Two Girls Sharing a Room

2 weeks ago, the Hubs and I spent 3 days working on combining bedrooms, the youngest was being moved up to the oldest’s room.  This included an Ikea trip, painting furniture, going through everything in the room, and getting rid of old furniture. 

It’s been an adjustment as both of my girls’ are not late sleepers, I mean that 6:30am is the normal wake-up time.  But now, it seems a couple times a week one of them wakes the other up before 6.  Thankfully, now they can entertain each other so I try and not to get out of bed until 6:30, some days they just aren’t having that though. 

Now for some pictures, these were all taken with my cell phone, and I don’t have a true before, we were already started by the time I thought to take room pics.

First up we have some pics of painting the beds.  We primed them twice with Kilz Primer and they only needed one coat of an oil based white paint I had used last year for our dining room furniture. 

Going through everything in her room.  And if you notice the brown hand swipes on the chimney, it’s not what you are thinking it is.  Around Easter this year, we went through a phase of the oldest sneaking chocolate in her room and she decided it’d be fun to smear it on the walls, def. NOT my idea of fun!

Ah – and the after pics. Freshly painted chimney.  Tons of storage filled with things so it’s out of site and the toys have been purged, as we have birthdays and Christmas in the next few months, I knew I had to make some room.







When the youngest is out of the crib, we’ll actually be making a cubby system against that railing and also creating a BIG magnetic chalkboard for the girls’, DIY of course! 

Overall, am SO happy with how everything turned out! 

Here’s the breakdown on cost:
IKEA – $350 – 2 bed frames, the 3 tier bin system plus bins
Bedding – $115 – 2 sets of sheets, comforters, pillows, and 1 mattress pad, all Target – thank you college dorm sales right now!
Paint – $0 – For the beds and chimney.
But we sold her wicker bed set and a children’s table on craigslist for a total of $245.
Total: $465 – $245 = $220!

Happy 18 Months Avalynn!

Baby Girl -

So, earlier in the week, your 18 month, 1 1/2 yr birthday passed.  I honestly, didn't even realize it until 10pm that  night.  You are a fireball of energy these days keeping us all on our toes.  My Dr thinks you are part of the reason I'm having great weight gain this pregnancy.  Even though you tire me out, it's all worth it.  This week Daddy and I worked on your new joint room with Emma, last night was your first time sleeping in the same room.  You did very well, we still have you in your crib, but your big girl bed is all assembled, just have to pick up your mattress (we've been storing at Gramma's & Pop-Pop's), and put on your new bedding when it arrives next week.  Although you won't be making the switch to that bed anytime soon.

You still aren't saying that many words, hi/hello, buh-bye, tickle, tickle, tickle, night night, your own version of ready, set, go, Bella no!,  mama = Emma, Mom or MomMom is Daddy or I.  For some reason you've stopped saying Dada, and everyone is Mom.  Sometimes you'll repeat words, but nothing consistent that you continue saying.  You move your fingers like you are snapping but make the noise with your mouth, it's too cute.  You do understand though when we ask you to get something or put away a toy.  You also can go down the steps as well as up, with one of us behind/in front depending which direction you are going.  Daddy taught you how to go down last week, and with your room now 2 floors up from the main level, I'm thankful!

You are such a big helper on cleaning days.  I give you your own cloth, and you'll put your sippy cup upside down on the furniture and make the "shh" spraying noise the cleaner makes when I spray it for my own cloth.  It's so cute!  When anyone is crying, usually Emma, you'll go over and pat her and talk to her in your own words to her and give hugs and kisses.  You love coloring, being a monster and chasing Emma, dancing when any song comes on, and tickling anyone.  You've had lots of pool time this summer and enjoy being in your ducky raft playing with some floating pool toys.

