G's Birthday Party

Reese's little friend G turned 1 two weekends ago, and we were invited to his party.  Here are some cute pictures!

 There was a music man that performed, and it was a hit with the kiddos!

Letters to Reese- Seven Months

Reese,

You turned seven months old this past Saturday, February 18th, 2012. Seven months old?! No way! My gosh baby girl, time is a flying, and you are turning into the best little baby! You are seriously such a happy baby, and love to ham it up for the camera.  Whenever we go out, people constantly comment on how happy you are.  You love to smile and "talk".  You've started this new thing where you'll raise your hands to be picked up (this includes strangers) even if I'm holding you, although you really don't want to go to anyone necessarily.  This happened in Nordstrom, and the saleswoman actually asked to hold you.  I was taken aback, but let her.  You went to her and didn't cry. You still prefer women over men.  You still are most comfortable with mommy and daddy, but will go to people if we're right there.  You still HATE the gym daycare (that day that you were happy when I picked you up must have been a fluke), and that breaks my heart.  It makes me sad and anxious to know that you're sad while I'm working out.  I know that you love other kids, so I know that it's because you miss me and prefer for me to be with you.  I'm hoping that you eventually outgrow this.

This month you've started to do this hilarious little dance.  At first it was just a shoulder shake, but now if you're standing (with us holding you, of course), your whole little body will move.  You are just like your mama, and I hope that your love for dancing continues. If we say, "dance, dance, dance!", you'll move on command. It's seriously the cutest thing ever.  I have so many fun videos that I need to upload!

You've also learned another new trick this month-- you'll drop things on the ground just so you can see them fall and watch mommy or daddy fetch them for you.  Hooray! So fun-- NOT, haha!

We've taken out your BundleMe in your car seat because your long legs were getting cramped and it's been such a mild winter, that I figured for the last month and a half you can make do with your little Northface jacket, hat, and a blanket.

This month your sleeping has been a little wonky.  You're wanting to go to sleep earlier (630-7pm instead of 730-8pm) and are getting up earlier.  Last month you had dropped that 4:30am wake up, but this month you're back at it.  Mommy and daddy had a talk, and we are going to try and get you to sleep until 6 without a bottle, because we know you can do it.  Your naps are getting more and more predictable.  You'll nap around 9am, 12:30, and sometimes a quick nap around 5ish.  You'll either take an hour and a half at 9, but usually make the 12:30 the longer nap, and then the other nap is usually about 45 minutes.

 Look at that spikey hair! We just LOVE it!

This month has also become a lot more challenging in the picture taking department as you've now noticed your sticker on your onsie, and also tried escaping the chair.

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

Reese's Seven Month Stats: 

Weight: I would guess around 19 lbs (no dr. app until your 9 month well check on 4/20!) UPDATE: We had to go to Urgent Care on Sunday, 2/26/12 and you weighed 18lbs 14oz.

Height: I would guess that you haven't grown that much length wise, so probably still around 27.5 inches.

Clothing: 6-9 or 6-12 months.  Different brands make different sizes.  BabyGap and Carter's seem to fit you the best and be most "true to size".

Diapers: Size 3

Favorite Toys: You love all of your little toys and have begun to sit for long periods of time and take all of them out of your little baskets that I store your toys in.  We have baskets in the living room, nursery, and master bedroom.  You also are enamored with your sit and stand walker toy that Nonna and Papa got your for Christmas.  You're starting to use your music table.  You love trains and cars (anything with wheels).  You are obsessed with stacking cups that Santa brought you in your stocking. You still tolerate your jumper, but only for 10-15 mins or so, so that mommy can unload the dishwasher or eat something quickly.

Favorite Past time: You love to be out and about (shopping, going for walks, driving in the car, etc.), but you are also becoming more independent in your playing inside.  I can sit you down and put books and basket of toys next to you, and you'll go to town.  It's just so fun to watch you explore.  You make the cutest expressions.  I wish I could freeze time. You still absolutely LOVE the kitties- you torture them by pulling out their fur, but for some reason they tolerate it and love you anyway!

Communication: You squeal, laugh, and make the cutest noises.  No babbling, yet.

Cries: Only when you're overtired, hungry, bored, or fighting your naps.  You very rarely cry.

Bedtime: Around 7- you've been waking up around 6am.

*Again, please excuse Mommy and Daddy's PJ's in these pictures! ;-)

Reese's First Valentine's Day

Reese had gotten the stomach bug the night before, so our actual Valentine's was very low key.  Reese and I hung out all day and snuggled.  T came home from work a little early because we had an appointment with our accountant to do our taxes.  Romantic, eh? Ha, T and I actually went to Morton's last Friday to celebrate a little early (when my mom was home to babysit- thanks, Mom!), and I was surprised by a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

The 3 of us exchanged cards and I surprised T with a new hockey bag that he desperately needed.  After our tax appointment we went to a low key dinner at this yummy pizza place.  Pizza and beer were just what the doctor ordered!

Here are our awesome cards:

Somehow I managed to not snap a picture of my bouquet, but here are Reesey's flowers from Daddy, her Valentine!

Starting Solids

At Reese's 4 month check up her peditrician gave us the go ahead to start solids anytime between 4-6 months.  I felt like Reese was not anywhere close to ready, so T and I decided to hold off and wait until at least 5 months before offering.

