Chloe is half of a year old

Weight: 12lbs 15oz

Height: 26 inches

Diapers: This is the last package of size 1's that I will ever buy you. You're moving on to size 2's as soon as we run out. They're getting snug. 

Clothing: I think I need to move you up from size 6 month or 3-6 month pjs. You're too long for them. You're too long for 0-3 month pants as well, but most 0-3 month shirts are still a little loose on you. You have started fitting into a few smaller 3-6 month pants and shirts. It's about time. 

Looks: Maybe it's an illusion, but it seems like your hair is filling out the tiniest little bit. 

Feeding: You're easier to feed than you used to be, but you still like to push away the bottle, regardless of if you're hungry or not. You still have mostly 5oz bottles, with a few 6oz bottles thrown in here and there. For your middle of the night bottle it's usually about 6.5oz, but you don't always finish. You finally started cereal on March 15th. Just this week (first week of April) you've finally stopped pushing it out of your mouth immediately. While I do still have to force the spoon in most of the time, you usually finish the bowl. You're only eating about a tablespoon of the cereal each night either before bed or right before your bath. You've tried prunes (to try to help you #2, but it didn't seem to make a difference) and carrots (because Mommy wanted to see if it was just cereal you weren't interested in, or all food. Turns out you seems to dislike carrots more than cereal). You won't be eating any food other than cereal for a little while yet, because you need all the formula calories you can get. 

Sleeping: You sleep like a champ in your crib, and have an even nicer, new crib coming this month. Lately you've started waking up around 7:45-8:30am every morning, regardless of when I put you to bed. I miss sleeping in, but this makes our daily routine easier. Now you nap around 10-11, and again around 3-4, and I usually have you in bed around 8:30-9. You wake up once through the night to eat. Sometimes you wake up, but a few times lately I've woken up around 4am and got you up myself to make sure you have your middle of the night bottle. 

Talking: Finally, in the past week (first week of April) you've started babbling actual sounds - baba, mama, dada, rara. You still screech, growl and blow bubbles but your babbling is my favorite. You laugh quite a bit easier than you used to. You've been doing a funny 'panting' thing lately, more so if you're trying to get someone's attention and get them to play with you. For awhile you were purposely coughing a lot, and loved it when we coughed back but you seem to have stopped that a week or so ago. 

Moving: You still don't care to roll over on your belly or from your belly to your back. You hate being on your belly, and don't always try to move much so you might be a late crawler. I'm in no rush. You've got some strong legs, and if you had the balance you could support yourself for a few seconds. You can sit up on your own with a little bit of support, no problem, but without something behind you, you throw yourself backwards almost immediately. You'll sit up alone a little longer if we can interest you in a toy. 

Social: You still sometimes cry for strangers, but only if they get too close too quick. You recently cried because of your nurse, Jimmy, and Melanie. Usually you'll smile and flirt with strangers if they talk to you from your car seat. Maybe you feel safer in there. You're a huge flirt though, and it usually doesn't take anything at all to get you to smile. Sometimes people don't even need to be paying attention to you and you smile at them. Just because you're such a sweetie. 

Teeth: My most exciting (to me) news. I noticed your first tooth on April 3rd (bottom middle left), and already on April 6th your second tooth (the other bottom middle tooth). You were a tiny bit fussier, but I never noticed any reaction to the teeth until April 6th. Usually you're a whiner, but this time you were actually crying a little. I gave you a little medicine and you were perfectly happy again until bedtime. 

You're growing up way too fast for my liking. You're still so much fun, and I still sometimes feel a little sad when it's already time to put you to bed. I wish time would slow down just a little bit so I could enjoy you a little longer. 

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everyone! 

My baby is six months old

I feel like I missed a huge milestone by not posting on March 25th. 

March 25th, the day my baby girl officially turned a half a year old. Her official 6 month update is coming soon, but I feel overwhelmed with all the things she's been doing lately that I haven't written about. 

More recently, she started making some real sounds with her babbling, (on March 25th) that sound kind of like 'bababa' or 'rarara' and sometimes kind of similar to 'mamama', or maybe that last one is just wishful thinking. 

She's working hard on her balance, but still isn't sitting up on her own quite yet. She hates tummy time, so I don't know if she'll ever crawl, but the sitting up is sometimes really impressive. Sometimes I can't believe how strong she is. She's got a strong pair of legs, too. If she had the balance, she could almost stand on her own. 

