Life Lately on the Mountain...

Since I am beginning to feel like an Eskimo in all of the damn layers of clothing I have been wearing, and not to mention this screwy weather we have been having, we have been doing our best with daily activities in the house. After 15 minutes of doing one activity, Stella gets bored and is ready to move to the next. Toys, songs, books only last for a short stretch at a time. If the Spring doesn't get here soon, we just might go ape shit! Besides finding excuses to go to Target so I can indulge in a hot decaf, soy caramel flan latte on the ride home, I have been trying to fill our days with things to do inside. 

As I said in Stella's 5 month update, she is beginning to sit up on her own, of course I always have an eye on her and a hand with quick reflexes ready to catch her when she wobbles. This makes play time so much fun! 

One afternoon, we had exhausted all of the play mats, jumperoos, and toys. What was next? The big mirror in our guest room. She has been so fascinated with herself lately if we walk by a mirror. I sat her in front on the floor and just observed. She stared at herself in such interest and confusion. Oh to be inside that brain of hers! After 3 headbutts to the mirror I called it quits. 

Stella is for sure teething. One, she is like a water faucet with the drool and two, EVERYTHING goes into the mouth! We have the ordinary frozen teethers that she enjoys. However, I found these cool ones during our trip to Target this week. What is so neat about them is that they are mesh and they open, so I can fill them with anything, ice cubes which she loves, frozen fruit or frozen veggies. 

Of course we were back in the kitchen baking. We found a new cookie recipe and decided to give it a whirl. On the upside I don't have to go looking through my drawers for my measuring cups and spoons anymore because they have all been on her height chair tray. Starting her out early :) Out of all of her colorful and noisy toys, she chooses the kitchen utensils. That's my girl!

Anyway, we baked Peanut Butter Oatmeal White Chocolate Chips cookies. Yum! Anything with oatmeal helps the boobie juice! To be honest, they are good but don't compare to the good ol' chocolate chip cookie-hot and gooey out of the oven of course!

During our trip to Target this week I spotted some Easter coloring books. I picked two up for Stella and I to color. Add it to the indoor activity list! Let's just say more crayons wound up on the floor and in the mouth than on the coloring page. I must have picked each crayon in the crayon box off the floor ten times. When Stella went down for a nap, I sat in the quiet kitchen for a few minutes, opened the coloring book and colored. I had forgotten how soothing it was. 

Speaking of Easter....I have fallen in love with this dress for Stella! It will be the perfect Easter dress.

So that's what we have been up to lately! Happy Friday and enjoy the weekend before the next crappy snowstorm hits! 

The Precious Look of Curiousity

Curiosity: a strong desire to know or learn something

Stella's curiosity is shining bright these days. This picture has curiosity written all over it. Stella and Kole sat facing one another, which began with a continuous deep stare. Stella couldn't help herself but to explore. She ran her tiny hands over Kole's face, feeling every soft change in elevation...his eyes, nose, cheeks...

I have such a desire to know what runs through that little brain of hers; the many questions she is asking, the things she is wondering about...

Got my Head in the Game...

   As I was explaining our crib blues in a past post, things have really turned around over here. Once a Upon A Time Stella hated her crib.  We could put her soundly to sleep by rocking, singing lullabies and feeding her and go to lay her down and it was like you turned the ON switch. She would cry and cry as Rick and I watched her on the monitor. As she was crying I would not take my eyes off the clock, giving her 5- 7 minutes in between Rick or I walking up and soothing her. As I would watched the clock and would wait for the next 5 minutes to go by with her screaming I would find myself biting my lips. I knew I was doing the right thing for her, but in the heat of the moment it felt all wrong to let her cry. She would cry herself into an oblivion.  45 Minutes would eventually go by..and that was it! I couldn't bare to let her cry anymore! Her eyes were bright red, cheeks drenched in elephant tears, and she was so stuffed up she couldn't breathe out of her nose. A couple days went by and I kept telling myself "tomorrow- I will try again tomorrow'.

    I began all over again by putting her rock and play in her room for her naps and decided to give it a whirl one night..it was an ok night,  the usual probably because I slept right next to her on the nursery floor.  

Time to Get my Head in the Game....  