We have your 18 month check-up in a couple weeks. Your feet have grown again and we just got you new sneakers in a size 7.  Your holding steady in the clothes dept at the 24 month size, now that you are so mobile you can tell that you are losing some of your baby-ness.  You are in size 5 diapers.  Your hair is long enough to be up in a 1/2 pony tail, pigtails, or swooped to the side with a couple barettes.  Your bottom 2 molars have popped through in the past couple weeks, you now have 10 teeth total. You eat pretty well overall, still picky about potatoes or noodles or any kind except for spaghetti or french fries.  You are always using a fork now and love to dip your meats in ketchup.  You love your veggies and you look fwd to having your nightly popsicle after dinner.

You are doing better when there are other babies around, especially when I'm holding them.  You are a *big* Mommy's girl, always climbing up in my lap, aka pouncing on the belly, all the time for snuggles or to just sit.  I was getting worried with Brynlee's arrival around the corner, but as more times passes, I have a feeling you are going to be a great big sister just like Emma.  So many fun things coming up, I can't wait to see your excitement with the coming holidays this fall and Brynlee's arrival.

You are such a bright light of pure JOY in our lives, I look fwd to the coming months.

Love you,
the Mama

1st Birthday Party

*Warning - post is picture heavy*  I've been wanting to post for days, but the weekend was spent recouping from the party and then this week a yucky flu bug hit the family - so glad to see we're all feeling better! 

Click here to look at my previous post of some of the items we got that were Monkey to go with her party.  We held A's party in the church fellowship hall.  Decorations were some paper chains, tissue paper flowers, and balloons all in pinks and green. 

Here's the cupcake toppers that the Hubs & I made one evening.   SO pleased with how they turned out. Those pink monkey's on the table are flash lights for each of the kids to go along with their goody bag they filled during their candy scramble. 

Close up of the beautiful 1 year old!  You can't tell but her barrette is a monkey too - needless to say she didn't leave it alone for long before it was yanked free. 

Hat made by the Hubs which again didn't stay on for more than 30 seconds.  And can you see your cute onsie that I used that iron on transfer on?  She had a blast with the cake and towards the end she'd just dive her head in and wouldn't even use her hands.  

To help entertain the kiddos we had this blow-up jumpy thing that was the oldests' when she was little.  It was a BIG hit with all of the kids.

We also had pieces of paper sitting at ever spot and asked our guests to write something to Avalynn, whether advice, a memory, why we love her.  Here's a few of our favorites: 

- Avalynn, If you can read this, you win.  If you can't read this, just grin.  If you can't grin, just smile.  For when you smile, we all smile, and you win!!  Happy 1st Birthday From Pappy Bill

- Avalynn - You inspire so much joy in your family.  Your smiles makes a bad day good and your laugh makes everyone laugh along with you.  You are beautiful and special and so very, very loved.  Keep your chin up and keep smiling and you can conquer the world!  Love Sherri

- Happy 1st Birthday!  Hope you and Emma become the best of friends.  Sisters are able to get through anything when they have each other.  From Jamie

Overall the party was a great success, so many of our friends and family were able to share in the day as we celebrated our little blessing from above turning 1.  I hope she looks back fondly at the pictures knowing how loved she is!

*I plan to link to a couple of these fabulous parties!*

Happy 1st Birthday Avalynn!

Baby Girl -

Well it's official - as of yesterday (yeah, I'm a day late on this post) you are officially a toddler, but always my baby that's for sure!  It's hard to believe this letter concludes your 1st year with us.  You are what made us from a family of 3 to a family of 4.  We have more love in our hearts for you and your sister than either of us thought possible to love.  *Corny* I know, but incredibly true!  I refer to you as my miracle.  You are such a blessing, especially after our previous losses, your birth renewed hope in me again and made me feel whole again.

I feel like not much has changed this past month with you.  You are still not standing by yourself or walking.  You can tell that you really want to and are a pro barely holding onto our fingers, but you just can't seem to take that leap by yourself.  I know it'll come when you are ready!  You still only have 4 teeth, this past weekend you slept horribly for 3 nights, thought for sure some teeth were popping through and 1 is right there, but still not completely through.  Nights like that are no fun for either of us.