She can sit quietly for long periods of time, then all of a sudden she'll start squealing or humming or growling or babbling. Or her new thing - coughing. At first you may think she's sick, but she just loves to make the coughing sounds. She gets even happier when you do them back to her. 

She's my happy little flirt and she amazes me more and more everyday. This age is so much fun. 

And that photo? Not edited at all. Her eyes really are that blue. 

Family time

Chloe and her cousin Braden

Chloe and mommy

Chloe and her great-grandfather

The Change

It happens so quick, that you don't even notice for days or even weeks. 

One day you have this adorable, helpless little newborn. You forget what it's like to eat and sleep, because you're too busy making sure your baby does. You almost miss doing the dishes, because it's been so long since you've had time to do them. You don't remember what it's like to shower and put on decent clothes. You forget you ever had favorite tv shows. 

It starts slowly. All of a sudden you don't have to rush through making baby bottles while the baby cries. 

You watch a little tv before bed. 

Soon you're struggling through the day without any kind of nap. 

You take the baby out shopping by yourself, and no tears are shed by either of you the entire time. 

Then one day you wake up and she's 5 months old and you finally remember what it feels like to have time to be bored. 

You watch your favorite shows again. You have your breakfasts together. She plays happily in her high chair while you do the dishes. More of the day is spent smiling and playing instead of whining and crying. You sometimes feel a little disappointed when it's already her bedtime. 

Suddenly you can't believe how amazing life is. 

Chloe is 5 months old

Weight: 11 lbs 11oz.

Height: I dont know how long you are. That's something I'll figure out when you get up from your nap. 

Clothing & Diapers: For diapers, you're still in size 1's. They're not as loose as they used to be, so I've stopped stocking up in case someday you just stop fitting. As for clothing 0-3 month shirts are still a little big on you, most 0-3 month pants fit great. You've finally outgrown your 0-3 month sleepers, because of how long you are. You're now in 3-6 month or just 6 month sleepers. Your tiny feet finally look normal in size 1 shoes. I love putting shoes on you. 

Looks: You've still got almost no hair, and your bald spot in the back. Your eyes are still the brightest, prettiest blue. You've got the most evil looking smile, signs of trouble yet to come. 

Feeding: You are incredibly hard to feed during the day. You get distracted by everything, and even when you're not distracted, you kick and move and actually pull the bottle out of your mouth. If I didn't know better, I'd think you didn't want to eat at all, but usually you'll settle down enough to suck back most of the bottle. Through the night (or when you're really tired in the daytime) you eat like a champ. You're still on 5oz bottles, 6oz through the night. You finish your daytime bottles a lot more often now, and almost never leave anything in your nighttime bottles. 

Sleeping: Sometimes you have your bad nights, but usually you sleep from 9 or 10 until sometime between 8 and 9:30. You usually only wake up once through the night. You've been sleeping in your own room for a couple of nights now, which made me sad at first but we've both been sleeping better ever since. Before, anytime you'd move I'd wake up, and if your eyes were open I'd get you up. Now I only wake up when you start making little noises, so sometimes you put yourself back to sleep, letting us both get more sleep. 

I've also got you on a pretty perfect sleeping schedule. You nap around 2 hours after you get up - usually close to 11 or 12, and I get you up by 1:30. You nap again around 4 or 5 and need to be up by 7, then you'll go to sleep easily for the night around 9:30. 

Moving and Talking: Everything goes into your mouth immediately. You'll pull the collar of your clothes into your mouth, any toys, blankets, your feet, anything. You kick and move around like crazy, especially when someone talks to you. You still love playing on your back, but like to have a lot of time in you exersaucer too. You've gotten really good at pushing your legs down and basically standing up in it for a few seconds at a time. You can roll from your belly to your back almost every time now, but you never even try to roll from your back to your belly. You go to your side, but don't care to go any further. All in time, I guess. You're really strong. When you pull your bottle out of your mouth on me I sometimes have a hard time stopping you. 

You talk all the time. A lot of happy screaming, sometimes even at the most random times. You don't growl at all anymore, which you used to do all the time. You still don't laugh much on your own. I can get you to do it, but it takes a lot of work. 

