Totally Late and Worth the Wait!

Our little Brynnlee Bear hit the 10 month mark a week and a half** over two weeks ago. Double Digits!!!

The past month has been a huge one for this sweet girl of ours. 

She is completely on the move and into everything these days.



She pulls up to surf the furniture and more recently has come to the realization that she can squat down and pick things up while she's standing as well! Her balance without assistance gets better by the day and she loves to practice with a huge smile on her face!

Her first word was "Hi" just a couple weeks ago, but she only says it when she wants to! She has also started saying "Bye Bye" and waving, but refuses to do once I pull the camera out. I think she has also started saying "DooDoo" for Snickers, but I have yet to get confirmation that she actually knows what she's saying and not just mimicking us.Along with her first few words, she loves making all kinds of new OOOOOOOOooooOOOoOo sounds and I briefly got a mamamama out of her, but only ended up with this on video...

Her sign language has blossomed a bit and she uses the milk sign quite frequently. You'd think we had our very own cow in the backyard or something. Oh wait, that's me! I also saw her practicing the "more" sign and she definitely understands "all done", but does not use it until after I use it.  She has also taken to pointing and can shake her finger "no" in the cutest way ever. PLUS....she now knows how to give those awesome, open-mouthed, slobbery baby kisses too!

I've decreased the amount of milk that I leave when I go to work and she now gets three 6 ounce bottles instead of 7. While this made me feel a little less stressed about the fact that my pumping levels have decreased a ton, I don't think I'm doing myself any favors. She's been waking up earlier and earlier over the past few weeks and I'm starting to think that it's because she's not getting enough milk. Doh! As a result, I turned to power pumping last night after I put her down and I pumped for 10 minutes on and 10 minutes off for an hour. Allegedly, this pattern mimics a growth spurt and triggers the body to release more prolactin, resulting in more milk. We shall see! Hopefully she will start getting more milk before she goes to sleep and I can at least be able to sleep past 6am on the weekends. Pretty Please?
Along with the decrease in bottle size, we hit a huge milestone and put away the bottles last weekend. B is officially a sippy cup girl only now! GAH! Slow down, please!

 
She's still hanging out in 9 month clothing, but can totally pull off some of the bigger stuff as well.

We had a little stomach issue with both girls (pretty sure it was old watermelon) and they both woke up one morning covered in throw-up.

Neither one of them seemed bothered by the events at all, and after early morning baths and stripping bed sheets, the incident was over. As a result of needing to strip B's bed and her bumper, I took the opportunity to lower her mattress as well. I know that before long, I'm going to be converting it into a toddler bed just like J's and it makes me so sad! I also left the bumpers off and it allows us to see her on the monitor easier when she curls up at the foot of her crib.

B's personality grows and grows as the days go on and I EAT.IT.UP! Regardless of the fact that I can't put her down or leave the room without her throwing a fit, she's the sweetest, cutest, smartest, funniest 10 month old I know. 

We love you to pieces Brynnlee Bear!

The Brynnlee Bear Crawl!

B is officially crawling!!!

Then later that afternoon she realized she could pull up on things and cruise a bit as well.

 It's fun to see her sitting up in her crib when she wakes up now and she even forced us to hang up the camera for her monitor!
Way to go Brynnlee Bear! We are having so much fun watching you learn and grow!

9 Months In and 9 Months Out

A little late on this one, but our sweet Brynnlee Bear is 9 months! 

Ughhhh, how does this happen so fast?? Luckily, she still seems so much more "baby" than J did at this age since she's just starting to show signs of becoming mobile. Forward movement is becoming more and more frequent and I have witnessed a hand move forward followed by the opposite knee and then she flattens out. 

B has also really started to enjoy "walking" while holding are hands and just in the past week or so, she is able to get both feet up (not simultaneously) to take steps. For awhile, one leg would step and the other would drag a little. 

Her big sissy is still her favorite. Ever. 

She even enjoys being a canvas for J's stickers!

J is still totally smitten with baby sister as well, although, I think she is just now starting to realize that her toys are no longer just "her" toys! 

Her first two teeth have made their way all the way in now and while they are sharp, they sure are cute!

These chompers are put to good use and just about anything we put on her tray is consumed as quick as she can get it in her mouth. B loves any and all food so far. Let's hope it stays this way!

