Seven Months

Well...she still couldn't go forward this past month.  But backwards and sideways she went!  And she is getting more and more steady sitting up and moving around.  Now.if.only.she.could.figure.out.this.forward.momentum.thing.a.mig.giggity.

For the first time ever her daycare said that she has been "fussy."  (Prior to this month she has been the easiest baby in the history of daycare babies).  And they believe it's out of frustration  with her lack of forward mobility.  Poor girl.  She even loves to walk with us holding her hands.  So maybe she will just skip this whole crawling nonsense.

Her daycare had to lower her crib because they found that she pulled up.  Thus, we lowered her crib at home.   She continues to sleep well.  We love that about her.

She is also eating all types of food these days.  Still haven't found anything that she doesn't like.  She went on a chicken strike for one night and I was convinced she would never eat it again.  But then she had a chicken pig out at lunch the next day.  The amount of food she eats truly amazes me!

Happy 7 months to my Chunky Monk!

Six Months

Adara is half a year old.  Every parent says it: I can't believe how fast it's going.  Too fast, but also too slow.  As a parent I'm so impatient for the next thing.  For her to start crawling, and then walking, and then talking, and on and on.  I need to stop and enjoy what I have now.  BUT I am so excited to see what she will be like tomorrow and the next day....aaahhh.

One thing I am taking day by day is nursing.  I have shared before that nursing has been a huge struggle for me.  I miss sleep because of it, I eat lunch in my car because of it, I have pain because of it, I have scars that I am pretty sure will never go away because of it.  So many moms say they really enjoy it.  That it's so wonderful.  Such a great time to connect with their little one.  I think I am just starting to get to that point because it has been such a rocky road. I never thought I would be able to nurse this long, especially working full-time and having to pump so much milk.  But one day at a time makes it easier.  I hope that I can nurse tomorrow.

A big change for Adara (and for my nursing) happened one morning at the very beginning of the month.  I could hear Adara talking her usual baby babble from her crib.  I went to wish her a happy morning and she smiled her usual "good morning" smile and guess what!!!  There was a flash of something shiny and white in her mouth!  Her first tooth erupted over night! Font bottom right. Just the hint of the top of it.  It's a sharp and jagged little sucker.  A few days later another one came in.

She not only looks more grown up with two little teeth, she is acting grown up.  Little girl has been moving around for a while, military crawling, but now she has just started getting up on her knees!  She is going to start really REALLY crawling any day.  And then her personality will really shine because we can see what she wants to do, and play with, and go!  We are so excited for that.  Yes.  Ask me again in another few months how I like chasing her around ...yes, I know.

Adara continues to explore the world of solid foods.  She still much prefers breastmilk (thank goodness, because that is what she needs the most!) but she is turning into quite the adventuresome eater.  She even has developed a liking for avocado.  Peas still seem to remain her absolute favorite.  And mangos, and bananas, and sweet potato, and, well, almost everything (she takes after her parents).  I love preparing her food for her!

Happy half-a-year-old Baby Girl!  I am so incredibly in love with you!

My Top 10!

As I am starting to have more friends expecting AND before I forget what I will absolutely need for baby #2 (which will NOT be coming anytime soon btw!) here is my can't-live-without mommy essentials (in no particular order).

1. Medela Pump In-Style:

It hurt so much to nurse at first that pumping sounded more appealing.....six months later I cannot wait to kick this pump to the curb.  BUT, this pump has saved me so many times.  I recommend starting to pump extra breast milk as soon as you can (at about 1 month in I started pumping extra milk after almost every nursing).  That way you can build your milk supply and start a stash that will allow you to go on date nights, have other people do feedings so you can get extra sleep, and in case you accidentally miss a pumping session when you return back to work....ugh.  

2. Yoga Ball:

Baby doesn't understand that it's nighttime.  Baby won't stop crying.  Baby needs soothed!  Bouncing on the yoga ball in the wee hours of the earlier morn was routine.  For some reason our rocking chair, bouncing up and down, or the swing was just not the same.  It really had to be the yoga ball!  Not to mention a great little work out. 

3. Lanolin Cream:

I was first applying tiny little drops.  But what you really need is to be as liberal as possible.  So buy extra bottles so you don't feel guilty!  This cream helped me to continue nursing even when I thought it was a lost cause.  

4. Comfy Clothes for Post Delivery:

Your body just doesn't feel right after dumping out a watermelon sized object.  You are sore.  And achy.  And just want to be covered in soft, warm, goodness.  I loved Gap Body clothing.  Especially things that had drawstrings or spandex.  

