Happy 7 Months

You are 7 months old today!!! You have four teeth, crawling up a storm and are kind of starting to take steps!

This month has FLOWN by! Spring in general is such a busy time with the kind of work I do. I don't think I mentioned this earlier but we are moving to Kansas City at the end of May because you dad was offered a job at Black and Veatch! We are so excited to get closer to family and friends and be in a city that we love! It is definitely a bitter-sweet time because I love my job and will definitely miss the students and people I work with!

So, with that said,  your 7th month started out with us going to Kansas City during Spring Break to see your grandmas and to start scoping out some daycares. We were also going to use this trip as a chance to start looking at houses but after thinking about the whole process and with me not having a job yet, we wanted to not rush it and really figure out where we wanted to live! So, we will be living with your Nana and Papa Mike for a couple months when we move!

We did visit a daycare facility when we were visiting and neither of us were impressed. I won't go into the details but I have high standards for the environment I want you in and that was not it! Fortunately, one of my friends who lived in Kansas City connected me with her old provider for Mason and it turned out great! We feel great about the decision!

The weather has been so up and down this Spring that we have hardly been able to take you outside but have been able to snag some good days! You LOVE to swing and are getting more used to the grass.

You also had your six month appt a week into your 7th month. You have moved from the 31st percentile in weight to the 35th and you also had a growth spurt with your head circumfrence. You only grew an inch in length but the doctor didn't seem worried about it since you had growth in two other areas! So, basically, you are just a tiny baby which I am alright with :)

We also learned that you have met all of your 6 month milestones and all but 1 of your 9 month milestones! Woah! So advanced! The only one you need to meet is saying single syllable words such as  "Mama" or "Dada." Since you have met so many ahead of time, there is no major news for you this month! The only thing is that you are now able to walk from one end of the coffee table to the other if you want something. Also, you cut two more teeth on the top! They aren't even the front they were your "eye" teeth-the teeth on either sides of your front teeth. You kind of look like a little vampire!

We started giving you a sippy cup once a day and so far you have liked it and took to it pretty quickly!

As far as eating goes, you love your food! Your schedule is below!

6:00 am-Bottle
7:00 am-Cereal and a fruit (either applesauce, banana and pineapple, or banana)
10:00 am-Bottle
12:00 pm-Vegetable (either sweet potato, peas, carrots, peas and carrots, squash, or cauliflower mixed with squash or sweet potato)
2:00 pm-Bottle
4:30 pm-Bottle
5:30-Vegetable (see above) and cereal
7:00-Bottle

I think around eight months we are going to try to get rid of one of your afternoon bottles by giving you more food at lunch time.

I have had a blast making your baby food. It is so much cheaper, I know exactly what you are eating, and I can be creative with what I feed you!

Next on my baby food menu: Pears, Zucchini, Quinoa, and Peaches

At Nana's-you really liked this back scratcher!

And you loved on Sophie, of course.

We got some cuddle time.

You loved your bouncer we borrowed from a friend.

And you get really excited when we are about to eat. 

Sophie got a friend-Kiki. You love both!

You're new favorite thing.

We LOVE bath time!

You also tried to help me with laundry

And I was happy to let you

The first time you wore shorts

And the first time you wore your sun hat

You also went swinging for the first time

LOVE playing outside!

And standing up

You are mastering eat puffs on your own!

Having fun at the doctor's office while we wait. Selfie time!

Playing with your xylophone...kind of.

You are the most beautiful baby!

You love your pony from Aunt Cammie!

Mastering the sippy cup

I will ALWAYS love this picture of you-Young, Carefree, and oh, so HAPPY! Please stay this way forever!

In your denim skirt that was a little too big!

Fun at the park with dad!

Taking a break

Your new way of "crawling" sometimes

Those eyes

All smiles with dad

Such a prepster in your polo dress

I love making baby food for you!

You are oh, so cool in your babiators

I will never get tired of watching you sleep

Your first Easter basket

On the way to Iowa for Easter!

"Let her sleep for when she wakes she will move mountains." You will do amazing things!

Your first Easter egg hunt

You loved the blue grass!

Which is good because you can't eat the candy.

Those eyes...again!

Loving on Grandpa

Cheesin with dad!

Our beautiful family!

In your Easter outfit!

Momma's girl

I love waking up to your smiles and talking...and crazy hair

You love your puppy

Such a big girl

Playing with your new toy

Your finger is your favorite toy

And so are your keys

So pretty in polka dots

Love daddy's hat!

Struggles:

• For about a week, you weren't sleeping through the night but then we learned that it was because you were cutting teeth! Once we realized, we started giving you some tylenol and that solved the problem! 
• Traveling! Ugh! You pretty much hate being in the car for extended periods of time! You are fine if we are driving around town but when we went to Kansas City, it was kind of a nightmare. I am DREADING driving to Kansas City when we move because your dad will drive the moving van and it will be just you and me! 
• I have been working A LOT in the evenings and feel like I hardly see you. Sometimes when I come home and pick you up and rock with you just to have some contact with you. Being with you really does change my day around!