I stopped nursing you completely at 11 1/2 months.  I'm so happy that I was able to give you that gift and nurse as long as I did.  When I decided to BF, I was just praying and hoping to make it through the first 2 weeks, the hardest ones "they" say - & yes, "they" are right.  You had your first sippy of milk last night for dinner and you don't seem sure about it.  Hopefully there's no problems switching you over to milk completely.  As for table food, you love most of what we give you - especially your veggies!

We had our first significant snowfalls in the past month and you've been out to play twice.  Mostly you just like to lay down in the snow and eat it off your mitten.  We had you sled down the hill in our backyard a couple times with your Sissy and once with Daddy - you barely cracked a smile, am sure you're going to love it more next year!

We had our own private celebration with you yesterday.  Emma got you a pounding shape block, Daddy & I got you the Lil' Zoomer's racetrack, pair of shoes, and some foam mats for in front of your toy area.  You love everything.  We sang Happy Birthday after dinner to you and you were clapping, smiling and swaying back and forth - it was the cutest thing!  No surprise you loved your cupcake.  Especially the whipped icing, we video taped you eating it and your face after the 1st taste is priceless and then you dive in for another taste.  We're looking forward to seeing you Saturday with your smash cake.

Speaking of - we're having a BIG party for you Saturday with our family and close friends.  We're holding it at the church and your theme is called a mod monkey.  A girly monkey with a bow on her head and lime green and pink as your colors.  I've been busy all week making decorations for the fellowship hall.  Tomorrow will be spent baking and prepping all of the meals and then we're going to decorate the hall in the evening with Gramma & PopPop's help.

As your sister and I say - Love you to the rocket, to the moon and back!

The Mama

Wordless Wednesday - Happy 1st Birthday Avalynn!

Preparing for 1st Birthday - Phase 1

I'm not going to lie, somehow I feel like her birthday has totally snuck up on me.  It was like the Holidays came and then we were in the 1st week of January and I was like "Oh Crap, I better get some invites out!".  I searched around on the web for invite wordings and paired parts of different ones together, my friend Lisa took my vision and put together this adorable invite!  Have gotten so many great compliments from everyone who received these.  Thanks again Lisa! 

Then I turned to one of my favorites sites, Etsy.  A girl can get lost on that site!!! First I ordered some customized cupcake topper circles and miniature candy bar wrappers from finelinestationery.   Elizabeth was great to work with and after some email hiccups on my end was so happy when I received these in my inbox.  I'm in the process of working on the cupcake toppers and they are turning out so ca-ute - can't wait to show you the finished product!

Next up, on my list was - what was my little girl going to wear?  I kept seeing CafePress ads on websites showing this shirt below, it was official loved it.  Still to make, a tutu for her to wear with it. 

I decided I wanted her to have something to wear for the smash cake also.  Went back to Etsy and ordered this iron on transfer from Baby Fables.  Christine was great to work with customizing this for me.  It arrived very quickly her envelope/packaging is just so cute.  I highly suggest checking out her store.  

Much more to finish & share this week.

Happy 11 Months Avalynn!

Baby Girl - 

Wow - I can't believe we are at the tail end of your 1st year.  So much has happened and you have changed and grown so much!  I think I'm in a little bit of denial that you'll be a toddler in less than a month.  

We celebrated your 1st Christmas over the weekend.  Well, you actually had two full weekends of family Christmas's since our family is so big.  You definitely have the idea of how to open presents, and love tearing off little pieces and just playing with those.  As soon as you'd get something open enough you'd have to peak inside to see what it was.  And honestly, you didn't want to play with anything you got, your sissy's toys and our gifts seemed so much more interesting to you.  

Your top two teeth have popped through for a grand total of 4!  You are sleeping through the night still and taking two naps a day.  I've switched you to mostly formula as my supply was dropping and now only nurse you first thing in the morning.  I enjoy our mornings snuggling in bed.  Your current favorite foods are peas, chicken nuggets, hot dogs & cheese.  You love the orange Gerber juices the most!  