Over the past week or so, it's become clear that we have officially moved on to just two naps. As a result, she's been doing a wonderful job giving us at least one hour+ nap while the other is only about 45 minutes. 

Bedtime is still around 7 with a bath with sissy every other night. 

She's up for the day between 6 and 7 with the occasional day of sleeping beyond 7. 

She's in pretty much all 9 month clothes with a little dabble in 12 month and I think she's in a size 1 shoe, but I rarely put them on her, so I don't even know for sure. 

At her 9 month appointment these are the stats we were given:

20.1 lbs (78.97%)

27.5 inches (43.71%) **Dr. thinks this measurement is a little short**

45 cm head circ. (78.66%)

I can hardly believe that 9 months has already flown by. A lot faster than the 9 months she spent in my belly, that's for sure!

While I cringe at the thought of having two mobile babies to chase after, I cannot wait to see her on the move and exploring as much as I can see that she wants to. She's so calm and collected, sensitive and loving. 

We've got nothing but love for this child of ours. We have been so blessed with two amazingly sweet girls. 

Let the birthday party planning begin!!! [sob]

Love you, Brynnlee Bear!

**ETA: A couple other fun, cute, exciting things that B is doing that I forgot to mention are clapping and waving! 

Eight Months!

These last couple months have made me realize how much I love this stage of babyhood. From about 6 to 9 months is my favorite. This little munchkin is so aware of her surroundings, is so fun to interact with, is so loveable, and is still so dependent on me, but yet she doesn't talk back and she isn't mobile! It's the best of both worlds really. 

She's still only moving backwards when she's left on her belly and will only momentarily pull her legs into get up on her knees. 

Her reaction to me when I have been away from her for an extended period of time makes my heart skip a beat. She gets so excited and gives a little pouty face and whines till I pick her up. Her separation anxiety has really picked up though as well. If I set her down to play so I can make dinner, do laundry, clean up, etc. she throws a little fit as I walk away. A lot of the time she'll get over it after a minute or two, but sometimes she wont calm down until I tend to her. 

B is eating lots of different foods now. I touched on purees for a bit, but have since moved into anything she can gnaw on and break down on her own. It's been so much easier and she has taken to it really well. Some new foods that she has tried are shredded cheese, green beans, black beans, pinto beans, baked beans, toast, hummus, apple, and red bell pepper. She has enjoyed all of these foods, but is always very cautious when taking her first bite of anything.
Her pincer grasp has improved greatly over the past couple weeks as well. I love watching her little hands and fingers working so hard to grab a tiny piece of food and then attempt to find their way into her mouth. Usually after the entire fist has been shoved inside. 

I've been working on getting her to say Mama, but Dada is still winning the race and takes credit for both of her shout outs...dadada and bobobob. 

B has turned into quite the chomper when she gets bored while nursing and if it weren't for the ridiculously adorable smile she beams up at me after she does it, I think I may have taken the boob away from her by now! {Note to self: teach her not to bite before she gets any teeth!}

She is starting to leave a couple ounces in her last bottle when I'm at work, so I'm thinking about cutting back on the amount of milk I'm leaving since she is now eating three meals a day. I've been keeping up with her intake pretty well and am pleased with the volume of my freezer stash, but cutting back on a couple ounces a day would help even more. I'm still pumping three times a day at work, unless I get scheduled in a meeting that conflicts with my pumping time and I haven't been pumping before bed since we went on vacation, but I plan to pick that back up soon. 

That pesky cradle cap is still hanging on strong. I haven't been diligent about using the coconut oil or trying any other remedies and I know I need to.
Whether we do bath before bed or not, I am thoroughly enjoying the special time that we have together, just the two of us, as I put on her jams and get her ready for bed. Her mirrored closet doors make for such fun pictures and I love smooching on her and enjoying every bit of who she is in that moment. Taking in all of her rolls, smiles, her smell, and her soft skin.  

Her sleep is still the same aside from her wake up time getting earlier and earlier. It's not rare for her to be awake before I head to work at 6:30 or shortly after.

Naps are still crappy at about 20 to 40 minutes and it never seems to fail that she will take a long nap (anything over an hour) when I'm expecting her to wake up so we can go somewhere or do something. 

I look forward to B learning to crawl and do new things, but I'm in no hurry. I truly, truly love this stage!!