Successes:

• You are pretty much used to falling asleep on your own. We give you a bottle, rock you a bit, and when you start sucking your thumb and laying your head down, we put you in your crib and you fall asleep on your own. 
• Eating solids! You love them! You also developed the pincer grasp so you can pretty much get all of your Puffs or Cheerios in your mouth now!

What makes you, you!

• You are still sucking your thumb but I guess this isn't really a problem until you are two or three so if it is still happening, I will figure it out then. Plus, you only do it if you are tired. 
• You have the craziest hair and it is getting so long! You have been sporting the Pebbles pony tail a lot!
• Your are starting to "walk" on your hands and feet. I think this is just a step you are taking to learn to walk but it is pretty amusing to watch!

What we couldn't live without

• Johnny Jump Up-This thing will keep you entertained for a while! You have started to learn how avoid bumping your head on the doorways (that was a problem in the beginning). You LOVE to bounce around in this and walk around!
• Buy Buy Baby 3-in-1 Table When you started pulling yourself up, we knew we wanted to get you some sort of activity table. We liked this one because it will also turn into a walker for when you start walking (which is right around the corner)!
• Building Blocks-While you can't build anything yet, you sure do love knocking things down and putting the blocks in your mouth! You got these for Christmas and love them!
• Stacking Cups-You also got these for Christmas and we love the primary, contrasting colors. I never knew Ikea made baby toys until you received these and the blocks! Good thing Kansas City is getting one :)
• Ninja Blender-After our Magic Bullet crapped out on us we got this thing and it is awesome for making your baby food! It is so easy to clean and blends everything so quickly! We love it!

Happy Half Birthday!

Your six month was quite the month as evidenced by my ridiculously long post!

Your six month picture! We were playing dress up with a tutu your grandma made and a headband your nana got you for Christmas! Your six month appointment isn't until next week so I am not sure of what your measurements are but I would say a bit over 15 lbs based off of your appointment when you were sick. 

This was a hard month for me. I not only had to leave you for the first time, you were also sick for the first time, and I made the decision to stop breastfeeding.

I made the decision to help facilitate a program on another campus before you were even born thinking "Oh she will be five months. Leaving her for a few nights won't be too bad." It really wasn't that bad but when I dropped you off at daycare before I headed out of town, I cried and I missed you terribly! Thankfully technology is as advanced as it is because I was able to Facetime with you and dad, and dad would also text me pictures of you!

You were also sick for the first time this month. You had been tackling a cough and stuffy nose for a while and then when I got back from my trip we noticed that your cough had turned from a dry cough to a pretty rough one in which it sounded like your chest was congested. The following morning, you were coughing so hard that you threw up twice and were running a slight fever so we decided to take you to the doctor and I took the day off. They decided to run an RSV test (which killed me because you were so uncomfortable) and that came back negative. They recommended to let it run its course and if it continued to get worse, bring you back.

Well it did get worse so dad I were back at the doctor's office with you two days later because you were sounding even worse and it was breaking our hearts! Plus you started developing a rash on your shoulders and back. They determined you had a bronchial virus and prescribed breathing treatments for you so it wouldn't advance into something worse like pneumonia. The first treatment we did in the office and you cried (literally crying with tears running down your face which happens almost never) and I cried seeing you in so much pain and discomfort.

Luckily, as we continued the treatments you started getting more used to them. By no means would I say you liked them, but you tolerated them!

Lastly, I made the decision to stop breastfeeding this month. You decided to go on a "nursing strike" around 22 weeks in which you just refused to nurse. I was already struggling with pumping enough so this affected my supply even more. I then had to go out of town and pumping on my normal schedule was difficult to do. I knew being able to build it back up was going to be near impossible and with you starting solids soon, I became at peace with the decision to stop breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding was much harder and more emotional than I ever thought. Like most new moms, it was an adjustment in the beginning and looking back on it, I probably could have done things in the beginning that would have helped me build up a freezer stash and would have helped me produced more. I was a new mom and had no idea what I was doing. I am glad I stuck with it and was able to have a great nursing relationship with you! There were definitely times when I would say "I hate breastfeeding" or "I can't wait for this to be over!" But there is definitely something empowering about being able to provide all the nutrients and food that your child will ever need. I was able to connect with a great network of women who shared their struggles and successes. And I will for sure miss our nursing sessions because those were bonding moments that only you and I could experience together.

So, all in all, I will miss breastfeeding. For me it symbolizes the fact that you are growing up and moving on. I will always cherish those moments together and will always remember the first time you nursed, in the hospital, and how emotional and overwhelming it was for me. It was at that point it dawned on me how powerful being a mother was and the relationship a mother has with her child is unfounded!