You still won't stand by yourself, which also means no walking yet!  Which is A-OK with me!  You of course pull yourself up on anything or anyone to walk around.  And you can "run" from one side of the couch to the other so fast it's crazy!  Some of your favorite toys to play with are your wooden pull alongs, your rocking horse at Mimi & Pappy's, & the plush play sets you and your sister got for Christmas.  Also, Daddy says stuff your not supposed to, like computer cords, tearing through your sister's games and getting out every piece of them - actually, anything of your sisters really! 

Daddy calls you a tank because when you want something there is no stopping you.  You charge ahead and attack it, usually me!  You give the cutest lovings, in bed in the mornings you'll either dig your head against ours or throw it back into us.  Sometimes they hurt if we're not watching when you throw yourself backwards - lols.  Anytime someone goes in the basement you love to look through the pet hole in the door and talk to whoever is down there.  You play peek-a-boo a lot now, sometimes even pulling your own shirt up over your face to hide.  

I look forward to this last month of your babyhood and celebrating your turning 1 in a BIG way with all of our loved ones and friends!  You are so loved little girl and bring such joy to our lives! 

Love, 

The Mama

Happy 10 Months Avalynn!

Baby Girl - 

Wow, you are 10 months old officially!  This past month has been lots of fun, just like each previous one.  

You are waving like a pro now.  Daddy will hit his hand and hold it out to you and you smack it like a "high" or rather low five.  You are really cruising the furniture and are speed crawling lately - it seems.  In the past week you'll stand next to our foot stool and push it while walking & you walk if we hold your hands.  You still aren't standing alone though, so I have a feeling it's going to be a little bit before you're walking by yourself.  

You say DaDa a lot and Daddy sometimes.  And you've started to say Mama too!  I couldn't be more thrilled.  It's usually when you are tired and hungry though, but I'll take it any way it comes - it's one of the best sounds coming from you.  You are signing for milk when you are hungry, just another one of the many cute things you do!  

You are still sleeping through the night, except for this past week.  You are finally working on those teeth that have just been sitting there ready to pop through.  Overnight seems to be the worse time for you to sleep, we give you ibuprofen before bed. I've never seen someone come over so fast as you do, when you see the dropper and bottle come out.  You get rather mad at us when we take the dropper away, we even let you have it one night to sleep with (minus the rubber end and cleaned out, of course!).  

You follow your sissy all the time and want to play with whatever she's playing with.   You like playing with your little people bus and will sit there pushing it back and forth.  Oh - and if there's a basket of clean clothes sitting around, you will find clean socks and pull them out.  You love chewing on them.  You even will bite the end of a sock and then start crawling with it swinging from your mouth, we call you our little puppy, it's just so adorable to see!  

You LOVE bath time!  As soon as we push the shower curtain back and start the water you are speed crawling to the bathroom.  You love standing beside the tub and pushing the cups and toys in as it fills up.  You love playing with the water as it comes out of the faucet and don't mind the water being poured over your head (such a difference between your sister and you!).  After you are dressed you love to come back in and stand beside the tub bouncing on your legs and making "oooooo" noises as your sissy gets bathed.  

You are eating table food like a champ and enjoyed your 1st Thanksgiving meal this week.  You especially loved all of the desserts.  Your favorite foods are hot dogs, chicken nuggets, and any of the gerber graduate ravioli's.  We can't give it to you fast enough before it's in your mouth.  You are still in 12 month clothing but we're starting to buy 18 month sizes because some of your 12 month clothes are getting a little snug.  We just moved you up to size 4 diapers.  

I look forward to the next month and all of the wonderful holiday traditions we get to share with you and the changes you'll be making!  We love you so much our little Monkey! 

Love, 

the Mama

Showing off your adorable new PJ's that Daddy & I got for you during the Black Friday madness! 

Happy 9 Months Avalynn!

