Well HELLO again!!

We have a lot of catching up to do!!  Not only has Stella changed SOOO much over the last 3 months but lots has changed just in general:)  {This post may be long but I'll try to jam as much info as I can so as not to forget}

My little precious baby is now a toddler!  I feel like she's grown over night into this little DIVA-ha!  I'm definitely enjoying this phase much more than I ever anticipated.  Don't get me wrong I loved loved loved the newborn stage {umm have I forgotten the sleepless nights or what?!} But now Stella has this personality that's amazing, she's learning new things everyday, and is becoming so much more independent.

So as to not forget anything I'm going to quickly list everything about Miss Stella;)

• Development: Stella is walking/running!  I know my last post was a bit crazy about this--she took her first independent steps about 10 days after her first birthday.  It took her a few weeks but she was steadily walking by 13 months.  I've learned not to get too hung up on this--every child develops different and this is just another part of Stella's personality--too laid back for her own good!  She climbs stairs/fireplaces all to easily.  She has learned how to shuffle through photos on my iPhone.  The first morning at our new home (more on that later hopefully!) she remembered where her snack were in the lazy susan.  She has an imagination--we pretend bake and taste the cake or have tea!  She can roll a ball
• Fun things: She continues to be the most snuggly, loving child.  Her new thing is to give kisses (melts my heart!) Last night we were all playing in her room before bedtime and she kept going back and forth between me and Adam giving multiple kisses--LOVE!  She blows kisses, gives high fives, and makes clicking noises.  She knows where her nose and belly are and will point to them on you too. She loves to dance and now has learned to twirl--aka turn in a circle.  She now has enough hair for pigtails!  Boy, she sure does look like a big kid with pigtails.  She's even starting to interact with Brodie more now.  She will randomly just sit beside him and start petting him and is always so excited to see him. We often play "where's Brodie?" when we first get home and she gets so tickled peeking around corners for him and finally finding him!  She is definitely an outdoorsy baby.  Anytime she is the least bit cranky we take her outside to see the ducks, ride in her car, or go for a walk to the park and she is all better.
• Words:  Man I feel like just overnight she has really starting using her words more.  Don't get me wrong she had a handful of words before but now they are used with more purpose.  Definitely our vacation this year was the turning point.  She now says Mama, Dada, Dog, Duck, More, Mmm (as in Mmm Yummy), Ball, Bye Bye and my least favorite "NO"  We tried so very hard to not say that word to her and were pretty successful; however being around lots of dogs on vacation we used that word alot toward them.  One day she just pointed to the dog and said "NO" plain as day.  Now when she says it (which is all day everyday-ha) I quickly say Yes that's your nose and point to my nose.  Not sure if it helps but it makes me feel better especially in public!
• Food: I have been such a freak about her food ever since she started solids at 6 months.  I have made EVERYTHING that she has consumed and was the crazy MOM who took her own food to a daycare that supplys food.  (hey at least I can admit my craziness!) Now I'm on the nutrition committee at daycare (PTA baby) and Stella has readily made the transition to "daycare" food--all whole grain, adequate vitamins, etc.  I still make and freeze ahead to have a healthy stash of food available at home.  She is still loving any fresh fruit-especially watermelon and cantaloupe.  The girl loves to eat!!  And sometimes I think she can eat as much as me!  Taking whole milk out of sippy (it was easier than I thought to transition away from bottle and formula--don't get me wrong the first few days are brutal but then it's the new norm)  She now blows on her food.
• Stats: 
• Height: 29 3/4 inches (25-50th%)
• Weight: 22lbs 13oz (50-75th%)
• Head 19in (95-98th%)
• Teeth: 9 (only 3 on the bottom)
• Sleep: Still a great sleeper.  Goes to bed around 730 or 8 and sleeps all night.  Usually up on her own by 730.  Takes one nap right after lunch and lasts about 2-3 hours.  She did for a while transition back to 2 naps a day.  Not sure if she was going through a growth spurt or what.  Her 2nd nap would be late in the day and when she woke up it she was extremely cranky.  Talked with some other moms  (including my pediatrician) and we made the move back to one nap.  Things are so much better now!  I always said that Stella was just a paci girl at nap and bedtime but that simply wasn't the truth.  Ha the things we tell ourselves!  It turned into her having it in the car, and during the day if it was close to nap time, or if she was teething, etc etc to where finally I wondered how in the world we would ever survive without it!  Well 5 days ago I just started leaving it in her crib when we woke up for the day and WOW that was easy!  I was really dreading that first car ride to daycare but I simply gave her a toy and we sang all the way there and she was fine, more than fine.  Adam even got on board and he thinks she is easier to put to bed now. This weekend we ran errands and had one in the diaper bag in case of emergency and never had to use it--even in a restaurant!  Maybe next month we'll try taking away at nap time..do I dare??

