Thursday, October 29, 2015

10 months!

10 Months!
October 2015
We've got a quickly growing boy on our hands.  You can see the baby fading away ready to move to a toddler.

Sleeping:
He's down to 2 naps.  Unless he's up early, they are usually 10:30 and 2:30.  He likes to snuggle with a blanket.  Night time sleep was great the beginning of the month.  He slept through most nights.  He had more night wakings at the end of the month while we were in Maine.  I'm guessing a combo of teething pain and sharing a room in an unfamiliar place.  Although he still has just the 2 bottom teeth. No physical signs of the top two besides the drooling and crankiness.

Eating:
It was funny to read that last month he didn't want formula.  Now that's all he wants!  He started refusing nursing.  I assume that my supply tanked and there wasn't much left for him.  So by the end of the month he was on all formula, except for a small supply of milk left in the freezer.

Solids: definitely making his preferences known.  He will have a whole tray of food and still protest if he doesn't love any of it.  Or if he sees something else he wants on the table.  But once he gets going on a preferred item he will usually continue on to eat those less preferred things.  He loves cheese, bread, most meats, fruit, sweet potatoes and any item in a pouch form.  He tolerates a variety of veggies.

Motor:
We have a walker!
Early this month he was cruising all around on the furniture but wasn't too interested in walking holding our fingers.  Then he started pushing our chairs around the kitchen.  And I got the walker wagon out for him.  And I guess he got more confident in his abilities.  On October 19th we were in the kitchen.  He was standing at the trash can.  I squatted down and called him to me.  He let go and took 4 wobbly steps before he even really thought about it!  He wasn't really eager to try again the next few days.  But while we were in Maine he got brave.  He started letting go of things and trying to walk off on his own.  He can do 4 or so steps if he waits long enough to get his balance before he takes off.  But that's a big if!  He is raring to go!  It won't be long before he's toddling all over.

First Plane ride!:
My mom and I took the kids up to Maine.  Jeff came up a day or two later.  Daniel did well on his first plane ride! He liked looking out the window.  He went back and forth between Grammi and I for awhile.  We took off at 9 am.  He got sleepy around 10.  I put him in the carrier and walked around. He was too distracted walking the aisles so I stood and swayed/bounced in an open exit row.  After 10-15 minutes he drifted off and slept until we started to descend.  Yes! The trip home was a little tougher.  It was bed time and he was tired early.  I tried the same stuff but the plane was full so there were lots of distractions.  So he wouldn't give in.  And would get increasingly fussy until I upped the motion and he'd calm down again.  After 45 minutes of this, some turbulence sent me back to my seat.  I thought it would be horrible.  But within 5 minutes he laid his head down on me and peacefully drifted off.

Misc:
-Separation anxiety phase.  Doesn't like Mommy to leave the room and prefers Mommy to all others.
-Gravitates to cars, trucks, balls and anything he can chomp on.
-Laughs when I meow at him
-Loves finger play type songs.  Pat a cake, itsy bitsy, this little piggy,
-Dances by swaying back and forth, both sitting and standing.  Sometimes as a happy dance.  He can get too eager and bang his head on something (like the side of a shopping cart or a sibling's head)
-starting to wave bye bye

Giving Claire a ride
Mmm, pasta and sauce!
Swinging with Daddy
Paaps snuggles
Apple picking
10 Months!
Pumpkin fun with Grandpa
Ready to fly
Snoozing on the plane
Daniel with Great Grampa

Friday, October 2, 2015

9 months

Sleeping:
He would drop to 2 naps but school is screwing him up in the morning.
If 2 naps: 10/10:30 to 11/12, and 2-4 (give or take)
3 naps: naps in car for drop off (9) and pick up (12:30), then again at 2:30/3
Overnight: waking up more frequently, sometimes 2x, not sure if it's teeth or just bad habits


Eating:
Had his first taste of formula on 9/1.  He didn't like it straight!  But took it mixed with milk 2:1 and then half and half

Solids: So. Much. Food.  Loves meat, beans, fruit, sweet potatoes, bread, cheese. Doesn't love eggs or peas but will eat them. Doesn't seem bothered by a little spice


Movement:
pulling up on everything, cruising a bit.  No interest in walking holding onto our hands but will push a chair or highchair around.








Thursday, October 1, 2015

Ellie at 2

Watch out world, we have another two year old on the loose!  Ellie is very much a two year old.  She stubborn, independent, and has lots of tantrums!  But she is also full of fun and sweetness and enthusiasm!

For her birthday, I went with a letter B theme to encompass many of her favorites.  Balls, books, babydolls, bubbles.  She was so adorable when we sang Happy Birthday to her!  She had a big grin on her face and put her hands up to her mouth in a cute "this is so fun" type gesture.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 


We've had some big happenings as she approached two and as her birthday passed.  She graduated from the high chair and sits in a booster seat at the table.  She can climb out of her crib.  So we turned it around with the high side facing out to buy us a few more months.  And she started preschool for the first time in August!  Her teachers are Ms. Theresa and Ms. Dawn.  They are happiest, sweetest ladies you could ever meet!  Ellie is the only girl with 7 boys.  She seems to love going and when we pull in or drive by she shouts excitedly "Ellie 'chool!"