Miss A,

Today was your 3/4's of a year birthday.  Like every month as you get older, time with you is more fun and interactive.  I forgot how fun this time is from when your sister was this little.  Amazing how long ago that feels!

You've started clapping and occasionally wave, but not very consistent on that.  You do this silly/adorable thing with your tongue, you stick it out and go back and forth from corner to corner of your mouth making funny noises.  Your sister can imitate either the clapping or tongue thing and you'll do it right away laughing.  You now say DaDa and actually call Daddy that.  Nothing close to MaMa - I keep working on it with you though. :o)

You still are only crawling, in the past couple days though you are starting to cruise the furniture more.  I'm in no hurry for you to start walking - you can just keep on crawling.  You LOVE the vacuum cleaner.  If we get it out you get so excited and follow us as we are vacuuming the house.  It's the cutest thing!

Nursing you is still going well - you eat about 5 times a day.  You are still eating baby solids twice a day.  In the past couple weeks we've tried a little bit of table food.  You do pretty well with it, only problem is that you still only have 2 teeth.  Who knows when anymore will sprout through - you do not show any signs of them coming through anytime soon.  You love crunchies, puffs, dried fruit, and Mum-Mum cookies.  You are a pro at your sippy cup and prefer just water.  I have tried putting some watered down Gerber juice or yogurt drink in your cup and you want nothing to do with it.

You are still in 12 months clothing, size 3 diaper, wearing a size 3 or 4 in shoes.  Your hair is getting darker and growing in, I can now put some hair bows in and they stay - I also was able to make the tiniest ponytail the other week, it was so cute!

You are such an incredibly happy baby with the brightest smile.  Thank you for being such a joy and bright light in our lives.

Love,
the Mama

Playing with the innards in your pumpkin - you kept trying to eat the pumpkin. 

Happy 7 Months Avalynn!

Baby Girl,

Wow - you're 7 months today.  We're officially over the hump of you being an infant baby and are on the other side entering into toddlerhood.  This is when I dig in my heels and say "NO", stay where you are!  Lols.

You my dear wonderful little girl are still not sleeping through the night.  Well, you did one night this past month, thankfully - because I was really sick with a summer cold and needed the rest.  I say it's because I asked your Daddy to wake up with you and you didn't want that!  Haha.  We did CIO (cry it out) with you this month and now I lay you down awake for naps and bedtime, half the time you fuss for a minute or so and then you are quiet and out.  Our lives are so much easier now that you can put yourself to sleep now, although I will admit to missing our rocking sessions occasionally.

You are eating two meals a day now - almost a whole size 2 jar at each feeding.  Some days I feel like you nurse a little and other days I feel like we're back to nursing all the time.  We also started giving you a sippy cup last week with some water.  You love holding onto the handles and chomping on the tip, but don't get that you have to tilt/hold up the cup to get the water unless Daddy or I helps you.  And we've been giving you some puffs and cheerios for you to practice picking up little items.  You pick it up and go to put it in your mouth and then it falls on your belly without you realizing it, it's cute!

You are starting to laugh out loud a lot more.  You love when your Sissy dances towards you - you start squealing and giggling so loud!  It's one of the most beautiful sounds!  Speaking of squealing, you love to make this high pitched squealing noise, reminds me of a bird, you go from that and making razberries especially at dinner when we're all around the table.

Yesterday you really started to crawl forward, you do best on our bed, I think because it's so soft and you don't like the hardwood floors.  You now pull yourself up on your knees when in your crib and are starting to go for the breakables, aka my elephant collection.  You can almost sit yourself back up from laying down and can go from sitting to the crawling position.  Amazing the changes in you, in just the past week.

We had your 6 month check up, you weigh 20lbs(95%^) and are 27 1/2in(90%) long.  We discussed you not sleeping through the night with your Ped and she said you had 4 teeth coming in.  You have cut 2 of them so far.  They weren't the most fun couple nights either.  You were normal all day long and then would be up screaming half the night, needless to say I'm glad we're over that hump.  Although on the other hand, I keep waiting for those other 2 to pop through, just hope you're not in as much pain as you were the first time.

