396 Months

Today Claire is 7 months old! (That's another post I'll try to do later.)

Yesterday, I turned 396 months. You can do the math if you really want to know! It was a nice day. I got to eat cake with Lydia, and Jim took me on a great date. We ate at a restaurant that used breakable plates and didn't seem to have any toy prizes to encourage or distract us with our meal. I also had a chance to eat lunch with my mother. So, all in all, it wasn't a great day for the diet, but it was a fabulous break from the routine!

I tried to reflect on what if anything I have learned over the last year.
* A baby eating pureed blueberries and blowing raspberries is a bad combination.
* High pitched TV characters like Elmo and Curious George seem to have a magical effect on children.
*No matter how long you give it, your crock pot meal will only be yummy if you plug in the crock pot.
*Each time you reproduce yourself, you lose a little bit more of your original self!

My life may not be super glamorous and graceful, but it's pretty blessed and I'm glad to live it!

Paci Report

It's been 11 days since Lydia willingly placed her pacifier into her new pink bear. We've had our ups and downs, but I think we're over the hump. She hasn't had a nap since saying goodbye to the binky, but she is agreeable to sitting on her bed for room time during her regular nap period. Bedtime has returned to an unremarkable routine....whew!!!! Lydia hasn't shown any great attachment to her bear since the first few days, but it was a nice gimmick to add some finality to stopping her pacifier use. My prayer at this point is that she doesn't have any sickness until she forgets why she wanted her pacifier in the first place!

Lydia waiting to stuff her bear.

Placing the pacifier inside.

What a beautiful bear for a beautiful (and pink loving) girl!

Passage of Time

When Lydia decided to try out Claire's car seat this week, I couldn't help but go back and look at photos of Lydia in the same seat as an infant. It doesn't take long to see big changes!


First day home from the hospital. 10/27/05

March 2006

This week!

Mommy Go Fetch

Claire mastered the ever so fun game of Mommy Fetch today while we were eating lunch. At first she was dropping her toy accidentally, but she definitely knew what she was doing and what she was anticipating by the end of the meal. She would let go of her toy and wave her hands or kick...whatever it took to make the toy hit the floor. Then, she'd look at me and begin to cackle as soon as I bent down to get it. Pure laughter when I returned the toy to her. Too cute...for now!!!

Lots of Changes

We've had a lot of change in our family in the past weeks. Jim started a new job. We're excited about the company and the opportunity but change brings stress and a sense of the unknown. Both of us are really looking forward to establishing a new sense of normal. Lydia decided to turn in her pacifier for a Build a Bear teddy bear. It's been a wild transition. It's been a super smooth adjustment during her waking hours. She doesn't seem to mind being without it in the van nor does she seem to miss it as a mid-morning comfort! Bedtime and naptime have not been as easy. Some nights have verged on torture. Others have been unremarkable. To add to the fun, Claire has turned into a rolling fool! She quickly twists and rolls across the room to grab the newest and most exciting toy. The crazy thing is that she seems to make most of her progress when I step into another room or turn my back. Hmm...maybe Lydia's sliding her across the floor when I'm not looking!!! Me? Let's think...I got a haircut. That's pretty exciting in my world!!!

I have some really precious pictures from the pool and Build-A-Bear that I'll post as soon as I can find my camera.....

Big Girl

Claire has been released from her frequent weight checks! She gained 13 oz in 2 weeks and is now up to 13lb!!! Feeding her is still quite a challenge, but I'm glad we've finally worked out the right combination for success.

Be Back Soon

Everything is breaking at our house. The television. The cell phone. Now the computer. We knew it was about time, but it's still a big inconvenience. So, for the moment, my posts will be few and far between!

Recent highlights of life include BIG success with Lydia's potty training and BIG failure with Claire's weight gain. I still stress the word "training" in potty training, but it looks like diapers and accidents are becoming fewer and fewer with each passing day! As for Claire, she only gained 2 ounces in 3 weeks, so we're due for another weight check next Friday. The child simply will not eat. We're still nursing but are now supplementing with formula and beginning solid foods as well. It's a lot of effort at this point, and I'm really praying we'll see some more poundage at our next appointment. (Most recent weight was 12 lb 3 oz).

Hopefully our computer situation will be resolved soon, and I'll post again!