At 5 months we started by giving Reese some rice cereal.  The girl was NOT a fan.  She cried, spit it out, and turned her head.  We decided to wait a week and try again.  Reese was still not a fan, and now learned to keep her mouth shut, and not eat a thing! I tried the organic oatmeal cereal thinking that would be better... nope! Carrots, sweet potato, and apples were all a big fail.

I had always envisioned my baby trying food for the first time and loving it, not this girl! Finally right as Reese turned 6 months she started actually swallowing the food, and liking it! I was doing oatmeal in the morning mixed with a fruit or veggie, and now we've added a dinnertime feeding too.  So now it's fruit and oatmeal in the morning, and a veggie at night.  About once a week we substitute a fruit or veggie for the organic yobaby yogurt. Reese loves it!

Here's what she's eaten so far:

-apples
-pears (her favorite!)
-bananas (another one high on the list)
-prunes
-carrots
-sweet potato
-squash
-peas
- rice crackers (Mum Mums)
- puffs (Plum Organics purple ones)
-Yobaby banana yogurt.

24 hour bug

So this title pretty much sums it up- Reese came down with the GI stomach bug that's been going around for a while now.  I thought we were lucking out and having it miss us, however I was so wrong.

On Monday I had a physical therapy appointment (I'm still having complications from my delivery oh almost 7 months ago and now my Dr wants me to go to physical therapy....that's a whole other post in and of itself), and my mom was working so I was stuck for a sitter.  My friend Jilane offered to watch Reese for me and since I wasn't planning to be gone long I figured it would be great.  Jilane has an 11 month old girl and a 3 year old boy that Reese just loves.

My appointment ran longer than I had anticipated (partly because they took me 15 minutes late for my appointment), so I texted Jil to see how Reese was doing.  She responded that Reese was doing great and that she was giving her a bottle.  Fast forward 20 minutes and this is the picture I received.....

Now if you know Reese, you know that this picture is very uncharacteristic of her.  Reese ALWAYS smiles for the camera, the girl is a ham, but this picture looks like another baby to me.  Can you see the boogies, red swollen eyes, and tears? BREAK. MY. HEART.

I knew something was wrong.  Jilane was saying that she was happy, and I believed her (well, somewhat), but I knew that something wasn't right. 

When I got to Jilane's to pick Reese up she wasn't crying, just hanging out in the living room, but looked very happy to see me.  Jilane said that Reese hadn't finished much of her bottle, which I thought was strange.  I packed us up, thanked Jil and we left.  Not even 2 minutes down the road I heard Reese start to cough in the backseat.  Then I heard her start to throw up, like PROJECTILE vomit all over her and her car seat.  I happened to be at a red light, so I jumped out of the car and ran around to her door.  One of my biggest fears is Reese choking, and I just had to make sure that she was okay.  Reese had this stunned look on her face, but seemed okay otherwise.  I decided to keep on our way since we live only a few minutes away so I could get her out of her car seat and into the tub.

This was right before I was getting her out of her seat.

When we got home I stripped her down and put her in the tub immediately.  She seemed fine, and was acting like her happy self. I knew she was starving and was due for her next feeding and a nap, so I fed her a bottle and then put her to sleep in her crib.  I watched her closely on the monitor and putted around upstairs for a few minutes until she fell asleep.  Once asleep, I went in to double check on her.  Lo and behold, the poor baby had thrown up all over her crib, and was face first in a puddle of throw up. :-(

After a call to Reese's pediatrician, some pedialyte, lots of snuggles, and kisses, and Reese was 100% better by the next day.  The bug left as fast as it came.  It did, however, cause us to miss the Valentine's edition of our favorite Mommy & Me class. :-( 

Mommy and Me

I've been going to a fitness studio for the past 2 years- I got in shape for my wedding there, and continued going after.  Then when I found out I was pregnant, I started attending pre-natal classes, and now that Reese is here I've been taking her to Mommy and Me classes. Reese loves going! I started taking her at only 4 weeks old.  Here is a recent "class photo"

From L to R: Madison, Anthony, Reese, Quinn, Reese (another baby with the same name!), Jalen, Aubrey, Micheal, and Gavin

And here are a few other pictures that one of the grandmothers took at a class in December (I'm in the pink/purple top):

Reese's BFF, Stella, and her Mommy, Kristen

Catching up via IPhone Photos

Reese driving her "car"

Morning smiles!

Reese and her friends at her first friend's birthday party (we have 4 more parties in the next month that she's been invited to!)

Gavin, Jalen (the birthday boy), Aubrey, and Reese :-)

Eating a frozen banana in her mesh feeder

New bunny jammies from Nana

And this was from her 6 month doctor's appointment

Neglected Blog

I feel terrible that I haven't blogged in so long.  There is just so much that I want to write about, but I'm not even sure where to begin.  On January 13th my cousin's husband died suddenly at the age of 39.  He left behind my cousin and three beautiful kiddos, a son (age 6) and my goddaughter and her twin sister (15 months old). To say that this has shaken me up is an understatement.  My biggest fear is death, and this is just devastating.  I've begun watching the twins on Fridays to help out my cousin as she finishes her last semester of Nursing school and her clinical rotation.  Even though I know I'm helping, I still feel helpless.  I'll get back to blogging soon, there is so much I want to catch up on.