We took you on your first camping trip this past weekend.  You slept horribly there, took us 2 hours each night to get you go to sleep & the 1st night you thought it'd be fun to stay awake for 2 hours after your feeding.  Otherwise you enjoyed being in your pack'n'play outside, playing in the grass, and hanging out at the pool.

I'm sure many more things will be changing in the next month and look forward to each of them. Here's a couple pictures of you from the past couple days.

Love,
Mommy

Teething Hell

Perhaps it's Mommy brain but I really don't remember Oldest ever really being fussy when she teethed.  Man, what a wake up call this weekend was for Baby Girl.  Wednesday, we had her 6 month check-up and I was talking to the Ped about STTN (sleeping through the night) and how she was prior to vacation but nada, zilch, not happening in the past 1 1/2 months since then!  The Ped said she definitely should be by now and then checked Baby Girl's mouth and "ah-ha" - she has 4 teeth coming in.  The bottom two were to break through any day, the top two are there but she thinks it'll be a month before they pop through.  Instructions, give her a good dose of Motrin before bed to help with sleep.

As the week progressed the nights kept getting worse and worse, Friday night being the absolute worse!  Horrible screaming, minimal sleeping after midnight that night.  I felt so bad that she was in so much pain and there wasn't much I could do for her.  I stayed up with her until 5:30am and then finally gave in and had to wake up the Hubs, which I hated to do since he gets up @ 4am M-F and I like to let him sleep in.  But alas - we had a extended family photo shoot scheduled for 9am and this girl needed some shut eye!

One tooth has popped through completely and I'm praying and hoping the other one is very very soon, it's extremely swollen.  Am happy to report though that definitely got a little more sleep last night than Friday night, but not much more.

Anyways to sum it up - teething for Baby Girl is miserable for her and not so fun for me, hate seeing her in pain.

National Breastfeeding Week

So, this post has been on my mind all week and I'm finally sitting down to do it one day away from the end.  Better than never.  Most of all I just wanted to share my experience nursing baby girl and what I've experienced and learned along the way. Yes, what you've heard about it hurting and being difficult is true - but oh so rewarding on the other hand.  Know going in that it's going to be difficult but stick with it.  Give yourself mini goals, make it to 2 weeks, 1 month, etc.  I'm happy to say that I just past 6 months.  My next goal is to get to 9 months, ideally until she's at least 1 year.


Here's what I learned:

• In the beginning, every time you nurse you're uterus will start contracting, they say it's shrinking.  What I can tell you is yes it hurts/burning sensation, but it's normal and it will get better and go away soon! 
• Get the help while in the hospital.  I nursed baby girl within an hour of her birth and she did amazing with her latch.  So, 5 hours later when the lactation consultant came I felt confident and didn't take her up on her help.  After some difficulty, I'd call my nurse in each time to help me. 
• The baby only needs one nostril to breathe.  I'm a large chested woman and I was so freaked out that I'd suffocate her or something, but my nurse assured me that as long as one nostril is free, she'll be fine.  
• Take one day at a time.  I kept reading people who said the first 2 weeks are the hardest to keep with it.  And there'd be good nursing days and bad ones.  I had many meltdowns because I didn't think we'd ever get the hang of it.  
• Get some kind of pump, whether manual or electric.  It saved me in the beginning, I became extremely engorged and I was able to pump out a good supply so that the first month, the Hubs could get up and feed her once during the night.  
• Cluster feedings feel like they are going to be the death of you, especially when you feel like alls your doing is feeding every hour and getting no sleep at night.  Good news - they only last for a few days and then you can get back to your normally scheduled routine. 
• If you have a dip in supply try eating oatmeal, having a beer, fenugreek or mother's milk tea.  Have tried all but the beer (not a fan) and they've all worked! 
• Sometimes you have to eliminate some things from your regular diet as they'll upset the baby.  My first day home I drank 2 big glasses of apple juice, poor baby girl had 8 bowel movements that night, didn't I feel like world's worse mom at that moment! 