Development:


In her play she loves little animal figures, an Anna Barbie-type doll, and ponies.  She enjoys the play kitchen.  But her favorite is whatever Claire is doing!  I made a nature hunt for them to do.  Ellie just followed Claire around like a little puppy, clueless about the task but happy to be involved.  She is attempting peg puzzles and will sit and color for a little bit.   She is imitating counting.  She was playing with a plastic gear board and saying "8, 9, 7, 8,9,7"  She has a good memory for events and places like Claire.  Twice we pass the highs school where Claire had her dance recital back in May and Ellie points it out.  She did incorrectly point out a different school one time.  But after one her correct times, Jeff is impressed and says sarcastically "Well, maybe Daniel will be stupid."  Lol!

She is asserting her independence in getting dressed.  She can put on shoes and socks and likes to try with pants.  She has more opinions about what to wear than Claire ever did.  One morning she doesn't want a shirt I picked out. She accepts the shorts.  But then rejects a different shirt. Finally she points to her dresses hanging up. I lift her up so she can show me which one she has in mind. 

Her language continues to develop.  Here's a list of some cute conversations and phrases I noted during August and September.
We are at Chilis for dinner -
Jeff: what do you want with your chicken?
Ellie points at menu - dat one corn! Big corn! (Corn on the con)
(She's also rocking out the sunglasses while at the table)
Really (weely): really fun, really cold, Really nummy

Sunglasses - sagum/ sackem ?

My, My do it, My did it!


'Chool fun!
Wait a minute

Ta da!



8/27

Made triangle mama! (With sunglasses in car)

Pick it up, me (Pick me up!)

Trying to use color words but getting it wrong

Adds the word "time" randomly in speaking  - Read nudder one, time (read another book)


Sept 8th: Language sample on the way to red top mountain
Choo choo all gone, choo all gone,  (Repeat) Choo train

Some happen Dada
Where my sungwah mama (sunglasses?)
What's some in there? Gross

Another language sample in the car:
Going mama? (where are we going mama?)  Whoa! Whoa! (as we go around a curve) 
(sees lake on either side of the road) Got two water! Why? Where going, time? Fwimming? Water! Walk on the water. Walk. Just fwim. Walk. Time. Go tummy. Put bathing suit on. Put bathing suit, time. Swim Audrey. Claire swim Audrey. Daniel swim Audrey. There it is. Find water.
Dada! Unh ready out mama.
Park dat way time.


Thank yoO!

Pick it up me (pick me up)

See big! See big? (I'm confused). I show you! (Goes and stands at door jamb like Claire does - see how big I am)


I just moo (move) helper, okay? Beep beep. I just need helper (x3).

Unh go see dada. Unh go see dada. Doing. (I want to go see what daddy is doing)


Got toot my heiney

I ub you (I love you)
I wub it  (I love it, I rub it)


All stars = starfish

Back of cart = trunk
I toot my mouth

Tries a knock knock joke: Knog og. Who dere? (Who?) Manna (banana) peanut jeddy. Sanwich


Car truck pink! (it's a big blue bud light semi truck)
Helmet is homo. Jeff asks where her homo is. In the cwojit (closet)


In the car she calls out:
Mama dat my favorite!
Jeff responds: oh yeah?
Ellie: no! Mama! dat my favorite!
Jeff: oh sorry I can't talk. Mama?
I check to see what music they are listening to in the back and the Frozen soundtrack has come on.

Birthday tricycle


With her big one corn!

Didn't want to smile or pose for me!
 
Fashionista! Sunglasses, bathing suit, socks...

Claire at 18 months and Ellie at 2


Claire at 2.5 and Ellie at 2




She loves her sunglasses

I fit in this right??

A little art fun with water colors

Running around at Atlantic Station after
a puppet show and lunch

Playing at Acworth Beach

Dress up time!

Fun with stickers

Building with apples and toothpicks
Ellie thinks it's pretty funny
  
Getting a ride from Grandpa

On a hike while Claire is at school

Getting a ride from Daddy

Monday, September 7, 2015

8 months



August 2015


similar to 7 months

Sleeping:
50/50 on whether he sleeps through or wakes up. Some teeth sleep interruptions
Mostly down to 2 naps, but sometimes 3. Staying up longer in the morning if he sleeps in more. So napping at 11 instead of 10 or even 11:30 or 12. 

Size 3 diapers, 9 month clothes



Food:
He's a food monster.  Loves to eat and consumes a lot.  We are getting screaming and grunting during meal time.  Does he want more, something different, all done??  We don't know and it's very frustrating 


Eating: everything and so much!
Added yogurt, fish, pasta, bread, cheese, shrimp, steak
Basically anything soft enough for him. 



Nursing for food every 3-4 hours. 4 hour stretches more often. (Comfort nurses in between sometimes). Much less nursing before naps. Still nurses right before bed. Often falls asleep but not always. 


He's pulling up on everything. Progressed from the low 'anywhere chairs' to the sound stage toy to finally straight up on couch. Then the gate, kitchen chairs and anything else sturdy enough. Then he started to cruise just a bit, a little shuffle step

8/15- first tooth finally breaks through!  It's been pushing its way up for weeks 



Vocalizations:
Does raspberries, screams, squeals, grunts, ma ma, da da, bah, uh duh

Belly Laughs when Claire does boo! or I blip my lips



Increased crankiness especially in afternoons. Finally figured out it was due to teething and Tylenol helps bring back our happy guy.