Vivian At Age 3 (37.5 Months Old), Joanna At 14.5 Months Old

We officially have a 1 year old and a 3 year old!  How on earth did that happen??!!  It's been a circus around here, but fun, so much fun.  We spent 5 weeks in Mississippi with my parents and the girls had the best time!  Vivian celebrated her 3rd birthday while there and Joanna learned how to walk.  I knew Memom would have her walking before we left :)  Now for a little stat update!

VIVIAN

 Age: 3 years old

Stats:  Weighing around 27-28 pounds (we have her well-check tomorrow), height 36".  She's wearing 3T tops and dresses, pants 2T, shoe size 6.5/7.

Sleep:  Bedtime is usually around 7/7:30pm and wakes around 6:30am.  She does AWESOME with her Ok To Wake clock which is set for 6:25am.  There have been several days she sleeps past her green light turning on, which is great considering she use to wake-up for the day at 4/5am.  Naps are no longer.  She hasn't napped since we've returned home the end of July.  

Milestone:  WE ARE OFFICIALLY POTTY TRAINED during the day.  Wearing a pull-up at night, but isn't very wet, but usually dry.  Potty training happened on its own.  While in MS, she practically went commando or just wore a shirt, so that really helped.  After we returned home we left the diaper off and went from there.  She has done great thus far, only 3 accidents.  High five!!

Developmental:  She is one smart cookie.  She already knows her right and left hand/foot, knows our actual names (not just mommy and daddy), can put her pants and shoes on, shirts are still a working progress, can count to 20, sing her ABC's.  She has a great memory as well.  I'm amazed by some of the things that she remembers

Attitude:  Little miss independent, cries at the drop of a hat, needs a band-aid for everything, loves saying 'no', strong-willed, defiant, loves her JoJo or sweet-sweet that she calls her.  

Loves:  Nursery rhymes!  Loves, loves, loves to sing.  Also loves dressing up, saying she's beautiful/gorgeous/pretty, playing chase and hide-and-go-seek, pretend play, painting/drawing, playing with other children, riding her tricycle to the duck pond, loves "packing up" which means piling up all her toys on the couch or table.  

Favorite Shows:  Max and Ruby, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig.

Favorite Food: Cheeseburgers, ice cream, cheddar bunnies, strawberries, smoothies, pancakes, asparagus, fish sticks, cheese.  Your standard 3 year old palate :)

 Age 3 has been going so well thus far, better than age 2.  She speaks well, gives the best hugs and kisses, has the heart of gold.  She truly is the BEST 3 year old in the world!!!

Joanna

Age: 14.5 months old

Stats:  Weight 18.4 pounds, height 27".  Our next well-check isn't until December.  Wearing size 12 month in clothes along with a few 18 month sizes.  Size 3 diaper.

Sleep:  Wakes between 6:15-6:45am, but I don't take her out of the crib until 7am.  We are down to 1 nap, right now starting at 12pm and lasts 1-2.5 hours.  No matter what time she wakes, I leave her in the crib for a full 2 hours starting from the time she falls asleep.  If she naps for less than an hour and 15 minutes, I go in her room and let her know it's still nap time and tell her to go back to sleep.  Bedtime, she goes in her crib 4.5 hours after she comes out of the crib at nap time and usually takes 30 minutes to fall asleep. So she's usually asleep by 6:45/7pm every night.   We are very scheduled on our sleep, HA! Our routine for nap and bedtime, sleep sack, book, songs, goes in her crib wide awake.  The 3 songs I sing to her before bed: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, You Are My Sunshine and My Girl.

Eat:  We are only nursing once a day, in the morning, which is huge since she never took a bottle.  Only me!  Loves pasta, fruit, veggies (except cream potatoes), smoothies, steak, hamburger, cheese.  Just about everything.

Milestone:  Walking!  She took her first steps in MS and has been non-stop ever since.  Napping on her own.  She went from napping on me and nursing the entire nap to napping in her crib by herself. 