Misc Things: You have pink pig and pink monkey that you love. I just have to hold them in front of your face and you light right up. 

You make the biggest smiles the second I go into your room to get you up in the morning or from a nap. Some mornings we lay in my bed and play for awhile. It my favorite part of the day. You usually stay in a great mood until it's nap time. 

You still love your baths, but we started giving you baths in your inflatable duck tub. It's so much easier because it helps you sit up without me having to support you. You were tired of laying down. You'd always hold your head up and it didn't look comfy at all. 

FINALLY, you don't cry every single time you're in the car. It makes life a million times easier. 

You still drool like crazy, but still no teeth. 

You still sometimes cry for people when they get too close too fast, but usually you just love everyone. I can almost always count on you to give a huge smile anyone talks to you while we're out in public. You're such a flirt. 

This past month has been my absolute favorite. You're so happy, and so much fun. Sometimes I get excited when you wake up from your nap. You're mommy's little angel and I'm loving every minute of it. I can't imagine a full day going by without seeing your pretty smile. 

Make her stop growing up, please.

Once upon a time I used to do cool things. 

Like blog. And make things. And... well, I guess that's about it. 

I suppose I wasn't that cool. 

Now, if I don't have plans, by the time my duties for the night are done, I look at the clock and convince myself that I should at least try to stay awake until 10:30. 

Sounds kind of depressing, when you think about it. But it's not. 

I'm really happy with where my life is right now. 

Have I mentioned that I now have a 5 month old baby? Crazy, isn't it? But I have to say that so far, this past month has been the most fun. I love spending time with my smiley little girl. 

I can't believe that 4.5 months ago I felt like I would never eat, sleep or relax again. 

Now all of a sudden I have a baby taking naps in her big-girl crib. I think she's probably ready to have her own room. I'm not sure I'm ready for it though. She's one roommate I'm in no hurry to get rid of. 

Make my baby stop growing up, please. 

Chloe is a third of a year old

You've changed and grown up so much lately that I couldn't wait to write all about it, so I'm writing it early. Where to start?

You still have a lot of the same likes and dislikes as you did when you turned three months old. You still love baths, hate the car (but you're getting a bit better with this!) and whine more than you cry. You still talk and smile like crazy, when you want to. You're a big flirt and smile anytime people talk to you. But let's get down to the details.

* Readers, you might want to skip or skim this one. It's going to be kinda long : )

Social Skills

You've become scared of people you don't know. If we're out in public, you'll smile at strangers from your car seat. If we're visiting, and someone you don't know tries to talk to you or hold you before you're used to them, you curl you lip and cry your little eyes out. You didn't do it for Pepe, aunt Laura or Norma, but you did seem unsure for a few minutes. You cried for your great-great aunt Lucille though, and Ashley and Richie when we visited the first week of January, and even though we saw Grannie a few days ago, you cried for her too. You're just a little mama's girl and you're not used to being around other people much. But once you're used to people, you love everyone.

Food and Eating

Finally, the first week of January I started feeding you one more oz in each bottle. You slowly adjusted and now you drink it down great. It's still only 5oz bottles, but we're making our way up. You spit up a lot more often, so maybe it's still too much but you drink it like a champ, sometimes even 6oz if you've slept really long. We changed your bottles to the Playtex VentAire Advanced bottles, since a friend recommended them to us. The change didn't seem to make a difference, but the fast flow nipples have you drinking a little faster, which is good. Sometimes you were a super slow eater before. You were gassy a few different nights after the switch, but I don't know if that was because of the bottles and it doesn't happen much anymore. For a few days you seemed to fill up after only drinking 2-3 oz each time, but the past couple of days you seem to drink you whole bottle and still want more. 

Motor Skills?

Your hands are still constantly in your mouth, but now you can grab things and you put those things in your mouth too - blankets, toys, and you even try to hold your bottle to your mouth but you don't know any better and push it away just as much. You grab at toys that are in front of you and now even notice yourself in the mirror on your playmat. I caught you smiling at yourself one day. 

You kick a little more in the bath and you seem so excited by it. You hold your head up like a champ now. I just have to support you body and you're fine. Sometimes that big head gets heavy and droops a little but you can always pick it back up. For that reason, you've been able to start playing in your Jolly Jumper. You're still a little unsure of it, but soon I know you'll love it.

