleeping-in that Sunday so I was able to sleep a little longer and also take a shower (in the morning!) and get ready with out being frazzled about getting her ready and entertained at the same time. You can't put a price on that! 

(click to enlarge)

At our visit today with Dr. W, The Lady weighed in at 15 lbs. and 7 oz. and measured 25.5" long. She is starting to prop herself up, wanting to sit on her own. She is not quite there yet, but well on her way! Spitting has begun and Nana just keeps encouraging her, darn it. She has started reaching for her bottles and guiding them into her own mouth when she is hungry. It is so precious. I can't believe how much she has learned in her first six months of life. It's amazing!

Not Late For This Important Date,

D

Chubby Chomper

We've got TEETH! I can't believe it! I guess this means I really don't have an infant anymore and we have graduated to baby. Little Lady is growing so fast I feel like she is leaving me in her dirty diaper dust!

One morning I was rubbing her gums and my finger found something sharp. I panicked for a moment thinking she had something plastic in her mouth and was going to hurt herself, but no it was a sharp little snaggle tooth. I was really surprised, because she hadn't been fussy or overly drooly. The next one is coming in and I'm unsure whether she is a little achey from that or a stomach bug that she seems to have come down with.

Earlier this month I started her on solids. I think she just likes to gnaw on the spoon, but she's getting a little cereal down in the process. I recorded her first time eating, but please forgive the quality as I am both feeding and recording at the same time. I really do wish that third arm would grow sometime soon!

(click to enlarge)

It is so fun to watch Lady's personality develop. As she gets older she only get happier and more playful. Along with her babble, she has also started to play. One day she decided to play Peek-A-Boo with me! I caught a little of it on my phone.

We are having so much fun together and now that our California summer weather has finally decided to grace us with her presence, there is only more fun to be had!

Celebrating Spoonfuls of Summer,

D

Behind the Times

Yet again, I am almost a month behind on Little Lady's updates. I was doing so well too! Things have been pretty hectic over the last few weeks. I have been wrapping up my last semester of my AA degree in transfer studies, preparing for my next semester (which starts in two weeks) in upper division work, housesitting for a week, and changing wards. But without further ado, here is The Lady's last month.

(click to enlarge)

At her last visit with Dr. W, she weighed in at 12 pounds and 15 oz and was 24.5 inches long. And here I thought she was a chunker all this time! Nope. A lot of changes have taken place this last month. She has rolled over more and started to say "die" and "guy" and "tata". She has finally changed her mind about baths and LOVES them. She is holding herself up with her arms every once in a while when on her tummy. And she has staring contests with Dexter Dog.

She also outgrew her swaddling blankets which made me really nervous because that was originally the key to getting her to sleep through the night! After one rough night, she was down and out for the count at 8:30 and not a peep until eight the next morning. Whew! That was a close one.

She is such a fun kid. She goes wherever I go and never complains. What a trooper! I truly enjoy being her mom and can't find a real complaint, myself. (Not to say I don't complain, let's be honest...) I really can't believe how quickly time goes by!

Relieved the Sleeping Fairy isn't Swaddle-Exclusive,

D

Down to the Pound

I took Little Lady for her 4 month check-up last week and to get another round of shots. She did great with the first set, the second set was a little more difficult but nothing too dramatic. Since her last check up two months ago, she has only gained a pound and a half. The Dr. W says it isn't anything to worry about yet, but we have started adding a few ounces of formula everyday to help her put on some more chub.

(click to enlarge)

As of last week, Lady is weighing in at 11 lbs. 12 oz. and is 23 inches long. She rolled over once from her belly to her back, but didn't like it very much. She is also getting pretty good at holding her own bottle. She LOVES to laugh and Nana, Papa, Grandpa D and I all love to make her laugh.

Luring Laughter,

D

Super Late Update

Yet again, Little Lady is about a week away from her next month birthday and I'm posting for last month... Someday I will catch up with her.

The beginning of February called for a handful of pinpricks from her doctor; three to be exact. She did great! She whined for a few seconds and then proceeded to take a little snooze. Whatta champ! She was a little sore the next day, but nothing compared to what I was expecting. I'm not so worried about getting her ears pierced in the near future any more.

Little Lady definitely found her voice this month! She loves to be "a part of" my phone conversations, always putting in her two cents. It cracks me up! She is also filling out her 3 month clothes pretty well, so I've prepped all of her 6 month clothes, although I am really hoping not to dive into that batch too soon!

(click to enlarge)

She loves to smile and stick out her tongue every chance she gets. And she is as fascinated by our dog Dexter as he is by her. She has started accompanying me to my religion classes at Institute and gets passed around about half a dozen people before the hour is up. She soaks up attention.

All of that attention has apparently been going to her head as she has begun adding tools to her manipulation box of not-so-goodies. The most obnoxious, by far is the "cough". She does this pathetic, repetitious "cough" that reminds me of a ticked-off teen (subtly) demanding attention by clearing their throat and thinking "excuse me!!" Oy vey! This can't have started already!! Luckily, it doesn't happen everyday.

Attempting to Postpone the Pre-teen,

D

Sunny Soiree

As promised, here are a few pictures of the soiree from after Little Lady's baby blessing at the end of January. It was so fun to have a house full of kids and a day full of sunshine! A few of my cousins and their beautiful and fun children came as well as my Aunt Katie who was so busy behind the camera, that I don't have a picture of her in front of it. Darn it.

