7 Months??

Dear Milliseconds,
Can you tell that Mommy and Daddy discovered auto correct on their new phones this weekend?  And Millie quickly became Millieseconds... and we were to busy trying to figure out how the actual phone worked to bother with fixing the auto correct.

Today, you turned 7 months old.  Amazing.  You have had QUITE the month.  First off, you finally got some teeth!!!  Two of them popped through on September 1st.  Just in time for Labor Day.  And just in time for Mommy and Daddy to take a trip to Chicago and leave you and your sis in the care of Aunt KC and Grandma and Grandpa.  Also, at about the same time as those teeth popping through, you went on a MASSIVE growth spurt.  The kind where you stopped sleeping 14 hours a night and woke up to feed in the middle of the night and then again at 6 a.m.  This, of course, is after I had assured Aunt KC that you were a piece of cake and wouldn't give her any trouble.  But you were all:  "Cake?  Where's the cake?  I heard there was cake!"

So, that was fun for about two weeks before you went back to your regularly scheduled awesomeness.  I think that you knew we were at the end of our rope... and has possibly heard Daddy and I arguing about the need for you to "cry it out".  I have been a staunch opponent of the "cry it out" with you.  Why?  Because you NEVER cry.  You NEVER ask for ANYTHING.  So, when you do cry, something is wrong.  You're not just crying to mess with us... like your sis does did does. Anyway, the night we were going to let you cry it out, well... you just magically slept through the night.  Daddy and I woke up at 6 a.m. (because at this point, we had been trained) and looked at each other in confusion.  "Did you feed her during the night?  NO??? IS SHE STILL ALIVE?  Or has she starved to death in her sleep???"

The next night, I had a date with my friend and left you and Hazel in Daddy's capable hands.  And apparently, things went right to hell were rough for a bit around (what we lovingly refer to as the Witching half-Hour)  6-6:30.  Hazel was screaming for food and you were starving because you had last eaten at 5 and you expect to be fed right before bed and... IT'S TIME TO EAT AND WHEN IT'S TIME TO EAT, THERE BETTER BE SOME FOOD IN MY GENERAL VICINITY MOUTH RIGHT. NOW.

So, Daddy put you in bed and ran to fix your bottle... all the while both you and your sis were screaming your heads off.  And then as suddenly as it started, it stopped.  You passed out after less than a minute of crying.  Further bolstering Daddy's claim that Mommy is too much of a softy with you.

Which means that YOU helped prove Daddy right.  You have a lot of explaining to do.  Once you can talk.

In other groundbreaking developments, guess who is finally sitting up on her own??  It's been tough with you, Millie.  You always seemed to list to the left.  And then after your listing... you just fell headfirst. And then proceeded to wiggle around and army-man it (head down, mind you) to the other side of the room.  But on September 10, I put you down really quickly so that I could run to the back of the house and put my face on... and when I came back out 10 minutes or so later, you were still sitting up in the same spot.  Looking very pleased with yourself.

And just like that, we are one step closer to being totally screwed.  Because I really feel like you're going to be legitimately crawling in the next month or so.  And after that?  Well, you're already a big, BIG fan of standing up.  I don't believe you'll be contained much longer.

And you cannot WAIT for that day.  Because, let me tell you... you are so ready to get in on the action.  You watch your older sister so closely and so intently that I just know that eventually, the morning routines are going to include the two of you ganging up on me and running wild.

You are still the happiest baby in school.  Even when you're a little sick.  I'll come to pick you up after work and I'll hear one or two babies losing their minds and I'm always a little worried that it's you.  Because no mom wants to think about her baby being upset or unhappy at day care.  But whenever I walk in, you're just laying there, playing with your toes or gnawing on a toy, just enjoying the world.  And lately when I walk in, you look at me and you smile so big that I'm actually afraid your face is going to break.

Lately, you've become a bit of a snuggler and want to be sitting on my lap or just be held all the time.  In fact, when I put you down and sit behind you, you immediately turn and crawl on to me.  It's amazing to me because you've never really cared to be held at all.  You've also become a big fan of my hair to help anchor you to place.  And hey, if that hair is also available for you to drool on, who are you to complain.

You are not a really big fan of loud things (except your sister) or dogs.  Especially dogs.  Aunt KC brought Gus over once and you almost started hyperventilating.  (I really need to get that on film... if only I wouldn't feel like a bad mother for doing it on purpose to you.)  It's so strange to me because your older sister immediately loved noisy things and dogs and kittys.  But you... you're not having it.  Dogs and kittys may as well be aliens sent to suck out your brains.  And loud noises.  Where do I begin?  We have a little toy with a monkey on top of it that makes noise when it rolls and your sister loves to pick it up and slam it on the ground (you know, to break in the new flooring) and to you this is the equivalent of an actual monkey... in a cat suit... riding a dog... and stealing your binkie.

You started eating solids a couple of weeks ago.  It took a while for you to come around to the cereal, but when you finally got used to it, you murdered it every time we fed you.  We have recently introduced other "solids" like pureed peaches and sweet potatoes.  Each of which result in full-body shivers and a stubborn refusal to eat another bite.  Of anything.  Look at you... 6 months old and you've already been labeled as our "picky eater".  Who knew that Chilly Millie would have such high standards for food?