Well I know this has been rushed and I've probably forgotten a million fun and cute things that Stella does now.  Again I'm loving this time with her.  Hoping that I can blog more to keep documenting about this precious little one that calls me Mama.  Sorry no pics...it's been too slow uploading.

O-N-E

My oh My How time flies!  My baby girl is one:)  People always say they grow up so fast and I never truly understood until Stella became apart of our lives.  I can't even begin to imagine my life without her and it's hard to even remember sometimes what the day to day was like before she was ours!  Believe me there have been many oh times that I've wanted to pull my hair out--questioning my abilities as a mother, etc etc.  Like when Stella was getting up all hours of the night. Or the pink eye saga.  Or the dreaded teething.  But those are just a little blurp and were difficult while in the midst of them.  Now looking back that was nothing! (ok-j/k don't really want to experience it again) But all worth it!

I know I've probably said this before, but Stella is truly becoming a little person. Everything from playing, what she's eating, and her interactions all lend itself to no longer being a baby.  She's still the best little snuggler! I hope that 1) she continues to be snuggly FOREVER and 2) future children like to snuggle.  She also is the most ticklish baby that I have ever been in contact with!  She could be in the grumbliest of moods and you tickle her belly and she will laugh out loud!  She also loves to dance:)  We're working on blowing kisses but for the time being she's content making the indian noises with her mouth!  She jabbers the day away--I'm afraid she's going to be the student that gets in trouble for talking too much ha!  She will turn your face so that you are looking at her while she talks sometimes and still loves to talk with her hands.  She stands alone for a long period of time and loves to hold our hands and walk around the house.  No truly independent steps yet.  She's taken a few half steps--just enough to grab one of our hands (please don't judge me or my kid--lots of babies don't walk til they are 15 months.  So my child is NOT behind-she has met every milestone when she's been ready--ok sorry for the small rant)

Boy does this girl lover her some bananas!!  She could eat one everyday for every meal if we let her.  We usually try to cut it each slice into thirds but if we aren't giving it to her fast enough she'll grab the whole slice!  She also loves yogurt, cheese, pancakes (made with her baby cereal), eggs and french toast.  Transitioning to whole milk and weaning from the bottle (I'll let you know how that goes--wish me luck!)  Eating three meals, two snacks, and 2 bottles of formula (morning and night). Drinking water out of sippy (typical or straw one) Meals are typically consisting of cut up bites of veggies, fruit, meat, or cheese and 2 ounces of mommy made pureed food.  {I have made most of her food...she's had a handful of jar (organic) food when we travel or spontaneously decide to go out to eat--there's always one in her diaper bag just in case!  I've loved doing it bc it gives me a little bit of more control of what she's eating.  Yes I said control bc that's probably the best way to describe it--in my life I have little control over anything and it drives me mad.  At least I can decided what my child is eating and make it the best.  At times I've despised it--mostly because it can be time consuming}

Ok let's talk stats:

• Weight: 21 lbs, 10.5 ounces (75-90th percentile)
• Height 28.5 inches (25th percentile)
• As I've commented before--she's short and chunky!!  She still has lots of her baby leg rolls and big belly which she has learned to pat while in the tub ha!
• Head 18 3/4  (98th percentile)
• Size 3 diaper
• Clothes--she's all over the place.  Some 12 month pants are too short, some 12-18 month tops are too small (remember that belly?!)  Most of Carter's 12 month things fit pretty good now.  Other things I have to go by look or try on. 

Again behind so i'll try to post pictures later!  Also still need to add post about birthday party, birth day celebration, and other.  BUT we have moved and things are chaotic!  AND did I say that Adam is traveling more for work--single mommy here!

11 months-Almost ONE!

Again I am surprised that another month has come and gone! My oh my-Stella is getting to be a little person.
Last month was a little rough with the ear infections and pink eye.  It's hard having a sick child and working.  But this month has been so much better.  At one point (during the sickness) I thought that the fussiness was here to stay--as if that was her new personality and we had not appreciated her laid back, sunny one while it had lasted.  BUT the clouds lifted and my laughing, light hearted baby is back:)  She still gets fussy around bedtime--most evenings after dinner she just wants to be close to us (wallow on us!) and boy does she get mad if you walk away from her (hold breath throw arms on ground, etc!)