My sweet and sensitive Brynnlee Bear, 

Words cannot describe the love that I feel for you. Watching you take in the world around you is amazing and so rewarding to me. I wouldn't mind one bit if you could slow your roll toward your first birthday. I can wait awhile, I promise. Keep sharing your infectious smile with everyone you meet and your loving, tender heart will be admired by all. 

I love you THIIIIIIIIS much, sweet pea! 

Weekend Recap

This weekend was finally one with no plans (aside from house stuff), no out of town trips, and no visitors. It was refreshing!

I got home from work on Friday and had two very happy little girls that were so excited to see me. Must have been my lucky day! I fed B, made sure she wasn't due for a nap and then asked J if she wanted to go bye-byes. Her reply? "I want to go shopping wiff YOU, mama!" Alrighty then. Shopping it is! I got her dressed in some of her new summer clothes since it was so beautiful and warm outside and off we went. Mama needs a new dress and matching hat for the Kentucky derby, but I didn't have any luck on Friday.

Where did my first born baby go?? This precious one is such a little girl already.

Side note: Potty training has been going SO well lately. I hope I'm not jinxing it! We removed all diapers from the equation and it went well for the first couple days, then I was about ready to throw in the towel, and now she has gone almost a full week without any accidents!!! I started making a cute potty chart and am going to plan out milestone prizes/treats. The first prize is something J picked out a long long time ago. It's a set of Minnie puzzles and she was told that she could have it after a week of no accidents. She has to make it through tomorrow and then she will finally get it! I am so excited and proud of her. Fingers crossed!!

"New" old toys were brought in from the garage Saturday morning and they were a hit with both girls.

So were the strawberry pancakes with whipped cream!

Dada got to work on the master bathroom and the girls and I took off to the mall. The first few stores we hit made me want to forget the whole thing and put some sweat pants on and tell Bobby we'd be watching the derby from his dad's couch! But the search continued and I finally found something that was do-able. Not amazing, but do-able. Excuse the bra straps and chopped off head. I haven't found a hat or shoes yet.If you have any suggestions, I'm open to affordable options!

As long as the Cheerios were flowing, B was content.

We returned home for lunch and were able to enjoy some sun and fresh air on the front lawn for a bit. I took this opportunity to get out my camera and get some shots of B. I've been feeling so guilty about not using my good camera as much as I did when J was a baby. I'm no photographer, but some of these turned out super cute.

J wasn't couldn't have been bothered with modeling for mama...

After J's nap and I was able to spend some time sorting through B's closet and getting clothes put away. She spent some time trying to crawl, but only moving further and further away from the toys she was trying to reach!

Hydration was a must after all that exercise.

Proof of dada's hard work!

Sunday morning, I was up bright and early with the girls (6:30am on a Sunday??? C'mon man!). We watched some cartoons and cuddled on the couch for a bit and then I meal planned and made a grocery list while the girls played. I guess J thought B looked hungry...

I feed Sissy, mama!

B showed off more of her ability to move backwards and got herself stuck under the couch just like J used to do.

Dada made more headway on the bathroom while the girls and I went grocery shopping. I did about 5 loads of laundry in lunch and naps and then helped with some tiling. We got a bit further on the tiling than this picture shows, but we've still got a ways to go.

The weekend ended with B's first bath in the BIG bath tub, two girls off to dreamland, and time for mom and dad to catch up on Grey's Anatomy before passing out themselves!

Looking forward to another weekend of similar happenings this weekend before we head off to Kentucky on the 30th!

7 Months

 I swear I hit the baby lottery. We had our rough patch with the sleeping bit, but really, I know it wasn't that rough. I know that there are babies out there that sleep much less than B ever did. And now that she's sleeping??? This girl is so mellow. So easy going. So...dare I say it...EASY! I feel like I've had two easy babes in a row and I don't even want to think about what a third would be like. We're due for a wild ride, huh? 

Aside from that, B has been up to a lot in the past month. She's sitting up by herself so well now and has even graduated to sitting in shopping carts! This mama is LOVING it! Random shopping trips are so much easier now. 

Hey, mama! I have a secret...

I blew out my diaper in the shopping cart!!

Just in the past few days, she started making progress with crawling. I call this the Millimeter Worm (Instead of the Inch Worm, get it?) Ok, enough bad jokes for one post.
 

We haven't made much movement in her clothes. Mainly because I don't really have any footy jams for her in 9 month, it's still not warm enough to go without, and she pulls her socks off in the middle of the night.