You've also slowed down your eating since your growth spurt.  And some days, it's hard for me to get you to eat more than a tablespoon of cereal and 4 oz of milk at a sitting.  Which, is probably normal for most babies.  Who aren't giants.  But for 7-month-olds who are already easily fitting into 12-18 month old clothes?  THEY EAT. 

I can't wait to see what this next month brings you.  I already suspect that the next few weeks will see you no longer in the infant carrier... you're getting REALLY heavy to carry in that thing and I've started to just take you out of it and carry you in to day care.  It's sad to me because... well, it just means that pretty soon, I'm not going to have a baby anymore.  And you'll want to walk into school like your sister.  And then... well then what am I good for?  Besides wiping your butt?

Love,
Mama

Millie's 4-Month Update

Dear Millie,
Last week, you turned four months old.  And celebrated that little milestone with your first ear infection.  We were on vacation in San Diego and my sweet, little bundle of easy baby turned into a wake-up-every-three-hours nightmare.  You didn't have any other symptoms of an ear infection, but on a hunch I took you in and there it was.

So, the first few days of our vacation (for you and me, anyway) were rough.  But in the end, it all worked out and you have returned back to your regularly scheduled awesomeness. (Just in time for your four-month shots, but that's another story).

This last month has been a big one for you in terms of growth and development.  You are tipping the scales at 16.5 pounds and are 26.5 inches long.  You're in the 98th percentile in length and 93rd percentile in weight.  So that means that there are at least 2% of babies in this world that are taller than you.  (This is progress for our family, as your sister was in the 104 percentile at one point... which seemed to be a little abnormal.)  In other words, my four-month old is the approximate size of a nine-month-old.  No average four-month-old for you.  No siree.  Let this be a lesson to you that you are not average.

You are unique...

You are special...

You are sooooo happy!  I mean, your sister was a happy baby, but you.... well, you take the cake.  I have never heard a baby giggle as hard and as much as you do.  It's so fun to just sit on the floor with you and make faces while touching your tickle spots (your legs are extremely ticklish!) and watch you lose your mind in delight.  I especially love making you laugh when the two of us are out shopping.  When we had to go to the CVS Pharmacy in San Diego to get your meds, you and I had a lovely outing... full of giggles, coos and smiles.  In fact, the pharmacists couldn't believe that you had an ear infection.  And your laugh was so contagious, that people standing in line behind me couldn't help but smile.  I like to think that your laugh brightened up more than a few people's days that day.  In fact, a complete stranger came up to you and made you laugh.

I hope that you always have that contagious happiness, Millie.  You make every room brighter with your smile.  And you don't have to be talked into being happy or laughing.  You WANT to be happy.  You WANT to laugh.  You WANT to be just like your sister... we can see it now.  The two of you are going to gang up on us and then we'll really be screwed.

We brought out the jump-a-roo for you a couple of weeks ago.  Your sis started in the jump-a-roo when she was four months, but you seemed to be ready for it earlier.  You LOVE it.  And you play with the attachments already... it's absolutely insane how quickly you progress.  For the love!  You can already turn yourself around in it!  I don't know that Hazel ever mastered that particular skill!  You sister loves to play with you in the jump-a-roo.  This consists mostly of her getting right in your grill and laughing hysterically.  And then stealing your binkie, sucking on it and then attempting to put it back in your mouth.  Where she will again steal it and repeat the cycle.

And you love it. You truly love your sister.  And she loves you.  Has from about the time you were two weeks old.  She always wants to play with you, kiss you, hold you, feed you cereal... all things that require Mommy to monitor.  But I know that both you and she can't wait until I turn you loose with each other.  And then.... well, I hope this neighborhood city country world is ready. 

You've also learned how to roll over.  It was a sad day when that happened.  It was June 4th.  I remember because your Daddy was in Vail.  I was attempting to bathe Hazel and you were in the living room alone playing in the gym.  Your Aunt KC came over and I yelled at her to play with you while I finished bathing your sister.  That's when she yelled back:  "Um... Millie's trying to roll over."

To which I responded: "No... she's been rolling to her side a lot recently.  Usually that's how she falls asleep.  Don't worry about it!"

Approximately 20 seconds later...

"Millie just rolled over!"

Yea.  And both your Daddy and I missed it.  But, at least someone from the family got to see it, right?  Huge bummer.  But, as it turns out, you're a pretty big fan of rolling over so I like to say that the first time you actually rolled over was on June 5... in front of both Daddy and me.  We'll go with that story, mkay?

You have become quite the slobberer in the last month.  Literally.  You are a drooler, Millie Bean.  A big one.  I keep thinking that it's because you're about to teethe... as your sister had her first two teeth when she turned four-months-old... but, nope.  Nothing.  You're just an obligate slobberer.

You're still a binkie baby... although I blame myself for that.  I keep hoping that you're transition to the thumb but you get so frustrated trying to suck your thumb that I "help" by sticking the binkie in your mouth.  Which means that Mommy can't complain that she has to get up in the middle of the night to plug you back in. 