5. Fisher Price Rock n' Play Sleeper:

I didn't register for this item because I thought that a co-sleeper (pack n' play) would be sufficient.  But I was so so so very wrong.  Newborn babies sleep so well in this thing.  Also, you can put it next to your bed and when baby gets fussy you can just rock it a little and, like magic, baby is back to sleep and you are still half-asleep.  

6. Aden & Anais Swaddles:

They are soft, surprisingly warm, cute, and breathable. They are also the best for doing tight swaddles--which turns out to be pretty key for lengthy sleep stretches.  This was really the only swaddle we really used.  You have enough to worry about when the baby is asleep and you don't need to add suffocation to that list--so it was reassuring to know that if the baby did wiggle out of the swaddle and it covered the face there wouldn't be a problem....because that did happen more than once....

7. Summer Baby Monitor: 

Watching baby sleep is fun and reassuring.  This camera also becomes essential if you start sleep training because you need to know when baby is crying because she is about to go to sleep and when she is crying because she is pissed.  Being able to check on baby without going in the room (and waking her up) is such a life saver!

8. Chicco Snap and Go Stroller:

Talk about easy.  I wish they made one of these for non-newborns because now when baby falls asleep in the car I have to take her out of her seat to put her in the big kid stroller.....missing the snap and go.  

9. Frozen meals:

We made about 20 frozen meals before baby was born.  Nights that we were too tried to cook and after the rush of friends bringing you meals is over (those friends bringing you meals are essential too) these meals were SO crucial.  Planning ahead paid off! 

10.  Bravado Nursing Bra:

Initially I went with some cheap Target nursing bras (and I hear these are great for some people...!) but when you have as much trouble nursing as I did you need the good stuff.  As soon as I made the investment my life changed for the better.  Comfort is key when you are already tired and in pain.  

***The thing this list is missing would be family.  Thank goodness for my family because without them I don't know how I would have survived that first stretch.  Cooks, cleaners, entertainment, and baby holders while you shower and sleep are the best!  xoxo

5 months

Well, calling this last month "rough" would be an understatement.  We were sick sick sick.  Everything from diarrhea, throwing up, double ear infections, runny nose, stuffy nose, strep throat, headaches, fevers, body aches, chills, etc. etc. etc.  Do you know what parents do when they are sick?  They sleep!  Do you know what babies do when they are sick? Cry!  The two really just don't mesh all that well.  And so we stayed up with Adara at 10pm, 11pm, midnight, 1am, 2am, 3am, 4am, 5am, and then went to work.  Night after night.  We tried the humidifier, we tried propping her up, sucking out snot, giving her antibiotics.  She would get better and then get sick again.  I am hoping month number 5 will be super healthy.

But you know what?  Our babe is one happy little peanut!  Throughout it all there were plenty of smiles.  AND giggles.  She is laughing more than ever.  Especially at her puppy who she just can't seem to get over.  It almost made getting up at the terrible hours worth it when she would be screaming in pain and then see your face and be grinning ear to ear like, "You came to make me feel better! Thank you!"....or that's at least what I think she was saying...........

Towards the very end of the month Adara seemed to be getting back to normal and our pediatrician suggested starting solids due to her size (large) and the amount of breast milk she was guzzling down.   Every single day that I breast feed I pat myself on the back because producing this much milk is super tiring.  I read on kellymom.com (the site our lactation consultants told us to trust) that most babies eat anywhere from 19-30 oz of milk per day.  Well, Adara is close to 40 oz and I'm sure she would be quite thrilled to get more than that.  I wanted to wait until 6 months to start solids but given that she has doubled her birth weight (16 pounds!) and seems very interested in food we started up a baby food making factory in our kitchen.  We have large quantities of frozen pureed bags of all sorts of goodness. Pears, butternut squash, peas, avocado, oh my.

Here is the video of A eating her first bite of pureed pears (I love how she keeps looking up at me like I'm crazy and making some mistake by offering her big kid food).

Here's to your health my big 5-monther!

4 Months

We had such a big month!  Adara started "school" because I went back to work.  I couldn't be more happy with the setup.  I have been able to go nurse and play with Adara every day at lunch for an hour.  Thank goodness for this because she has so much fun with all of her friends that she is exhausted when she gets home.  She goes right to bed and I wouldn't get to see her at all during the week if the special lunch time hour did not exist.

Well, let me correct that, I do get to see her several times throughout the night because after bragging last month that Adara started sleeping through the night she decided to regress.  Some nights she would  wake EVERY single hour.  Going to work like a zombie mama was no fun.  We finally decided to let Adara sleep in her crib in her own bedroom because she seems to sleep better there (she learned about sleeping in a crib at daycare because we have always had her sleep in a bassinet next to our bed).  When we finally discovered this Adara's sleep improved (I hope I am not jinxing it by typing this...).  I guess she just needed a little more personal space now that she is a big four month-er.