Make sure you have a good support system around you.  The Hubs has been my #1 go to, he's been so supportive and helpful through this whole process.  He helped me to overcome my fear of NIP (nursing in public, for all of you acronym loving people).  In the beginning, he'd stand cover holding up a blanket until she was on, and now I'm comfortable feeding her anywhere.  I'm happy to report that I haven't had a negative experience with other people while NIP.  

Things I never expected: 

• My boobs are no longer mine or the Hubs - they are solely baby girls'. 
• Spraying milk, either from her unlatching while feeding or getting dressed.  It's humorous to no end and the Hubs and me definitely have gotten a good chuckle or two during some mishaps. 
• The way that baby girl grabs at me sometimes, we went through a pinching phase for a few months, her hand that was under her, she pinch her way up the backs of my arms - can we say OWIEE!  Happy to say no more pinching for the past month!  Now, I get nice caresses. 
• Hickey's.  Yes - you're reading that right.  Since 2 months she has loved to gnaw on anything and everything, especially your fingers.  She's got quite the hard suck on her - as I'm sporting 3 hickey's on my left shoulder currently, and I didn't have her up there long either! 
• The 1st time your milk shoots in - while in public, the baby starts crying, or during letdown.  No way to really describe the feeling.

Items I needed and couldn't live without: breast pump, nursing pads, lansinoh cream, receiving blankets, small throw pillow (not a fan of the boppy to feed her with, but love it for other things with her), movies dvr'd for those late night feedings, and medula's nipple shield.  

Udder Cover's is offering a free nursing cover if you use promo code: onefree, and just pay S&H. 

Happy 1/2 Year Birthday Avalynn Grace!

Baby Girl -

How is it that a 1/2 year has passed already?  I'm loving this age you are in - so much, I know I keep saying this each month, but each new thing you do is more fun then the previous.  Unfortunately, for me you haven't slept through the night since our beach vacation a month ago.  Needless to say in the sleep department I'm dragging some of these days.  I keep hoping each night that we'll get back to those 3-4 nights a week of you sleeping all night.

Your are eating solids like a champ.  You absolutely love anything with sweet potatoes in it & all of the orange mixed veggies.  Your Daddy loves the way you eat, you'll take a bite, look around and then turn back towards us with your mouth open until we put another spoonful in.  It's so cute.

As for becoming more mobile - what else can I say but you definitely are never where we lay you down now.  You roll and spin your body all over the place.  You definitely find ways to get yourself into cramped spaces, so far I've found you on the end of the couch and under the tv console a couple times.  In the past week you've started to get up on your hands and knees and rock your body back and forth but you end up just moving backwards.  There's no doubt that you'll be crawling very soon I'm sure.  You are now officially able to sit by yourself for longer periods of time.

You still love putting anything and every toy or whoever is holding you their hand/fingers in your mouth to chomp on.  Your "bite" is definitely getting stronger.  Today, I was checking our your gums and it looks like you'll be getting your bottom two teeth soon, they are looking white and I can see the bumps on your inner gums.  You love blowing razberries like there's no tomorrow, when sitting there, or your fingers in your mouth and you even do it towards the end of your nursing sessions sometimes, it's funny. And you're starting to play with your toys, trying to put balls down the ball slides, taking your animals out of the ark and of course you have to taste each one.  Last week, you finally started to put your feet up in your mouth, it's amazing how much you can bend yourself.

We are loving the wonderful addition you've been to our little family.  You and Emma crack each other up and the other day you were "talking" back to her in a conversation, Lord help us when you do start talking, we already have a non stop talker - never again will there be quiet I'm afraid.

Love you,
Mommy

Sitting up and playing, giving me some smiles this a.m.

You look like such a big girl here. 

Zonked out for nap holding your Sophie.

In bed for the night - sweet dreams baby girl!