You are still hit and miss on your sleep.  Sometimes you can throw down 12 hours (your first was last night!) without a feeding.  Other times you wake up every four hours and want to feed.  I've instituted a new rule that you only get fed in the middle of the night if it's been at least 6 hours.  You're only interested in eating about 5 oz at a time.  Which is frustrating because sometimes I wonder if your sleep would be better if you would just tank up at night.  But, you're a bit of a snacker.  So, we deal. 

But, wonder of wonders... you are able to fall asleep at any time, in any place... without so much as a "How do you do?". How many times have I looked over at the gym where you were busy playing and laughing... to discover you are sound asleep?  How many times do your Daddy and I say to one another:  "Millie's asleep again."?  Too many to count.  It's hilarious how you can just fall asleep like that! 

You are such a fascinating baby, Millie.  You really are.  This morning, I went in to your room at 8 a.m. to see if you were asleep or at least stirring so I could feed you and you were just laying there... completely awake... just enjoying being.  And your face lit up when you saw me.  I felt my heart melt right then and there.

I know that these moments are fleeting.  I know that by this time next year you're probably going to be throwing temper tantrums like your sister (ah.... the divine comedy of being a toddler!) so right now, all I want to do is cuddle with you and rock you to sleep.  I want to make you laugh so I can ingrain that sound of pure happiness into my brain.  I want to make you smile so I can take a mental snapshot and think of it when I'm not with you.  I want to watch as you and your sister interact and capture those moments in my heart and be grateful at how blessed I am as a mother to witness such things. To know that I gave birth to two such special and amazing spirits.  That I'm raising a little family.  That I'm in charge of helping you make it through this world.  That I have a responsibility to help you become whatever it is that you're destined to become.

I hope and pray that I don't totally screw it up.

Love,
Mama

Millie's Room

Dear Millie,
I just realized that I have never posted pictures of your room.  SHAME ON ME!!!  Believe it or not, we actually had it done before you were born, but I never seemed to have the camera with me and I was so busy being irritable and fat, that I couldn't be bothered.  I knew that I would eventually get to it... just didn't know it would be when you were three months old!  My bad.

Your room was actually our old office space.  Which, prior to that, was where the cat lived.  Let's just say that this room has come a loooonnnnngggg way.  

 The office...

... is now your room!

So... you're gonna notice right off a few things that stand out. One, the furniture doesn't match.  Doesn't even come close to matching.  This is because we scored a free crib from some friends and seriously?  You don't turn down free furniture.  EVER.

 

Then we decided to bring Hazel's old dresser/changing table in, along with Big Ugly.  (Side note:  From day one, you have been intrigued by the flower stickers.  It's incredible to me, but you are absolutely entranced by them every time I change you!)  We also brought in the boogie machine, the diaper genie and your very own brand new humidifier!  I swear by this humidifier.  Best money I've ever spent.

Anyway... the room doesn't match.  It seemed so important for furniture to match when we put together your sisters room.  But that was when we were young, idealistic and had money burning a hole in our pockets.  Back when we could afford luxury items... like food.  Back when we didn't realize that we had enough money to have a second house somewhere.  You know... back before day care sucked every last dime we had hidden underneath the cushions of the couch.

But, I digress.

I found these cute wall decals on Amazon.com, and they were soooo much easier than the ones we put up in Hazel's room.  And way cuter.  And, surprisingly, WAY cheaper.  It's not like you care about them right now, but they're fun for me to look at while you're nursing.  I'm also hoping to get rid of the little heater if and when it finally warms up around here.  But the way things are going, it might not be until July or August!  The sound machine?  I take it back... that's the best thing I've ever spent money on.  I would have paid $1,000 for that thing.  IT'S. THAT. AMAZING.

We're dealing with a much smaller space than your big sister's room, but I think that it works.  It's cozy and the rug that we put down really made a difference.  You don't seem to mind your room and are a big, BIG fan of the lighted carousel.  We use that thing a lot more than we did the first time around.

We're not gonna talk about the door.  Just suffice it to say that it's about as secure as Fort Knox.  Your Daddy assures me of this.  And it's much better than the other door that was there previously.  Plus... we've got a great alarm system.  You can rest easy, baby girl.  I know I do.

Love,
Mama

... It'll Be A Short Drive

Dear Girls,
This weekend was my birthday.  Your dear old Mommy turned a whopping 34-years-old.  ANCIENT.  But, with the help of a little dye, my hair looks like that of a 20-something, even if the laugh lines around my eyes don't. So I've got that going for me.

Your grandparents came down to visit and got to spend some quality babysitting time with you while Daddy and I went on a hike to Waterfall Canyon.  The last time I made that trip was when I was 6 months pregnant with Hazel... and thinking about that now blows my mind!  We can't wait to take the two of you up there!  It's going to require a lot of patience on our part and a lot of energy on your part.  But I see families with 5 or 6 kids making that trip and even the littlest ones seem to be a having a good time, so I believe our visit will be sooner rather than later.

It was a great weekend.  I woke up to find these that Hazel and Daddy had picked.

 

Millie... well, the only thing you can pick right now is your binkie out of your mouth (yea.... you're GOOD), but the flowers were from both of you.  Right out of my garden!