She has learned to clap (before she would just pump her arms up and down in front of her when she was excited) but now does a for real clap.  And loves to clap!  She also repeatedly will stack her rings on the stacker (and clap each time!)  She runs across the room with her push toys.  She's standing and climbing on everything.  She enjoys looking out the windows and even placing her face/tongue against them!  She loves shoes;)  She says "mama", "dada" (for some time now), and "bye bye" (while waving).  Sometimes it sounds like she says "dog dog" or "Brodie" but not as consistent.  She can stand for a second or two by herself and will steadily squat to a sitting position.  And we have our top teeth (the left one is showing through--the right one is still working its way out!)  She loves board books!  She also love the Praise Baby DVD:)

Still wearing size 3 diapers (either Huggies Pure & Natural or Pampers Swaddlers).  Squeezing into some 6-12 or 9-12 month things but transitioning to 12 month.  12 month pjs are getting too small too.  Not sure on her weight but I would say around 20-21 lbs.

She's loves trying new food!  This month she had eggs (yolks only), homemade pancakes (from organic cereal), cut up veggies (corn on the cob, etc).  She's starting to turn her nose up at the purees!   Still working on cutting out the 4th bottle and giving more milk in sippy cups. Eating 3 "meals" a day plus a snack.  Getting 22 oz of formula in bottle--plus up to 4 oz in sippy cup.  Girl would have her paci all day everyday if we let her!  At daycare they only give it to them at nap time.  So we have to make a conscious effort to keep it away from her on the weekends (and after work).

As a working mother I still struggle with giving her enough time and allowing myself some "me" time.  I'm still trying to give her the best of everything that I can possibly offer. Believe me this is a daily struggle and sometime stress. Mommyhood is no joke.  She still cries when we drop her off at daycare in the morning.  It's so hard to leave her but she is easily consoled.  (there's a window to the room that I peak into after I leave and by time I get out there she's off playing with someone no longer crying) 

{10 Months}

I feel like every month I'm completely shocked that my baby is another month old.  I mean I've already ordered her first birthday invites.  STOP growing!!  I'm truly trying to cherish each moment with her, especially our bedtime routine.  Don't get me wrong it can be a struggle to get her to sleep sometimes, but once she's a sleep I just want to hold her for a bit longer before putting her in her crib.

Stella is definitely on the move these days!  Basically any activity is difficult.  Changing a diaper takes way more than two hands. And don't turn you head even for a second because she will be into the next room or climbing on something!  She's crawling like the speed of light (she loves to crawl towards the bathroom or Brodie's bowl--she turns to see if anyone's watching then goes ahead! Cute but mischevious all the same)  She loves to cruise--holding onto the ottoman, entertainment center or her babydoll stroller.  She loves her stack toys and is beginning to learn how to stack them back.  The toys have become musical instruments when banged on the hardwood, tile, or air vent!  She thinks its the funniest thing.  She's even climbed one stair (with us hovering over of course)

We've started a new daycare.  Our happy go lucky baby has sailed right through the transition.  She once again is one of the youngest in her class, which has lead her to want to do what the big kids are doing!  She quickly cut out a bottle and is now eating 3 "meals" and 4 bottles.  I think we will work on cutting out another bottle soon.  Also she is eating lots of finger foods: puffs, cut up fruit, cheese.  She loves yogurt too!

She finally said Mom/Moma a total of 3 times!  Mind you she was sick but it still melted my heart (she hasn't said it since though boohoo) Jabbering nonstop most days.  Teething--that top left tooth should be showing itself any day now.  We've been battling a bit of sickness-pink eye and ear infections.  The first antibiotic didn't  completely clear the infection so unfortunately she was sick for a long time!  But she's much better now thank goodness!

Stella is growing!!  At her sick visit she weighed 20lbs 2 oz!  She's wearing some 6-12 mos and 9 mos, but mostly 12 months (onuses, etc)  She has short legs, long fat torso so dressing her is a bit difficult but all the same still fun! Still size 3 diapers.

Sorry no time for pictures...as I'm a little late getting this posted!  More to come later (we've been busy)

3/4 of a year ALREADY!!