Talking:  Mama, kitty kitty, tah for thank you, bah for ball.  B tries to get her to say, 'dada', but will only say, 'mama.'  

Loves: Peek-a-boo, sliding, crawling on top of me, following her sister, being tickled, giving kisses, playing with the toilet paper, shutting and opening doors, tickling me under my chin, playing outside, bubbles, balls, riding her rocking horse, riding Vivian's tricycle and scooter.  

Dislikes:  Riding in the car, shopping cart and sitting in a high chair for too long, being told 'no', baths, diaper changes.

Attitude:  Girl can throw a tantrum when life doesn't go her way, feelings get hurt very easily.  If you say the word 'no' crying happens immediately. She gives the exact same facial expressions as Vivian.

Nicknames:  JoJo, sweet-sweet, q-ball and peanut head.

My Favorites:  Watching you walk.  You'll walk with your hands behind your back and poke your chest out.  It is the cutest thing ever!!!  Especially when you are walking around in your birthday suite :)

Both you girls have brought so much joy and life into our home.  I can't even imagine life before becoming parents.  I thank God every single day for blessing us with such beautiful, sweet, silly, loving girls.  He knew y'all would be a perfect fit for us.  He had a GREAT plan!  Boy did we luck out!!!!  I love you both oh so much and looking forward to the joys you will bring each and every day.

 XXOO
 

 

 

 

Joanna's First Birthday

On Tuesday, May 24, we celebrated Joanna's 1st birthday on her actual birthday at our house. We kept it really low key with just us and B's parents.  Sorry no big party like Vivian!  We did stick with the bear cake tradition :)

I made her smash cake using the recipe I made Vivian's with cream cheese icing. She didn't dive right in, but she did eat more than Vivian.  At one point she grabbed the entire cake trying to put it in her mouth!  I thought for sure she was going to have the entire cake in her lap.

After cake, we opened gifts on the back porch.  We got her an inflatable pool with a slide and a travel mattress for her pack n' play.  Vivian got her a toy phone.  B's parents got her a sweet little dress and 2 sleep sacks.  My parents got her a travel blocks and laptop.  We are going to MS in a few weeks so she needed a few new toys to play with on our long drive.  

We did grill burgers for lunch and visited.  After Nana and Papaw left, the girls got in the pool.  They had a wonderful time.

Both girls did well and Joanna took a 2.5 hour nap that day.  I just let her morning nap last however long she wanted since I knew an afternoon nap wasn't happening.  She did great with 1 nap.  

I can't believe she's already one!  We love you sweet sweet!!!

    

12 Months Old

Blink and you are 12 months old.  Seems just like it was yesterday when you were born.

You are now technically a 'toddler' even though you aren't walking yet.  Looking at you, you will always be my baby, my last child.  

You are the sweetest little thing, but your personality is really coming out.  If you are told 'no', tears start flowing just like your big sister.  You also don't like when mommy takes things away from you when you aren't suppose to playing with it, like power cords.  

You've started giving the biggest, slobbery kisses.  I'll ask for a kiss and you open your mouth wide and give me a big wet kiss.  Love it!!  

You've started playing 'chase' with Vivian.  She'll run and you'll crawl as fast as you can trying to catch her.  Can't wait for you to start walking!  You and Vivian love playing in mommy and daddy's room.  Vivian will shut the door so you guys can play by yourselves.  Melts my heart until I hear you crying, ha!

You've started not becoming a fan of your high chair at home or at a restaurant.  You want to explore and not be trapped.  However, you love being held.  There have been many days you cry instantly when I have to sit you down.  You just want to be attached to my hip.  

We love you so so much Joanna Grace!!!  You have completed our family and can't wait to see what the next year has in store for us!!  

XXOO

Strawberry & Blueberry Picking

A few picks from picking strawberries and blueberries. One week we did strawberries and a couple of weeks later we picked blueberries when they were ready. The girls had a blast and Joanna tried her first milkshake. 