Sunday morning, we decided to make a trip to the doctor's office.  Hazel had been coughing on and off for a couple of weeks and Millie had started to cough a couple of days prior.  So, just to be on the safe side (and live up to my "THAT mother" status at the clinic) we took you both in.  The doc thought Hazel had allergies, but I had my suspicions.  So, she gave us some Claritin as well as a prescription for an antibiotic and told us to only fill it if the Claritin didn't work.  I was fully prepared to fill that prescription and say "Screw the allergy theory!", and was shocked to discover that the Claritin?  It worked.  And our little ray of sunshine... who has, for the past week or so been a holy living terror and super whiny?

 

She's baaaccckkkkkk!  

Allergies, huh?  WHO KNEW?  This is just a not-so-gentle reminder to us that when Hazel is  whiny and needy and OMG WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP WITH THE CRYING OVER EVERYTHING?... well, that just means that there's something going on with her.  Sick.  Allergies.  Something.

She's not being evil just to be evil.  Or "two-ish" as the pediatrician put it.

She's not being evil just to be evil.  This will be my mantra. 

I may have to put it up as a wall decal somewhere in the house.   

Millie, on the other hand... well, she has bronchiolitis.  Or RSV.  We're not sure.  But since the treatment is the same for both, we didn't bother with the test.  Doing some reading on bronchiolitis... well, let's just say it's a huge bummer.  It's defined as the swelling and mucus buildup in the smallest air passages in the lungs (bronchioles), usually due to a viral infection.  AWESOME.  Millie had breathing issues when she was born, so I wonder if she is particularly susceptible to it.  I'm hoping that we've reached the peak of her coughing.

 

She's been awfully needy lately... anxiety, I suppose.  She has even fallen asleep on both myself and Benny several times in the last few days. I mean, Millie doesn't ever want to snuggle and right now, I'm not really allowed to put her down without her crying.  Oh, also... SOMEONE HAS FOUND HER LUNGS.  Holy Mother of All That Used To Be Holy In This House.... she's going to give Hazel a run for her money. She could give Steven Tyler a run for his money.  As a matter of fact, I challenge Steven Tyler to come visit us and we'll compare.  And, hey... if that means that I get to act on my Laminated List of Celebs I Get To Make Out With?  SO. BE. IT.

Anyway, this also means that the nights are tough.  When she wakes up, we have to suction out her nose, which totally wakes her up.  We also have to give her breathing treatments... the same ones we gave Hazel when she was four months old and had RSV.  I'm telling you, though... Millie is WAY stronger than Hazel was at this age. And, if possible... more tenacious.  She fights the breathing treatments like NOBODY'S BUSINESS.  We can't trick her into it like we could with Hazel... which was by standing inches away from the TV and hoping that the big pretty lights would distract her.  They don't.

And when she feeds.... well, let's just say that I had already forgotten how sore nipples get when a baby is sick, because they feed like EVERY HOUR.  On top of that, it's like she's trying to find whatever comfort she can by clamping down on my poor, unsuspecting nipples.  Luckily, Benny has been able to spell me during one of the night shifts and will rock with her for a bit after I feed her so I can get some rest. Guess we get to re-do the sleep training after she feels better. 

Poor Millie.  The one saving grace during this whole experience is that the Claritin has helped Hazel and when she comes home at night and when she makes up in the morning, she's not demanding.  She waits patiently for me to finish feeding Millie or cooking breakfast or dinner or whatever.  She even plays by herself without whining or throwing a fit.  In short, she's my lifesaver.  Millie was my lifesaver when Hazel was acting up... THANK GOD THE TWO OF THEM DON'T WORK TOGETHER TO DRIVE ME BONKERS YET.

Love,
Mama

Hazel Basil - Months 15 &16

Oh Hazel,
So many things have happened in the last few weeks and months.  You have become such a little personality that I feel like to do you justice, I should be filming you 24/7... just so everyone has the chance to see just how freaking amazing you are.

You've been particularly happy and are still growing like a weed.  I recently had to buy you some new shoes... you're a 6.5 now.  And oh my!  Do you love shoes!  You like to put your feet in Daddy's shoes and attempt to walk in them.  And you bring your shoes over to me so I can put them on for you.  Of course, you think that means that we're immediately going to go outside and play.  Which we normally do.. unless it turns out that it's snowing and you're sick.  Which is the perfect storm we ran into today. 

It's actually been a relatively mild winter so we've been able to take advantage of it.  And you have, in fact, discovered that you HEART the wind.  The other day, you ran up the sidewalk with the wind blowing in your face and the look of joy you had took my breath away.

You still enjoy taking baths... especially in your new bathtub, the kitchen sink.

You still love to read and you're still a great sleeper.

You've become quite the little helper.  In fact, today you actually took your dish over to the sink and put it in.  WHAT?  Yea... I'm sure that in a few years, I'll be thinking back to this particular moment and wondering where in the world we went wrong since you'll refuse to do such things.  You also like to throw things away... and you even took your own diaper to the garbage and put it in for us.  And trust me, at 9 months pregnant, that REALLY helps out Mommy.

So, I'm hoping that when we bring your little sister home this week, you'll continue to be a great help.