You're constantly holding on to you feet now, and they're in your mouth all the time. It's so cute. 

Growth

You're still a tiny girl, still too small for most 0-3 month shirts, but you fit in pjs and pants just fine. You almost fit in size 1 shoes, and you're still in size 1 diapers. Sadly, someone gave us a small pack of newborn diapers, and your little behind still fits snugly into those. I forgot to get your exact stats from the doctor, but you're too small. I'm going to call the doctor this week, then I'll update, but you're only a little over 10lbs, which is so little for a four month old. You seem happy and healthy, so I'm not too worried but the doctors are. We need to fatten you up a little.

Sleeping

You sleep pretty great at night most of the time. You almost never sleep for really long stretches anymore, but you usually only get up once so I'm not complaining. I am finally able to get you down for naps. Usually I just have to let you whine for a bit and you fall asleep. If you actually start to cry I'll get you up for a few minutes but usually after that you go to sleep easily. It's nice to finally have some free time while you nap. 

You drool like crazy, and have been for over a month now. Maybe there's some teeth on the way, but so far nothing. It's a mess though. 

Overall, you're a very happy girl most of the time. You're my little princess and I love having you smile and coo at me everyday. 

Silent Sunday: Mommy and Baby

January 25, 2011

Our Professional Photos

Last week I wrote about the weekend we spent with my grandfather, when we got our pictures done. I haven't been able to pick which ones I want to order just yet, but I'll share a few here.  I think my little princess did good, for being terrified of my cousin and her husband who took the photos. 

Maybe tomorrow I'll actually post something. Who knows.

Jolly Jumper Fun and a Visit with Grandfather

Monday holds so much hate for some people, and back in my days of school and Monday to Friday jobs, I felt the same. I can't quite put my finger on why, but Monday has been one of my favorite days lately.

Today, we're visiting my mom then tomorrow finally heading back home, and this time we won't be leaving for awhile.

Our weekend with my grandfather was great. He was so happy to see her. He spent almost every waking minute talking to her or playing with her. I took him with us to get our photos done, so we got him in a few of them. Of course I took a couple of the two of them myself : )

Today was Chloe's first time in her Jolly Jumper. She's loving it so far. It's nice to have a new toy for her to play in. 

If you have any handmade projects or recipes you've blogged about lately, link them up at VB Creations.






How was your weekend?

Chloe: three months old

Baby girl I cannot believe you are three months old now. You're actually three weeks away from turning four months old, which sounds even crazier. I'll admit it - you were a little bit of a pain for the first few weeks of your life, but this past month, and especially the past two weeks you've been an absolute joy. 

Not only do you smile all the time, but you try to talk like crazy. Sometimes I just can't take my eyes off of you. I've turned into one of those obnoxious parents who thinks everyone should love you and think you're as adorable and amazing as I do. 

You still despise the car and being in your car seat. You still love bath time. Sometimes you'll be so tired during bath time that you yawn like crazy, but you never whine at all. You've become a bit of a whiner though. You don't cry very often anymore, but you whine all the time when you're bored or unhappy. 

You still love to suck on your fingers. They're in your mouth all the time. 

You kick around like crazy, and get this look of concentration on your face when you do. Sometimes you fight sleep when you're tired and I don't know what to do. Other times, all I have to do is put you on your playmat and you roll yourself onto your side and suck your fingers to sleep, then I carry you to bed. It's pretty cute. Your personality is changing so much so quick but I love every minute of it. 

Weight: The last time I weighed you, right before Christmas, you were still 9lbs. Not good, but since then it seems like you've been eating quite a bit more. 

Height: Still 23 inches. Did you stop growing?

Clothing: Since you've gained no weight or height, you still fit in your 3 month sleepers. You wear a lot more cute outifts now, all still 0-3 months. 

Diapers: Still size 1, but they fit perfectly now. 

Feeding: Still on 4 oz bottles but I'm planning on starting the 6 oz bottles next week

Sleeping: You've been sleeping good for the most part (usually 5-7 hours straight, then another 2-3 hours after that), except for three nights straight where you woke up ever 1.5 - 3 hours, which was rough on mommy, the next night you slept 12 hours straight finally. 

One month old
Two months old


Another blog friend, S., just had her gorgeous baby boy. Send her your congrats : )