  Friday rolled around and I sat down and went over the list; the LONG list of things that I have tried to make her cozy in her crib. The list went on and on, but I knew there had to be something! The last couple things that I have tried were the pillow between the mattress and springs, the head rest pillow cut out of her rock and play, wrapping Houdini tight in the HALO sleep sack, and putting a pillow under her legs . Oh yea and I can't forget the womb bear! It was time for Stella's morning nap on Friday morning. I remember reading (in so many places) to put the baby down sleepy but awake at the first sign of sleepiness. So I did. I said to myself "What the hell? Let's give the crib a shot." She had a full belly and a dry diaper.I wrapped her tightly in the sleep sack, placed her in her crib, turned her womb bear on softly and told her that I loved her. I walked right out, waiting for the cries. This was the very moment I saw light at the end of the tunnel. There were no cries. She fell right asleep. She never looked so cozy. It was a rockin' nap too. The afternoon nap? Same ordeal! Since we had such a great day in the crib, it was time to try and have her sleep the night in it. I was sad. If she slept in her crib, there was no turning back. There was no more her sleeping right next to me. Rick and I followed our typical nightly routine. We carried her upstairs at 7:30, wrapped her tightly, turned the womb bear on, and both kissed her goodnight. Whaddya kno?  She put herself right to sleep.

Let's fast forward to today...the rock and play is folded up and put away. I can step out of bed and not trip on shit (water bottles from the nightly feedings, the rock and play, etc) All sleeping is done in the crib. Believe it or not? She won't sleep anywhere but her crib. Go figure! We keep bedtime the same every night...7:30. Some nights she wasn't in the state of sleepiness yet; but we still put her in her crib. On those nights, we turn on this little dome shaped contraption that shines hundreds of light blue stars and a sliver of the moon on her ceiling. It makes her entire room look like something of a wonderland. She stares at the stars and quietly drifts off to sleep. So peacefully. You may be wondering what time she sleeps until in the morning because she goes to bed so early. Well, like I said, she is in her crib by 7:30 and is like clockwork, up at 7 am, full of ear to ear smiles!

Sleep for me? ...Let's just say it's getting there. Since she only gets up once a night (sometime between 2-3) to eat, I still get up to pump, and look at the monitor once in a while....okay not once in a while..all the time.

I also need to add that last night (Wednesday night) she went to sleep at 7:30 and didn't wake up to eat until 3:50!! Say what?!?  Yup..8 hours and 20 minutes baby!

I also just have to share this....I bought Stella her first pair of shades from BabyGap :) We are both starting to get a severe case of cabin fever! Thank you everlasting Winter!  This is proof that we are already in warm weather mode.  We can't wait to get outside, suck up some sunshine, of course wearing our shades, stroll around the town and shed some of the million layers of clothing that we have had on lately. 

Happy 5 Months Baby Girl

Here she 'Grows" Again...5 Months

Weight: I will update this post with her weight ASAP

Height: 24 inches

Appetite: You love food! You are still nursing every 3-4 hours. You happily eat about 5 ounces every feeding.Whether you nurse or take the bottle, you eat like a pro! When Daddy and I sit at the kitchen table you look so intrigued by what and how we are eating. The signs were clear as day. Even though we would let you lick and try things here and there, you were clearly ready for a little serving of solids of your own. So far Momma has pureed you sweet potato, bananas and pears. You love all of them, but pears are your favorite! We mix one of them with a little bit of oatmeal and you are good to go. ( your exact serving size: 1 ounce of oatmeal thinned with one ounce of breastmilk, mixed with one ounce of pureed fruit or veggie)You are doing such a great job eating off of a spoon. I absolutely love our family dinner time at the table....it warms my heart that we get to share this special time together; it is so much more than just eating dinner. 

Clothing Size: You are still wearing your 3-6 month clothing. Although we are starting to poke around in the 6 month section of your closet! We still spend a lot of time in our jammies! Size 2 diapers!

Milestones: Wow! Has this been a month of milestones. Once a one-sided relationship is now blossoming into a relationship that is truly interactive. You can spot Daddy or I's voice in a crowd and your head immediately turns. You can roll from your tummy to your back! Now that you can roll over, you don't hate tummy time as much and actually reach and play with toys on your tummy! Let's just say, you love hearing your own voice! We call you a pterodactyl...because you screech so loud just to hear your own voice and you sound just like the dinosaur! It makes us chuckle every time. You and I went to target one day last week and I carried you around in the 'kangaroo pouch' as Daddy likes to call it and you screeched the entire way through the store! Heads were turning from all directions. You put on quite the show to say the least! You are now soothing yourself to sleep! WooHoo! This is a big one! Your sleeping skills shine! We lay you in your CRIB, YES I SAID CRIB, awake and you soothe yourself to sleep! Sometimes you have full out conversations with yourself before dozing. We couldn't be more proud. (A full 'sleeping' update to come next post). As soon as you see a bottle in sight, your two arms and hands spring up, mouth opens like a baby bird...you got the idea! You even hold your own bottles at times. Your tippy toes are finally reaching the floor in your Einstein. Soon you will jumping around! Your little legs are so strong. You are in your glory when someone holds you by your hands and pulls you up onto your feet. You love to stand ( and twerk!) You are beginning to sit up on your own for short periods at a time. Your curiosity is so precious. You study and watch things so much more closely now. You like to explore Daddy and I's faces- especially our eyes and nose (now it is a must to keep those nails trimmed- those bad boys hurt when they are long) Stella you are already so smart and it is still just the beginning. 