You love to run around and screech in happiness.  You still love your Playhouse Box that we scored when we got a new microwave.

We've started to try you at the kitchen table for eating.  You seem to do well there, but I'm not sure that I'm ready for you to make the transition... you know, where you can leave the table unassisted.  Luckily for us, you still LOVE to eat.

And it doesn't really matter if you've already eaten... if Mommy or Daddy makes the mistake of eating in front of you, you immediately run over to us, unhinge your jaw and demand to be fed whatever it is we're eating.  I suspect the only way to cure you of this is for one of us to take one for the team and eat some peas... as it appears you are OVAH peas.  

You have turned into quite the Daddy's girl these days.  You love you some Daddy.  Part of this, I suspect, is because Daddy's had to take a bigger role since I'm less mobile that before.  And my goodness, you want to be wherever he is.  No matter when. No matter where.

You've also become super lovey in general.  You will give kisses and will snuggle with your favorite stuffed animals... and any animals you see in a book.  You're also all about smelling flowers you see in a book... I can't wait for spring so you can smell some flowers in the garden.  And I can't wait to plant the garden with you!

You're currently teething about 4 teeth... which has unfortunately made you a leetle bit grumpy.  Awesome.  Just in time for a new baby.

You've also taken to playing... hard.  Meaning, you have started to hit while you're playing.  This is no good, baby girl and we've had to come down hard on you a couple of times and remind you to play soft.  It doesn't help that Grandma Paskins taught you how to hit yourself and other people in the head with the drumstick of the set you got for Christmas.  You picked up on THAT pretty quick.  We expect a few notes from day care about it this week.  And we're gonna have to have a discussion about this with Grandma Paskins.

You are a big fan of slides these days and we've spent a couple of days at the duck pond where you fed the ducks before hitting the playground.

A friend of mine sent you a cute little shirt and a matching onesie for your little sister.  I can't wait to have both of you dressed up in them. And look!  Mommy put something in your hair for once! 
UNPRECEDENTED!

Some big changes are about to rock your world, sweetie.  I hope you know that we love you so much that giving you a little sister is the best gift we could give you.  

Love,
Mama

Bump Watch - Weeks 34-36

Dear Squirt,
Well... we're officially on the countdown.  Only 25 more days until your arrival!  I can't tell you how much we are looking forward to it.  Or how much we've discussed what to name you.  We've had several "helpful" suggestions from friends and family, and I think now is a perfectly good time to document some of the names that have been ruled out... or vetoed immediately.

- Pearl
- Juanita
- Agnes
- Millicent (your Daddy had a spit-take when I pulled that one out.)
- Zoey (we both love the name, but you have a second-cousin by that name)
- Lila (again... love the name, but cousins already beat us to it!)

Those are just a few of the many, MANY names that have been thrown at us (or by us) in the last couple of months.  I think that the name we're most comfortable with is going to be perfect and I've already been calling you by it just to test it out.  It seems to work!

We went to our doctor's appointment yesterday and got to see that you are head down (right on my bladder) with your bummy shoved up into my ribs and your feet kicking whatever organs are left on the right side of my body.  This has led to the reemergence of waddling.  Which is never a good sign.  And the bummy in the ribs  is constantly leaving me out of breath.  But right now, it's the head on the bladder that's driving me batty.  I don't remember having to pee this much with your sister.  And sometimes it's a total false alarm.  I don't like those at 3 a.m., sweetie.

My friend Sarah came to visit last weekend.  She's pregnant, too.  About 29 weeks in this pic, I believe.

 35 Weeks!

But, as you can see... I win.  In the belly AND the hair department.  Good grief!  Who lets their wife go out like that?

Your nursery is about 90% complete. I finally ordered the wall decals and Daddy and I put them up tonight.  It's super cute and when the room is finally finished, we'll post pics. Just a quick FYI... we took so much care with Hazel's nursery when she was still in utero... everything had to match.  With you?  Well, we got real.  And we scored a free crib.  So you're getting Hazel's old changing table and dresser... still the nicest piece of furniture in the house... and she's going to have to settle for a new dresser that may or may not match the rest of her room.  But honestly?  Who cares?  Do I really think that it's going to upset her if her dresser is white and her crib is dark?  I will not raise a diva.  I. Will. Not.  And you won't care, either, that your dresser is dark and your crib is light.  You wanna know why?  Because there are bigger issues in the world.

Issues like the fact that Mommy needs to use the bathroom right now because you keep head-butting my bladder. 

You've gotten the hiccups quite regularly and it's one of those things that I get to share with you... and no one else knows.  It's kind of fun.  And Daddy finally got to feel you move the other night.  The first time he's gotten that opportunity. You've been moving around a lot more at night, so I guess I can kiss my dream of having a baby that automatically sleeps at night GOOD-BYE.

We are so excited for you to join our little family.  We're even more excited to see if we can actually do it better this time.  Because if you don't know by now, we were pretty much ginormous screw ups when we brought your older sister home.  I truly don't know how she survived those first few weeks with us.  But, she taught us a ton... which we hope we can put to good use on you!