{FROM STELLA'S PERSPECTIVE}

I'm such a big girl these days!  Mommy and Daddy can't believe how much I've grown and changed over the last few months!  I just experienced my very first Christmas (and first SNOW)..more on that later:)

I have officially mastered crawling and quickly moved onto to bigger things! {no more army crawl--truly up on all fours and FAST}  I love pulling up on any and everything that I can get my hands on.  Despite lots of new toys I still love the entertainment center--I enjoy looking at myself in the glass, pulling on the knobs and pulling up on the table.  I'm not sure why Mommy and Daddy have put these things on the doors that keep me from opening them!  I also enjoy racing across the kitchen floor to the table.  I use the chairs to climb up too.  I often play with the picture frames on the end tables too.  I really like seeing Grandmoma and Grandaddy:)  I can easily go from laying/crawling to sitting and have even figured out how to transition from standing to crawling.  My favorite game is Peek-A-Boo!

Every aspect of my day has become more and more entertaining!  I'm starting to enjoy bath time more-splashing around and playing with all my toys and bath books.  I still love books, but don't really have a favorite.  I really like it when Mommy and Daddy sing to me and I often try to sing along! I'm being to get the hang of this eating thing and get so excited when its time to try new things.  I'm currently eating cereal with apples (or other fruit) in the morning and 2 servings of veggies at night.  I've also tried yogurt recently and liked it!  My favorites still are butternut squash and apples YUMMY!  I love that Mommy makes all my food too:)

I'm all over the place in clothes.  Mommy's having a hard time keeping track:)  I'm wearing anything from 6-12mos, 9 mos or 12 months.  I wear a size 3 diaper.  I've been trying new brands/styles of diapers too.  My favorite (Mommy's fave) is the Huggies Pure and Natural BUT I seem to leak now that I'm on the move so much.  Next favorite would be Huggies Little Snugglers but they don't make them in my size and I'm not a fan of the Little Movers.  So we've been testing out Pampers.  Still haven't found a favorite.  All the ones for moving seem so thin and uncomfortable!

I'm still such a good little sleeper.  Sometimes on the weekends I like to take a 3 hour nap too!  I go to bed between 7-730pm and wake up on my own around 7.  I have been known to sleep til 8 or 9--I think Mommy & Daddy enjoy that too much:)  I'm standing up in my crib now so it's been lowered for some time now.  From time to time I've fallen asleep cuddled up to my crib bumper {Oh so cute with her arm up on it or with her head laying on it}

Official stats from TODAY's checkup: WEIGHT 18 lbs, 13.5 ounces (50th percentile)  

HEIGHT 27 inches (50-75th percentile)

Happy Baby at her check-up

7 & 8 months {long}

Oh my!  Once again I'm behind..I seemed to have forgotten a whole month!!  My oh my how time flies...my little baby is now looking and acting more like a little person.  We've been busy as usual...with nothing too extreme..just seems like LIFE gets in the way of doing things sometimes.  Hoping that gets better with time, but I think just the opposite will be true:(

Anyways, Stella is changing so much EVEN week to week it's crazy!!

Seven months
 At our 6 month check up I talked with the pediatrician about weaning from nursing.  She offered some great suggestions for working moms.  That very day I stopped pumping at work (can we say FREEDOM!) but continued to nurse at night/first thing in morning and some throughout the day on weekends.  Stella made the transition great.  At first, I used my overstock pile of milk from the freezer but BOY did that dwindle quickly!  Inevitably we had to breakdown and buy formula.  We started mixing formula(Earth's best organic) with mommy milk then slowly went to all formula (still nursing at night though!)  Again, no problems!  Stella's such a good eater..no worries!  And now she's eating veggies and fruits all made by me!  I know it seems like a lot for a working mom (believe me I'm all for easy peasy with my schedule) but it's really easy. I usually make a batch of whatever during her naps on the weekend, then freeze!  Her absolute favorite is butternut squash, but apples is a very close second (even Adam liked the apples!)  She's not a big fan of avocado or bananas (I think it's a texture thing)

Stella is growing up!  She now has her two little bottom teeth.  Teething is no joke...she would be fine during the day for the most part but the night time was rough.  Highly recommend the Hyland tablets.  Also, she's sitting up great, reaching for things out of reach.  And starting to get on all fours and rock back and forth---momma's not ready!  We also started swim lessons:)  This is so much fun!  I know she's not going to be swimming laps anytime soon--it's more to get her used to the water so she's no scared down the road.  Like most things she's a little indifferent to the new environment; she didn't smile or laugh with enjoyment but she didn't scream either!  Still babbling lots.  Says "Dada"

Oh goodness does Mommy need sleep!!  Our schedule is nonexistent at this stage:(  We usually have to wake her up for daycare and that's always a different time almost everyday.  We try to do bedtime at the same general time but it usually around her last nursing.  It's so unpredictable as far as how long she will sleep..sometimes til midnight other nights til 5.  Doesn't make any difference whether she had good naps or no naps.  The good thing is that she typically is just up once at night and quickly goes back to sleep after eating.