She has now experienced the taste of avocado, lima beans, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, zucchini, banana, and I got her these organic puffs that are kale, broccoli, and cheddar and she goes to town on those.

 
 Her overall feeling about the taste of food is not very enthusiastic. Her first taste of everything elicits a response like this..

  

I mixed some avocado and banana the other night and after giving me the face, she was whining for more. And more. And more. Guess she liked that!
After moving to solids, I noticed that she was having more trouble pooping for a while, so I also introduced her to a sippy cup with water. While a good portion of the water ends up on her clothes, she thoroughly enjoys it and does a great job handling the cup on her own.
 

She has also managed to perfect her timing with sneezing while she's eating. Mama looooves getting sprayed with food! Grrrr!

You know what else mama loves? Cleaning up puke at 1 in the morning. I am actually surprised this hadn't happened sooner. Like, with J. However, I can honestly say that this being my first experience with a baby throwing up in their crib, it wasn't too horrible. The smell was the worst part. Sorry for the TMI. Other than that, I could tell she was feeling fine (must have been a fluke??) and I enjoyed getting to comfort her, bathe her, and enjoy that sweet little face in the middle of the night with no other distractions, but knowing we both needed to get back to bed.

Hey, mama, these middle of the night parties are a blast!

Another first came this past month and B came down with a virus called Roseola. The nanny had texted me while I was on my way home from work the Thursday before Easter and said she had a fever of 100.2. When I got home, she was very warm and I could tell she didn't feel well. I got a cold rag to put on her forehead and got comfy on the couch with her and let her nurse herself to sleep. She took about an hour nap and seemed a bit better, but was still warm. We went about our night as usual and she slept just fine. Luckily, I had Good Friday off, and she woke up acting completely normal, but as the morning went on, I could tell she was still droopy eyed and not her normal self. The fever was gone, but she he had periods of agitation, where you could tell something was really bugging her, and then she would go back to normal. Saturday was spent in La Jolla watching my cousin Georgie play soccer and as the day went on, B was getting more and more irritable. My mom pointed out some red splotches on the back of her neck and I thought nothing of it. I've seen that before after she's been in her carseat or laying down. A bit later, it seemed as if it was spread across her forehead, into her scalp, and a little below her eyes. I finally decided not to worry myself any longer and we packed up and decided to head to the doctor. I called on our way and they had just closed for the day, so I left a message for the on call nurse to call me back. When she had heard B's symptoms, there was no hesitation at all and she said it sounded like Roseola. There is nothing that can be or needs to be done. The rash just has to run its course. She welcomed me to come in the next morning, but she assured me that it really wasn't necessary unless B was having trouble breathing or if her temp spiked again. So, we rode it out and when she woke up Sunday, she was still not 100%, but was close to it. By Monday, the rash was completely gone and I had my happy baby back!

Oh and Mother of the Year Award....that goes to me. Not because I took great care of my sick babe, but because we sat out in overcast weather without sunscreen or hats and SHOCKER, both girls got sun burnt. J's wasn't so bad, just some pink cheeks, but when B woke up Sunday morning, the edge of her scalp was all bubbled up and oozing. Ughhh, I still feel horrible about it. 

Her poor head a few days in. A lot of healing had already taken place.

After she had fully recovered from being sick, I got her back sleeping through the night (had a few nights of feedings around midnight) and she's sleeping from about 7 pm to 7 or 8 am. She will still wake on occasion, but she puts herself back to sleep.  For naps we seem to be getting one long-ish nap - and by long-ish, I'm talking an hour - and one or two 30 to 45 minute naps. 

In the past month she has started using me as a teether while she's nursing and it drives me nuts! She will nurse, nurse, nurse and then decide it's play time and chew, chew, chew! Mama don't play that!

Speaking of nursing...aside from the pure excitement and joy that she shows me when I get home from work, she also wants to nurse right away. Not a full meal, but she gets a little snack in and then she's golden.

When J was about this age, we used to sing the ABC's to her to calm her down. With B, she likes BINGO. She will go from crying and upset to wide eyed and smiley the second she hears me start singing it.

These hotel beds are amazeballs, mom!

Sun bathing beauty

You stay away from my milk stash, ya hear?

Lovin' the new wheels, mom!

I'm too sexy for my clothes. Too sexy for my clothes...