I remember the night Hazel was born... right after delivery when your Daddy was giving her her first "bath".  I remember sitting there... coming down off of all the drugs... and being completely stunned. 

Stunned that we'd finally done it.  Stunned that there was actually this little person that had come out of me and that I was somehow supposed to take care of for the rest of her life.  Stunned at all of the emotions swirling around me.  And stunned that our coupledome was officially over.  Our life... as we knew it... would never be the same.  Of course I thought about that pre-delivery.  Even thought about it pre-pregnancy.  But it doesn't sink in until you're sitting there in a hospital bed, on top of an ice pack with two Tucks pads in your undies and after having a nurse help you to the bathroom so that you can lose whatever is left of your dignity... all while watching the man you love tenderly wash the sore head of your baby for the first time. 

You always think you're ready.  You're not.  And I'm sure that we won't be completely ready for you to make our threesome a foursome.  But we're way more prepared mentally for whatever changes you bring into our lives.  And are so looking forward to it. 

Goodnight, Squirt.  Sleep safe and tight in there for a few more weeks.  We already love you.  And will forever. 

Love,
Mama

A Belated Halloween

Dear Hazel,
So, Halloween came and went without a whole lot of fanfare. You had a great time considering you were dealing with a severe case of the trots. But, we got you dressed up and ready to go Trick-or-Treating around the neighborhood.

Unfortunately, it was super cold and rainy that day so we ended up making it a really quick trip.

We started by carving the pumpkins. You loved it!

Then we went to visit the neighbors in your costume.


I "made" your costume this year. In that I sewed a black boa on a pair of black spandex to look like a cat tail. Yep. You've got a super talented mom and didn't even know.

We had to call the evening short because it started raining, but before that, you were enjoying sitting on Daddy's shoulders.

For future reference, putting makeup on a one-year-old for Halloween? Like giving a cat a bath. Only more bleeding.

You enjoyed the one piece of candy that I dared let you have. And even then, you only just chewed on the plastic.

Overall, I'd say it was a successful Halloween. Even if it was technically the day before Halloween since they don't celebrate Halloween on Sundays in Utah.

Get used to it.

Love,
Mama

A Birthday Post - A Month Late

Dear Hazel,
You'll have to forgive me, as this post is late. Really late. Not as late as the post that I was supposed to write about our trip to San Diego in June... and is still unwritten... but late just the same.

In my defense, since your birthday we've had Halloweeen (yet another post I haven't written!), and both your Daddy and I have suffered through back-to-back sinus infections.

And you... well, you had 3 weeks of waking up covered in diarrhea 2-3 times a night.

And severe diaper rash.

All while teething 3 of your 4 molars.

By the way, all of Mommy and Daddy's friends who didn't tell us how miserable a teething child could be and how our quality of life would suffer until those stupid molars poked through... well, they've got some explaining to do.

*Ahem*

So, a post about the awesomeness that was your Big Day kind of got pushed to the bottom of our priority list. But, things have returned to normal, well the "new normal" of having a toddler running the house.

But, more on that in a later post. For now, let's talk about your First Birthday!!!

We invited some close friends to come celebrate your big day and it was a huge success! We are so glad that we had set up the basement as the "kid" room and that's where you spent most of the day. You were the Belle of the Ball and since you were also the youngest in attendance, all of the other kids doted on you by pushing you around your little train and feeding you chips. And when they weren't doing that, they were busy jumping in the Jump-O-Lene that Daddy had blown up - singlehandedly! - for the occasion.


I have to admit, leading up to the Big Day, I was kind of worried that no one would come. Not that there was anything that led me to believe people wouldn't come. But, you know... I'd never been to a First Birthday party, so I didn't know if people would actually come or if they would think it was a stupid idea. Hazel... EVERYONE that we invited showed up. EVERYONE. We couldn't believe it! Pretty soon we had over 20 people upstairs and who knows how many kids downstairs??? All I know is that I'm pretty sure that our house exceeded its maximum occupancy under the Fire Code.

You opened up presents and had help from Sydney, Sarah, Gavin and Cressie.


You were a big fan of the new rocking chair that Mommy and Daddy got you. I searched the city high and low for the perfect chair... one that was timeless and could stand up to the wear and tear you are bound to bestow upon it. I knew there had to be one out there that met those criteria. My parents still have a rocking chair that all three of us kids used. I finally found one at a consignment shop. From the 1890's. And I gotta think, if it's survived intact for over 100 years? We can get a few more years out of it.

And the verdict?

You spent the entire present opening time on that chair. So I think you like it.

Grandma and Grandpa Paskins got you a homemade Raggedy Ann doll. It's all yours, Hazel. And no one else in the world has that doll. I'm hoping that when you're old enough to appreciate it, you'll actually.... you know, appreciate it. Because the only time you pay attention to that doll right now is if she happens to be sitting in your chair. And this is an unacceptable event in your world.

You definitely cleaned up at your birthday, baby girl. You got a teapot and tea set, building blocks, a puzzle, birdhouses and books!! LOTS AND LOTS OF BOOKS! And seriously, thank goodness for new books because you were so. over. your little collection of books. The new additions saved Mommy and Daddy's bacon and bought us at least a couple more months before we have to go find new books for you to ooo and awwwww at.