11 Months Old

Stats:  17 pounds, size 3 diapers, 6-12 month clothes, 8 teeth.

Eating:  Still nursing 4-5 times per day and eating 3 meals and snacks.  You love pasta, especially mac n' cheese (organic of course).  You love all carbs, hence the pasta...pancakes, toast with peanut butter, graham crackers, pita bread.  Green peas are your favorite veggie like your daddy.  You love your blueberries, but oranges have become your favorite fruit.  I can't peel them fast enough!  You are not a fan of potatoes...creamed, baked or diced.  Eggs are a no go as well.  I'm guessing you aren't a fan of the texture.

Sleep:  Two naps a day lasting an hour each and you are sleeping 11-12 hours each night.  Hopefully I didn't just jinx myself!  At 10.5 months, you magically dropped your 4-5 am feeding.  Mommy makes sure you eat a lot at dinner LOL.

Personality:  Already showing a little 'tude' like your sissy when things aren't going your way.  If you see your swing and I can't put you in immediately, the tears and crying happens real quick!!  Or if I have to take something away from you that you aren't suppose to be playing with, the water works begins. Even with the show of disappointment, you are a cuddlier.  You bury your face in my shoulder then rest your head on me when someone you don't know talks to you.  So bashful.  

Likes:  Swinging, being outside, playing in the playroom, bubbles, balls, sliding, watching your sister, chasing Brody, stuffing anything in your mouth that you find on the floor.

Dislikes:  Having your diaper changed, changing clothes, going in your sleep sack, riding in your car seat or sitting in your high chair for too long, sitting you down when you just want to be held.  You arch your back and cry so you can't sit.  You little stinker!

Talking: 99% of the time you are babbling or squealing.  You can say 'mama', 'ahh', 'la-la-la' :)

Milestone:  Crawling, pulling-up, cruising on furniture and climbing the stairs.  I am so thankful you were a late crawler because now I can't take my eye off you for too long.  You b-line it to the stairs almost always.   

  

Haven't Figured Out:  How to sit down when you are standing.  Not sure why, but if are standing too long, you start to whine and I have to sit you down.  Thankfully you can sit back down in your crib.  You always stand up once I put you down.  I would have to go in and lay you back down over and over again until you finally gave up and went to sleep.  Now you'll stand for a minute then sit back down.  Wish you would learn how to do it during the day!

You have been and always be an absolute blessing sweet baby.  Your sweet smile lights up any room.  So so happy to call you ours!!  Love you oh so much!!

Life Lately

We'll call March the sick month.  Both girls had on-going ear infections along with some kind of virus.  It wasn't a pretty month. 

The beginning of the month, Vivian woke up around 11pm.  B said it sounded like she rolled out of the bed.  He woke me up to let me know and we checked the monitor.  She was crawling in and out of bed grabbing books.  Brian went up there to tuck her back in and told her it was still 'night-night' time.  He said she kept saying her head hurt.  Thought maybe she bumped it, but wasn't concerned.  She stayed in bed until between 4/5am with not sleeping at all.  I checked the monitor periodically throughout the night, watching her. I know sometimes she has a hard time going back to sleep once she wakes in the middle of the night and she wasn't crying, so I let her be.   That morning she was telling me her ear hurt. I gave her some Motrin and not long after that she napped for an hour.  Took her to the Dr that afternoon and she had a had full ear infection in her right ear and partial in her left ear.  I felt horrible.  I should have been the one to go to her that night instead of sending B just because I thought it was going to make going to bed harder for her. You live and learn.

Fast forward a week later, Joanna started running a low-grade fever and she was fussy.  Took her to the Dr and double ear infection for her.  Amoxicillin round two.