(click to enlarge)

(click to enlarge)

Full of Love From Family Fun,

D

Rounding Second

I realize that in just a week Little Lady will be three months, but school has kept me too busy to have posted her two month update, so here it is...

In her second month, Little Lady started smiling (and not just for gas!). It was so fun to watch her face light up and try a million different things to make her smile over and over again. She also started sleeping through the night (8-10 hours)! Knock on wood everyone that she keeps it up!!! We were only up once a night before when she slept in her cradle, but when I brought her into bed with me she would sleep great. I tried to figure out what was different. In the end, swaddling her ever-wandering arms and giving her a heavy blanket was the cure.

She also had her first bottle. It's nice to be able to go to church or religion classes or on a day trip and not have to worry about wearing the right thing to be able to nurse her. This is a big plus for me!

Her legs are getting stronger and stronger. She loves "standing" and can hold her own body weight really well, she is just a wobble-master. When she isn't on her feet, she is hanging out in her bouncy chair (which is the best $20 I ever spent)... She likes to smile and flirt with the dangling woodland animals that she makes dance.

(click to enlarge)

She is such a fun, happy little girl. I feel so blessed to see her smile every day and night (yes, she smiles in her sleep... must be some good dreams!). She is getting bigger by the day, weighing in at almost 11 lbs and 21" long. Some of her newborn dresses are now 3 month shirts... Oh how time flies!

Tossing a Watch Out a Window,

D

One Blessed Baby

Little Lady had her baby blessing in church a couple of weeks ago. Her Grandpa D performed the blessing while surrounded by Papa Rob, my brother-in-law's grandfather, her Bishop and home teacher who all participated.

The dress Little Lady wore was made by an amazingly talented sister in our ward, who, despite her own many projects and the holidays, found the time to make this gorgeous gown. Nana picked out the pattern and I spent hours in a fabric store 38 weeks pregnant trying to find all of the right components, but it was well worth it.

(click to enlarge)

(click to enlarge)

(click to enlarge)

(click to enlarge)

(click to enlarge)

(click to enlarge)

(click to enlarge)

(click to enlarge)

We were also blessed to have so many members of our family who came out to support Little Lady on her big day (well, second big day after her birthday, of course...)! She was surrounded by so much love. My Aunt Katie also shared her great talent as a photographer so that we could have these memories forever. Thank you! I will soon post pictures of the little soiree with all of our visiting family. 

Feeling Blessed Myself,

D

The Present of the Present

Sometimes I feel like I am running out of time. I'm notorious for planning excessively and anticipating too much. When I was doing theatrical improvisation for a few years in high school we trained and trained on how to stay "present": how to block out past and future and just thrive in the moment. I've lost sight of a lot of that training. I am sure it has a lot to do with how much of a control freak I can be (not that I get that from either of my parents or anything...).

I am so used to rushing things, not necessarily because I want to move on, but simply because it usually meant I was functioning at optimum efficiency. That's not the case with motherhood. I've been trying to re-train myself to be present. To "stop and smell the roses", for want of a better phrase. 

Most of the time when I am doing homework, Little Lady is right there in my lap; sometimes awake, sometimes asleep. I have to constantly remind myself to take breaks for more than just her crying or feeding. I am doing better. When she "talks", I talk back (I know it's just a matter of years until that switches). When she sleeps, I pause to just watch her little belly when she breathes. I love to watch her when she focuses her gaze at different things, even if I can't figure out what it is, I take a few seconds to try.

I guess that's what being a mother is all about, not that I have it down or anything... I have realized though, that it's about trying. It's about being there for my Little Lady even if she doesn't need me at that moment. It's being present. I've tried to take the phrase, "I can't wait until..." out of my vocabulary, because, you know what? I can wait. I waited 22 years to meet the first little spirit that Heavenly Father wanted to bless me with. I can wait any number of months or years to hear her first vocalize her thoughts, or fit into those shoes, or take her first steps or go on school field trips together. 

When I was still in the hospital after Little Lady was about two or three days old, the nurse came in around 2:00 am to take her for some routine tests. I don't know if it was exhaustion, or the feeling of being overwhelmed, or brief onset of postpartum depression, or a combination of them all, but I broke down. It was the first time since she had been born that she was being taken from me and I couldn't go. I had to stay in bed. It hurt my heart. I thought about what it would be like when she grew up and took off. How it must have felt for my parents and their parents... I think the 18 years it takes to prepare a child to become a self-sufficient adult simultaneously prepares a parent to let their child go off into the world.

If I could have it my way, I don't know if I would choose to keep her a tiny baby for any longer than she probably will be. I guess it is best that it is not my way, but His way. I'm glad their is someone who can see the big picture, so I don't have to everyday. I am forever grateful to have a Heavenly Father who has offered us an eternal perspective, but only expects us to work towards it one day at a time- even one decision at a time. I am thankful for the roses He has put on the Earth and the time He has given me with my daughter to smell them.

So tomorrow, I'm taking Little Lady to smell some roses. Lead by example, right?

Unwrapping the Gift of the Present,

D

No More Newborn

Time has definitely zipped by! Little Lady has already gained three pounds and gone up a clothing and diaper size! My goodness! I am truly enjoying every day and looking forward to the little surprises that come along the way.

(click to enlarge)

Looking Ahead With One Month Behind,

D