After the debauchery of the present opening, it was time for your birthday cake. Our friends from the coffee shop recommended someone to make the cake for us, and it was totally worth it. And if Mommy had been thinking straight, she would have taken a picture of the cake when it was dropped off, instead of waiting to take a picture while dozens of hungry children were surrounding her waiting to dive into the cake. (And eating one of the eyes when Mommy wasn't looking.)


Your cake was in the shape of a kitty-cat... your favorite animal. Up until two weeks ago when you discovered monkeys. Anyway, the kitty-cat was all yours. And you elected to play with it and throw frosting everywhere.... until Daddy put a piece of cake in your mouth.

OH. MY. It was GAME ON from that moment on. You're definitely my child when it comes to your sweet tooth.



While we didn't get a still picture of you actually eating the cake, we do have a pic of the end result.

Everyone else partook of the bigger version of your cake as you stumbled around the house, drunk on fatigue (yep... guess who skipped her nap on her birthday?), sugar and the kid-mania that had infested our house for a few hours. You were such a trooper, Hazel. You stayed up all the way until 7:30!!! After which Mommy and Daddy cleaned up the house, and then sat on the sofa mumbling incoherently. What a day!!!

I have to admit, a year ago I didn't know how we were going to make it through the day, much less a whole year. I wasn't sure I could do it. But now? You are just the most amazing little girl. You have such a sweet spirit and when you're not teething, you're full of giggles and delighted screams.

Thank you for joining our family. Thank you for causing my heart to burst out of my chest every time I see you. Thank you for making me actually want to have another one! You're going to be a great big sister and I can't wait for our family to become whole.


Again.

Love,
Mama

Happy Halloween Hazel!

Minutes after this was taken, Mommy's heart melted and puddled in her shoes.

Bump Watch Weeks 21 and 22

Dear Squirt,
I know, I know... late. AGAIN. Geez, Mommy. Get it together, already!

Yet again, I find myself apologizing for failing to update you on your (my) progression in these months of you growing inside me. I would take full responsibility for it... or try to throw your sister under the bus by proclaiming that running around after a toddler who has learned to walk and continually fall directly on her face is exhausting.

But, no... I think the blame for this whole thing lies with... YOU. Holy cow, Squirt! Have you ever worn me out these last few weeks. I'm exhausted when I go to bed. I sleep like the dead. And then wake up just as exhausted! I don't recall having this level of fatigue in the second trimester with your sister, so it's gotta be something you're doing. Like, I dunno... stealing all my energy and my mojo, perhaps?

I guess, though, to be fair I should at least attempt to update you on the events of the last few weeks so that when you're old enough to read and experience sibling rivalry over the number of posts generated during my first pregnancy and compare it to the second... well, then you and your sister will actually have something to fight over, right?

A couple of weeks ago, we went to the doctor and had our ultrasound to make sure everything is okay in that little tiny space you call home. And, of course, since we have absolutely no patience and like to plan ahead, we found out that you are a GIRL!!! Holy crap! Another girl! We are so excited!

Your Daddy is proud as a peacock and can't wait to be "That Guy." You know, the guy outnumbered 3-to-1 (actually 4-to-1 if you count the cat) by females in the house. He's also looking forward to buying another gun... one for when Hazel starts dating, and the other for when you start dating. It surely didn't help matters when I reminded him that the first guy I dated, I ended up marrying. Of course, I was like 20 at the time...

Anyhoo, we got to see some great pics of you via the ultrasound. You're already so different from your sister. When she was in utero, she was positioned (for the most part) on her tummy, with her legs and arms curled up under her. Looking peaceful and calm. She looked like an Anne Geddes photo in black and white.

But you? You are flat on your back, with your legs and arms BEHIND your ears. I'm sorry... but this just CANNOT be comfortable. There's no way you're getting in rest that way. It looks neither peaceful nor calm. And Anne Geddes would be thrown in jail for posing a child that way.

We also got to see your beautiful little face. And I guess in a few months we'll know for sure, but I swear that you have lips. YES!! Lips! We could tell that Hazel didn't have lips at her ultrasound... further proof she was a Nadolski. But you? You've got my lips. In that, you know... you have lips.

We can't wait to see what other differences you have. When your sister came out, she looked like the perfect mix of Mommy and Daddy.... and I gotta think that you're going to be the same. Only with lips.

Besides being completely fatigued all the time and, yes, I will admit, falling asleep at my desk and drooling on the keyboard, I'm experiencing other pregnancy issues. Most notably, the pain in my back.

My doctor explained to me that the reason my back hurts so much now when it didn't hurt at all with the first pregnancy is that my abs never really had a chance to recover and strengthen before throwing myself onto this rollercoaster ride again. Which is why I was showing at 4 weeks. But, man... by about 2 p.m. every day, my back has thrown in the towel and has explained to me that it will see me tomorrow morning. Goodnight! Also, the fact that I seem to be carrying you very, VERY low... well, I'm no doctor but that can't be helping matters.

And, of course, by 7 p.m., it has threatened to fire me for crimes against the spine. The good news is that your Daddy feels bad for me and actually volunteers to give me a massage. And if that's not good enough, he sends me to a day spa the next day to get a real massage. Which is why at 12:30 today, you and I are gonna be in HEAVEN!