Poor Vivian actually had to do 3 rounds of antibiotics in order for her ears to clear.  Joanna 1 round, but she did start wheezing which lead us back to the Dr.  Albuterol treatment for her.  The night before going to the Dr, she woke in the middle of the night crying.  She didn't want to nurse or lay in her crib.  It took 3 hours for her to fall back to sleep.  It was terrible.  I didn't know what do or what was going on with her.  She did vomit which I think made her feel better.  That's when she finally went back to sleep.  Along with all the congestion, runny nose, coughing, not able to breath, we had vomiting from both girls.  Fun March, eh?  

By the end of March both girls started feeling better thankfully since Easter was early this year.Vivian had an Easter egg hunt at school, we spent Good Friday at B's parents and had a nice Easter Sunday even though it rained.  The girls loved their Easter baskets.  

My Mom came to visit not long after Vivian started feeling bad.  She was an enormous help!  She's leaving Friday going back home, but can't wait for our trip to MS this summer for 5 weeks.

Very uneventful around here.  No fun outings.  Lots of hanging out in the house.  Joanna has started crawling.  That's been our biggest highlight.  Yea Joanna!!!

10 Months Old

Stats:  We are weighing 16.4 pounds, wearing size 3 diapers and 6-12 month size clothes, 6 teeth (2 top, 4 bottom).

Eating:  Nursing around 4-5 times per day and eating 3 meals and 2 snacks.  You've moved on from mommy spoon feeding you, sometimes you'll oblige, but you primarily push the spoon away.  You prefer feeding yourself and eating what we are eating.  More times than not, you toss the food to Brody.  You like chicken, asparagus, padta, cream potatoes, carrots, broccoli, beans, lentils, cheerios, blueberries, mango, pita bread.

Sleep:  We are taking 2 naps, 1 hr to 1:15 each.  Yes, you still nap on mommy unless we are wanting only a 30 min nap.  I try keeping your wake time around 10 hours everyday.  Night you are sleeping from 6:30/7pm-4/5am, nurse back to sleep,
 awake for the day by 7am.  We've hit a bumpy road with you being sick with a double ear infection, bronchiolitis, teething and finally learned how to roll from back to tummy.  For the past 2 weeks I've felt like I have a newborn again!  Staying awake for 2+ hrs in the middle of the night, not wanting to sleep.  Mommy couldn't let you 'cry-it-out' with you not feeling well.  We did a lot of pick-up/put-down until you finally went back to sleep.  Thankfully

 you are starting to get back on track.  Knock-on-wood!!

^^ 3am.  You were awake until 5am.  Went to the Dr that afternoon to find out you had a double ear infection :( 

^^ First 'real' cold/virus

Likes:  You still love baby dolls, watching Vivian's every move, shakers, bubbles, swinging, mommy flipping you, being held, being tickled, smacking your lips, blowing raspberries, playing with Vivian's toys, people watching.

Not a fan of:  The vacuum cleaner, not seeing mommy, being left on the floor for too long, wearing hats/bows, teething (you are a horrible teether), sitting in your high chair for too long.

Milestones:  You are deciding to learn new skills at night in your crib.  First skill, rolling from your back to tummy. You didn't know what to do since you aren't a fan of being on your stomach.  You kept pushing up on your arms which was causing you to move backwards.  Daddy flipped you back, but you weren't a fan of that.  Since the first night of flipping, I've just let you figure it out.  You'll either fall back to sleep on your stomach or make it to your side or finally back to your back.  Second skill as if 5:42am this morning, going from tummy to sitting position.  That brought a big smile on your face and then you were like, 'what the heck, now what do I do?!'  You eventually feel backwards and hungout until I got you.  You are wanting to be mobile, but just don't know how.  You'll reach for something that's away from you, rolling onto your knees in an 'Indian style' position, then you'll plop on your tummy to reach for a toy.  You don't like being on your hands and knees either.  I'm sure we'll go straight to walking.  I'm in no rush!!

So hard to believe you are already 10 months old!  You are an absolute sweetheart and you light up our lives.  We are so darn lucky to have you!!!!  We love you sweet buttercup!!