Special Outings:This is the longest Winter ever! We have spent many more days inside this month; either because of the blistering temperatures or because of the mountains of snow. Things that happened this month...your rockin' parents took you to AC (NOT to gamble or club, haha) for your cousin Kaden's 3rd birdthday party, we celebrated your christening and your new godparents Aunt Nikki and Uncle Wyatt, we went to a dinner party for Poppop's 50th, we went to your Uncle Wade's birthday party, surprised Nana for her birthday at work, and attended Sunday worships at church! Holy Crap! I didn't realize that there were that many birthdays until now! 

Thoughts:  I have never felt a worry like this before. When you love something so intense, you want to protect it with every ounce that you have. 

Our routine:  Our routine has stayed pretty consistent since three months old. I find ourselves following the pattern of sleep, eat, and play. Our day begins around 7 a.m to a morning feeding. Our first pit stop is the kitchen where you hang in your height chair and Momma has her morning coffee, two poached eggs and 1/2 of an avocado. Yes, I share my avocado with you, because you absolutely love it. We typically play in the living room until your morning nap time rolls around which is 8:30-9ish. When you wake, we stay in your room for a bit where you eat, and we play and have storytime. Your afternoon nap rolls around about noontime. After that nap we wait for Daddy to get home from work and have dance parties in the kitchen while we wait. Momma makes dinner as you play in your height chair. Depending on your evening nap, we sometimes eat dinner before you nap and sometimes we eat dinner after you nap. Since you are eating solids now for dinner, we all sit at the kitchen table. Our night time routine begins around 7. If it is bath night, Daddy and I bathe you, we rub you down with lotion, and put on a clean pair of pjs. You enjoy your last feeding of the night before Daddy and I take you up to your crib, kiss you goodnight and let you doze off into good dreams :)You are only waking once a night to eat, usually between 2 and 3 am! WooHoo! 

Your favorites: Where to begin? Anything cold and hard since teething is in the works. Lately I have been putting an ice cube or too inside of a wash cloth and tying it closed with a rubber band...you bite and suck until there is nothing left! I find myself cleaning up more water on the floor and counter tops lately because of all your splish splashing during tubby time, sucking on the soppy wash cloth during tubby time, your Einstein, storytime...you just love your books, dance parties in the kitchen (they are my favorite too), pears..you eat them like they are going out of style, Momma's infused water, yup I let you have a few tiny sips. I find it comical if  I go to take a sip of my infused water out of my mason jar and if you see me, you put on the baby bird face- mouth wide open and arms reaching out :) 

Momma’s Favorites: Lately I have been loving my Hunter rain boots and winter vests. They make running out with you much easier, just slip em' both on and I am ready to go! Also, I am really enjoying my new Cuisinart baby food steamer and puree! It does everything in one bowl which makes for easier cleanup and I know my baby is eating the best! Some other things on my favorite list these days are, infused water, Chips Ahoy Ice Cream Creations Mint Choco Chip Cookies- I treat myself to one or two a day..yum!, dance parties in the kitchen, and now that you are sleeping up in your crib- thank goodness for the video monitor- watching that surpasses any of my or Daddy's favorite TV shows :) Any my most favorite?....those endless rolls on those chubby thighs! I just freakin' love them!

Stella....I know that we tell you ALL the time..But Momma and Daddy love you to the moon and back. 

Photos taken through the month....

Look at those cheeks!

You love when Daddy does airplane! Still waiting for the waterfall of throw up to land in his mouth one day!

Momma needed a Starbucks fix after that grand trip to Target!

Revving the engine in your new ride!

Just a few pictures to share...

While I am in the process of writing her 5 month update, I am just going to share a few new pictures.

It's meal time!

Kisses for her cabbage patch!