Your 24th week was a big one for you!

1. You learned how to turn things over, intentionally. For example, you have a toy that lights up. When it is upside down, you can't see the lights but you now know that if you turn it over, you can see the lights and hear the sounds better.
2. You also started crawling (like for real crawling) instead of just army-crawling! 
3. You also can sit-up unsupported now and are very close to being able to sit up on your own (like going from laying down to sitting up)!
4. Lastly, we finally introduced solids on a more regular basis. We started out with oatmeal cereal and then introduced pureed carrots as well as sweet potatoes!

At 25 weeks, you started being able to pull yourself up on your knees pretty well and we were super impressed! Then you surprised us a couple days later and decided to pull yourself up (on your feet) at your 'Ballcano' (a standing activity center)! I can't handle all of this growth and development! You are growing up WAY too fast!

You celebrated your first St. Patrick's Day and were Daddy's Lucky Charm!

And you got your first ponytail this month!

You also move around so much it is hard to get a picture of you these days!

You pulled yourself up for the first time!

You rocked more St. Pat's gear because you can, because you are Irish, and why not?

And somehow I got this impossibly cute picture of you!

You hung out with Hollie in your "Babiators" at your first Greek Week!

I made you baby food for the first time! Yummy carrots and sweet potatoes!

You love to climb on daddy!

And you love to be girly!

You ate solids for the first time. 

It looks like more landed on your bib but at least you are happy!

You learned to sit yourself up!

And were still soooo cute at the doctor's office!

You also liked to drool but have the biggest eyes ever!

You loved on Sophie outside!

But were a little unsure of the grass...

You also started crawling for the first time this month!

And clearly started doing yoga...

You played with your first tooth brush we got from the dentist!

You loved on your puppy pal!

And discovered the vertical blinds!

You also loved looking out the windows!

You are still the happiest baby I know!

And you hang out with me while I get ready for work!

You were OH SO happy to see mommy after me being gone for FOUR WHOLE DAYS!!!!

Even though you were sick, you still were smiley!

You also found a new toy with your wipes container.

And since you were sick, you and I had lots of snuggles and I even let you nap with me in the big bed!

Struggles:

• When you were about 22 weeks, you stopped nursing-just refused to. This really hurt my supply (which I was already struggling with). A week later, I had to go out of town and tried to pump as much as I could but it just didn't go well. I ended up making the decision that I would stop breastfeeding and start the weaning process. It made me sad, but relieved that I didn't have to be the only one feeding you. I am happy I made it 6 months of breastfeeding since it was much more difficult than I thought it would be!
• You got really sick with bronchitis around 24 weeks. We had to give you breathing treatments (which you did not like) and it was hard on me too. 
• You are starting the phase of not liking strangers...

Successes:

• We haven't really "sleep trained" you but you are starting to fall asleep on your own if we lay you in your crib. This isn't all the time but you will turn your head to the side, start sucking your thumb, and fall asleep. 
• You reach out for mom and it is the best feeling ever!
• I started making homemade baby food. Why people buy it is beyond me. It is significantly cheaper to make it and I know EXACTLY what is going into it!

What makes you, you!

• You started sucking your thumb when you get tired. This isn't the best habit for you to develop but it is how you have learned to "soothe" yourself and it tells us when you are tired. 
• You love exploring faces with your hands. You like to put your hands in our mouths, grab our cheeks, noses, and chins. You also like to grab people's hair-even your dad's which is short!
• You are finding your voice more and more each day. 

What we couldn't live without

• Baby Einstein Activity Center So this isn't the exact one we have (I couldn't find it) but this is pretty much it. Your's has is a music theme, though!
• Fisher-Price Class Xylophone You got this for Christmas and while you aren't able to pull it, you are fascinated by it! Sometimes we pull it to encourage you to start crawling it. Usually, you will just put the yellow stick in your mouth (go figure!) and hit the keys with your hands!
• Pillows-Yup! You are moving around so much (rolling and army-crawling) that you don't realize you can bump into things or roll into things. Sometimes we have pillows set up in front our entertainment center and coffee table so a) You don't hurt yourself and b) You don't get into things you aren't supposed to!
• PediaCare Gentle Vapors Vapor-Plug Unit This helped your nose stay cleared up when you were sick!
• The Boon Mush Manual Baby Food Processor We got this for Christmas from my dad and it has been great for making your baby food. I am excited to take it along with us when we travel since our electric food processor is so big and bulky.
• Milk Trays-So I used these when I was freezing milk but now I use them to freeze baby food. I thought about doing it in an ice cube tray but those are more bulky and don't have lids. These are split up in perfect 1 oz increments. I just make up the food, freeze them, and store them in freezer bags.