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!!    

   

Vivian's First Kiss

Well, I may have my younger self on my hands. Back in kindergarten at recess, I told my teacher, "Watch this Mrs..., and grabbed Ryan Austin's face and planted a kiss on his lips" HA!  I have no clue what encouraged me to do that, but I remember that moment like it was yesterday.  Not going to lie and say I waited until I was 'age appropriate' for kissing boys, but I kissed several other boys back in elementary school.  I was bad!   

When picking Vivian up from school Thursday, Mrs. Kristi said Vivian had her first kiss, and it was all her.  She said she heard kissing sounds and turned around to find Vivian having her classmate, Carter, wrapped in her arms and kissing him repeatedly.  Poor kid just standing there letting her kiss away.  

And so it begins.  

^^  FYI, she's not sporting a side ponytail.  She is wearing pigtails :) Also, the day she kissed Carter, she had picture day!

9 Months Old

Stats: Weight 16 pounds, size 3 diapers, 6-9 months and some 6-12 months clothes.  You are currently cutting your top 2 teeth.

Eating:  Nursing 30 minutes after waking, both nap times and bedtime.  Solids: for breakfast you usually have yogurt and/or fruit, sometimes oatmeal.  Lunch and dinner you are eating veggies primarily, with the occasional meat and grains.  You had organic mac n' cheese the other night and loved it!  

Sleep:  Napping twice a day around 9 am and 1:30/2 pm for 1 - 1.5 hours for each nap.  Bedtime you are in your crib between 6:30/7 pm.  You have been going in your crib wide awake and takes about 20-30 minutes for you to fall asleep.  You are waking for the day around 5:30 am, but mommy leaves you in your crib until 6:30 am in hopes you learn that it's not time to wake like your big sister.  Sometimes you wake around 4/4:30 am which I nurse and you'll either go straight back to sleep or fall asleep around 5:30am.  Mommy wakes you at 7 am if you are still sleeping.  

You love sleeping with your lovey against your face and a lot of times over your face :)

 Likes:  Watching Vivian's every move, baby dolls and Elmo, your exersaucer, standing (you can stand a few seconds unassisted), forward rolls, sticking your tongue out, blowing raspberries, being tickled, being held, napping on mommy, observing, swinging in a bucket swing and sliding.

Dislikes:  When you can't see mommy, when Vivian takes a toy away from you, changing your clothes, napping alone, being on your tummy for too long, trying to crawl and the vacuum cleaner.

Milestones:  Babbling.  As of Sunday, you are babbling constantly.  You even said 'mama' for the first time.   

What a fast and amazing 9 months it has been sweet buttercup!!
We love you oh so much!!!