In other news Adara has forgotten how to roll over.  I was so excited last month when she would spend countless hours rolling all around.  Now, she lays contently on her back and puts whatever is in reach straight into her mouth.  If something is not in reach she makes a little noise to alert us that she would like it to be in her mouth.  She can almost sit up as well.  But we have to be careful because she tends to topple over whenever her little ab muscles give out.  She weighed 14Ibs 9oz at her 4-month doctor visit and was 25.5 inches long.  Still a long and lean little thing.

Happy 4 months baby girl!

3 Months

This past month was bliss.  Adara is just a complete lovebug.  She is having lengthy conversations with us these days and laughs at all my jokes.  She also continues to grow (in length) at a rapid rate.  She is almost completely in six month clothing.  Does this mean that she will be in 1-year-old clothing by 6-months or will there be an end to this craziness?!?!  I'm really starting to wonder.

The biggest news from this past month is that Adara slept through the night.....for multiple nights in a row....and it was so so so amazing.  I was told that five hours is considered sleeping through the night at 2 months and Adara was going 6-7 hours!  Happy mama and happy baby.  We also got a little routine down.  It sucks that I have to return to work and the whole routine will change...just when things were so sweet.  Boo.  Our routine went something like this: Adara would go to sleep in our arms in the early evenings and we would snuggle her through dinner and whatever we do after dinner.  She then nurses for about 2 hours (no, I am not exaggerating).  BUT, with all that nursing she sleeps until the early morn.  Then she wakes up to nurse again in bed and sleeps in bed with us until around 10am.  Yes, I have been sleeping in until 10am on a regular basis to make up for all the missed sleep from the past few months.

The second biggest news is that Adara has learned to roll over from stomach to back.  She did this for the first time on Christmas morning and it was so thoughtful of her to give us such a fun present.  Rolling over is now her new favorite trick.  She is very close to rolling from back to stomach....perhaps that will be her 3-month accomplishment.

The third biggest news is that in preparation for my routine to work Adara started going to school (read: daycare).  I have been going with her to make her feel better about the transition (read: so I feel better about the transition).  She seems to love it so far (I hope I will love it too..... or at least cope).

In other news I am now married to a 30-year-old.  We went to Lummi Island to celebrate the special occasion with some friends.  Christmas was wonderful and we are looking forward to a happy new year and welcoming a calm 2013.

Rolling over!

The shirt was for daddy's 30th birthday.

She is so strong!  Soon she will be crawling!

My big 3 month old babe!

Two Months

Adara is two months old!  My favorite thing she does now is SMILE.  She does this pretty consistently, especially when she sees me (which makes me feel beyond special).  I have been waiting for her to smile (like really smile) since the day she was born because all of the crying can make you so sad and wonder if your baby will ever be happy.  Well, I can assure everyone that we have one very happy little girl.

Other changes include being more active, wanting to nurse constantly (like even when she is asleep), screaming (the kid has a real set of lungs), having "conversations,"imitating people (she sticks out her tongue on cue, "laughs," and sings opera with her Aunt Lily) and growing big!  Adara can now fit into 3-6 month clothing because she is SO long.  Luckily, she still fits into most of her 0-3 month clothing except some of the footie pajama type of onesies because her legs are just too long.  She is still looking like a supermodel but I have a feeling she is going to pack on the cute baby chub soon (because I don't think she can get any longer).  At her last doctor appointment she weighed 11 pounds (50th percentile) and was 24 inches long (90th percentile).

As for the screaming, Adara is not a very patient baby.  She used to do a soft cry, that would progressively get louder if her needs were not being met.  Now she skips all the crying and goes straight to screaming.  I'm talking bright red face, choking on her own spit, ear piercing screaming.  I almost feel like a horrible mother because it would seem like we don't meet her needs quick enough or something.  I hope she will outgrow this phase quickly because it is very sad (and loud).  But like I said earlier, all of the smiles definitely make up for it!

One more month until I have to return to work and Adara will be going to daycare.  It will be a special month with Christmas, Daddy's 30th birthday, and a brand new year!

Here are some of the Adara highlights this past month:

Auntie Lily wanting to eat the cute little turkey.

With Grandma on Thanksgiving

First family picture

With everyone!

2 month picture

1 month picture

***(we thought about retaking the 1 month picture but then decided the crying was quite fitting)