She now is in size 2 diapers and size 3 at night.  Wearing mostly 6-9 months and 9 month jammies

Loves books and all of her toys.  Starting to really enjoy Brodie too!  Nicknames are still about the same and different everyday. Most common continue to be Stella Bella, Lil Adam, etc

Eight months 

Wow!  Just writing this makes me realize how many changes and advances we've made in the last few weeks:)  Stella continues to amaze me with her laid back demeanor and sweet sweet personality!  She loves to people watch when we are in big crowds and typically has no problems with strangers.  On the rare occasion she has cried when we say bye at daycare but is quickly soothed by her teachers.  When lots of people are around she doesn't nap--I think it's because she's afraid she might miss something HA!  When we sing to her she makes "singing" noises with us (it's one of the most precious sounds)  She still likes to pat our faces or put her hands on our mouths. She's definitely a snuggler

We are mobile!!  She rocked back and forth for so long.  She would move either one arm forward or one knee but never all together for the longest time..I was so afraid I would miss it just by looking away for a second.  Then one night (weekend before Thanksgiving) she just took off...after the remote control nonetheless.  She takes one true crawl step on all fours then does this funny thing where she uses her arms to pull herself around.  My sister described it perfectly as the army crawl!!  Now that she's mobile she likes to pull herself into our laps--pure love

Well, Stella is now on 100% formula.  It's only been about 2 weeks but overall I feel good about my decision to wean.  I'm proud of myself that I stuck with it for so long.  It was hard!  Now I realize that both have pros and cons.  Stella has yet again not skipped a beat...she had no problems.  Although I miss the extra time with her at night I now find other ways to have special time with her.

On that same note, we started sleep training about the same time (Nov 9th). We decided to try the Ferber method after a friend at work recommended it.  The first night was HORRIBLE!!  It seemed as though every time we went in there to comfort her, she would initially calm down but as soon as we left things were much much worse!!!  After about an hour of crying, I was ready to throw in the towel.  I mean seriously how is this any better??!  If I had just fed her then WE all would have been back to sleep by now...UGH! But we stuck it out and eventually after 2 hours she fell back to sleep.  Pure exhaustion--physically, mentally, and emotionally.  I definitely felt like a horrible mother in the midst of all of that.  The next few nights got better and better though.  On the third night we only had to go soothe her ONCE.  Then from then on-NONE!  Now my baby sleeps from 730pm-7am (unless we have to wake her early).  What a difference a little sleep makes--I feel like a new woman!

Stella is wearing size 3 diapers.  Size 9 months clothes and 12 month jammies.  And she was the "Star of the Week" at daycare in November (I realize all the kids at some point or another get this "award" but nonetheless you can't help that it makes your heart full!)  Starting to enjoy and play during bath time more and more.  Loving her bathtime book.

New Things

Wow!  Once again I am amazed by my little girl:)  We have tried lots of new things these past couple of weeks and she has done great!

• Probably the biggest change is her food.  We started her on solids on her 6 month birthday!  So far I've made all of her food (it's much easier than it sounds)  We skipped rice cereal and went straight for the veggies!  She's had sweet potatoes, avocado, carrots, peas, and butternut squash.  Her favorites so far are butternut squash and sweet potatoes--she LOVES it!  At first she's a little uninterested in new food but by the second day she's fussing because we aren't feeding her fast enough--it's hilarious really!

Loving the big girl chair!

• Another new thing is the introduction of formula.  We just started this today and so far it's going good.  I'm still nursing at night (partial wean) but decided to ditch the pump during the day.  I've been using my freezer stash but that is quickly dwindling!  So we started with a little formula today so we can make what little mommy's milk that's left last as long as possible.

• Stella and Brodie are finally starting to interact!  It's so funny to watch:)  She will smile when he comes close.  Lately while holding Stella we will chase Brodie in the back yard.  Stella laughs so loud and is so tickled by it!!  I need to figure out how to post the video haha

• We also went to the park a last weekend for the first time.  Stella enjoyed the swing.  She even loved watching all the other kids play!    Melts my heart to see her smile--makes it all worth it:)