I didn't really write much as far as Stella's developments or schedules in her 19 month update. However, the list of her new developments would go on and on. I most likely would forget a thousand things. I did mention her vocabulary is incredible, and i mean every word of that. It really is so much easier now that she can communicate with Rick and I. She can tell us what is wrong, or what she wants or needs. More than not we can easily understand her, and if not she will take us by the hand and show us. she is one smart cookie. Let's see, some of her newest developments are identifying colors such as red, blue, green, black, pink, and yellow, drawing lines, dots, and circles, she can identify a list of fruits and vegetables, when she gets dressed she calls her items of clothing by their correct name- shorts, shoes, socks, and when she sees Rick or I getting dressed she always points out our undies and/or my bra!! She tells me when she pees or poops by pointing to her diaper and saying "ppp". For real though, the amount of things that she calls or states by name would take me forever to sit here and list: baby, blankies, Minnie, kitty, pool, bubbles, butt, boo boo, she will tell you when something is stinky by saying stinky, water, snack, ice pop, shower, bath, towel, chair, eat, dirty, sunnies, blocks, napkin, sit, i pad, milk, juice, sandals, money, book, chalk, car, truck,...okay I will decide to stop there. You get the idea!
Anyway, I thought I would write a post about what our daily schedule looks like. So here goes a look into our typical day...now don't get me wrong there are days that don't look exactly like this or anything like this for that matter. We definitely have 'those kinds of days' here and there where this little munchkin decides not to nap, or I have something planned in the middle of the day, or she wakes up ridiculously early and ends up napping crazy early too....
Stella is like clockwork. She usually wakes up for the day anywhere between 6:45 and 7:15. As she wakes she stands in her crib and calls "Maa" when she is ready for me to come up and get her. After her morning diaper change, she always gives me a hug, kiss and says 'good morning Ma' .
please don't ever let that stop ;) She still enjoys a 4-6 oz bottle of milk when she wakes up.
this bottle will hopefully be 86'ed soon. Stella lays in Rick and I's bed
cozied up in my body pillow smack in the middle of the bed drinks her milk and watches an episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. During this time I am usually in the kitchen making my cup of coffee, opening up the blinds and straightening up a few things here and there for the day. She will shout for me when she is done and wants down. Not long after she is down does she make her way to her chair in the kitchen and say eat. She eats breakfast around 7:30/8. Lately it's been a yogurt parfait with granola and frozen blueberries, a small bowl of cereal with fresh fruit or scrambled eggs with toast and fruit. If she is in a cereal mood, she goes right for the pantry and says "ssseee" for cereal. When she is done eating, we head to the playroom for a bit and play. I sometimes try to squeeze in a few chores while she is busy in the playroom. If we are heading out to run errands or food shop we get showered, brush the teeth and cleaned up after breakfast and usually head out early around 10:30ish.
Momma doesn't want to miss that afternoon nap window ;) If we are home for the day we usually make our way outside around that time
in our pjs and she plays on the deck- no water yet of course, usually it is too chilly still for water. I make sure to fill her water table and pool early though so it can warm up as the sun comes up. When the temps start to get warm we come in and get dressed- shorts, bathing suits, whatever that day calls for. :) And then we play! Stella typically enjoys a small snack outside around 10:30.
Lunch hits around noon. Sometimes we eat inside, and sometimes we eat on a towel or blanket outside. Stella enjoys a variety of things for lunch these days. Typically it is whatever I eat as well. Lots of homemade guac, cucumber sandys, leftovers from dinner the night before, she loves loves loves the Horizon Organic white shell mac n cheese. I always try to squeeze in a fresh fruit and/or veggie. When she eats all of her lunch she asks for a treat. "tree" That's when the ice pops start flowing outside on the deck :)
And for the glorious naptime.... Stella usually goes down for her nap around 1. She typically sleeps until 3:30/4. This is the time where I cram cram cram! I get my ass on the treadmill for 30 min, do laundry, prep any dinner prep that is needed, pay bills, clean whatever needs to be cleaned-
lately not enough of this is taking place haha, empty my most likely full sink of dishes, and if there is anytime left to just sit for a moment-
riiiight.
She wakes right around the time when Rick gets home from work. If she is already awake, she is watching for him at the window to pull up the driveway, if not Rick greets her in her crib after her nap. She knows she has Daddy wrapped around her finger and usually immediately asks to go on her swing. While Rick plays with Stella I begin cooking dinner around 5. This is when things can get a bit
cray cray around here! A few days a week Rick heads down to the gym
in the basement to get a work out in. I try to cook dinner and deal with a hungry child! Stella is like damn clockwork when it is dinner time. And when she is a hungry kid, all hell breaks loose! She cries and walks around saying eat! I proceed and try to tell her that I am cooking as fast as I can. I try my best to not give in and let her eat anything because I don't want to spoil her dinner appetite. I also try to have dinner done for right when Rick is done working out. I think it is so important to have family dinner time.
But sometimes a girl just gotta eat! After dinner Stella usually gets her treat of the day; a small scoop of frozen yogurt, an icy, a half of a cupcake if we baked them, or if she picked out a donut at the food store while grocery shopping.
Dinner clean up, my favorite part of the day-
NOT! Lately Stella has layers and layers of sunscreen applied to her skin after a days worth of play outside. So bath time at night has been more frequent lately. While I clean up dinner and pack Rick's lunch for the following day, he takes her up for a bath. She loves the bath and as soon as he says the word, she races for the stairs! After the kitchen is clean, counters are scoured, I dim the lights and make my way up to try and catch some bath time with them. After bath time we have some more playtime. Stella knows when she is ready for bed because at that point she asks Rick or I for milk. She sits with Rick and I on the couch/lights super low or off and has her 8 oz bottle of milk at around 8/8:30. She gives Rick or I her bottle, says "all done" and we take her right up to bed.
LIGHTS OUT!! As happy as I am to sit, relax, and put my feet up, I watch her on the monitor and miss her like crazy.
I am a firm believer of consistency being key. We follow this schedule as close as possible everyday we can. Like I said before, there are days that definitely don't follow our daily routine
at all and days that we are out and about all day long and days where sleep is just going to happen. But those days are okay to have too :)
We also make sure to send Daddy lots and lots of pictures throughout the day!