But honestly, if it weren't for the back pain, fatigue, incredible acid reflux and the fact that I feel like even my maternity pants are screaming in horror when I put them on every day, I would hardly know I was pregnant. Occasionally, I can feel little flutters from you and last night your Daddy was actually able to feel you kick. Or what I can only assume was a kick. And if that's true, then perhaps you've gotten out of your turtle-stuck-on-its-back pose? We can only hope.

21 weeks!

This picture was taken last week after your Daddy and I had our weekly Friday lunch date. You're going to grow up loving this river, Squirt. Trust me. We can barely keep your sister out of it. Of course, we can barely keep her out of the toilet these days. Do me a favor? When you're old enough, save your fascination with water for the bathtub or pool, mkay?

Love,
Mama

18 Weeks? 18 WEEKS??

Dear Squirt,
Forgive me for not writing sooner. There's much to be said about the differences between a first pregnancy and a second pregnancy. Especially those pregnancies that are less than a year apart. With your sister, Hazel, I had plenty of time to document and yes... wallow... in every aspect of the pregnancy. I could write about how the smell of canned corn made me want to throw the can at your Daddy's head. I could talk in detail about every detectable feeling of nausea and every time I felt a tiny movement inside my ever-expanding waistline. I talked in great length about my cravings of hard-boiled eggs, watermelon and orange juice.

But with this pregnancy? With you? I've been more than slightly remiss in documenting. But I have two good reasons.

1 - Your sister doesn't leave me a whole lot of time for pondering all of the wonders that is the pregnancy. I don't get the luxury of falling asleep at any time, in any place. Or being nauseous and not wanting to even think about food. When I come home from work, my day isn't even close to being over, as it was during the first pregnancy. In short, I don't really get to wallow in this pregnancy. Because the minute I do, your sister will be in the bathroom cabinet (that has not yet been baby-proofed) eating the AJAX.

And I guess that somehow you know this? Because...

2 - Were it not for the fact that I've seen several sonograms and heard your heartbeat repeatedly at said sonograms... and were it not for the fact that I started showing at like 4 weeks? I would NEVER know I was pregnant. No cravings. No super sniffer that's requiring the ban of certain foods or household pets in my vicinity. However, I will say that for the first trimester, I had an overall feeling of nausea just kind of lurking below the surface pretty much the entire time. Nothing that would prevent me from eating or anything (my waistline thus far can attest to this) but always there... lingering. It doesn't help that midway through the first trimester the whole house went through a bit of the stomach flu. Keep in mind, Squirt, that it takes a special something to get your Mommy to actually toss her cookies. And usually that something lands her in the hospital for three days. So when my turn with the stomach flu came through, I fought it. And fought it. And fought it.

And failed miserably. But, at least I got it out of my system. And I feel like I can still declare that I have never thrown up due to a pregnancy.

But, I digress. To put it more fairly, this pregnancy is completely different from the first one. I guess that's the most notable part of carrying you, so far. It makes me wonder every day what you're going to be like and how you're going to be different from your sister.

I suspect that you, my dear, are going to be a pretty laid-back little baby. But I also predict that of our little family, you're going to be the Tender Heart. Your sister... she's the Playful Heart. I can say this because while she caused me a ton of heartburn (of which you've completely skipped thus far... preferring to go straight to the acid reflux, thankyouverymuch), you've actually caused me a lot of absolutely unnecessary tearing up. Over anything and everything. And sometimes these random tearing up leads to full on bawlfests... for NO. GOOD. REASON.

It doesn't matter if it's a commercial about coffee, adopting a dog from the shelter, or a good price on milk. It's beginning to get a bit ridiculous. As evidenced by my emotional breakdown at the airport last week. I missed a connecting flight from Phoenix to Flagstaff. Entirely not my fault... other than the fact that I elected to go with US Airways initially and SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER.

Anyway... it's not like I've never missed a flight. And it's not like it was a big deal. It really wasn't.

Except... except when I went to the ticket counter to get rescheduled on the next flight I broke down and sobbed. SOBBED, I tell you. I had just run a full-out sprint (as much as I could, in fact, sprint) from Terminal A to Terminal B. And something about my adrenaline spiking at perhaps the same time as my hormones? Well... this is all supposition, but there was SOMETHING going on there. And the result was your Mommy blubbering like a 10-month old and trying to explain to the agent that "Really... I'm fine. Just need a moment. I'm not even upset." And yet, these words are pretty much meaningless when mascara is running down your face and snot is leaking out of your nose and you just can't seem to get control of your affect so that it actually matches what you're feeling and trying to express to those innocent souls around you who have suddenly found themselves trying to calm a hysterical pregnant woman... who knows there's no reason for the hysteria and yet, can't. stop. crying.

The good news, I suppose, is that the agent felt bad for me and I scored a free water and an exit row seat on my next flight. I'm not sure if it was the emotional breakdown (which, btw... everyone in line stared. yes. they. did.) or the fact that I told her I was 4 months pregnant with a 10 month old at home and she figured I needed something to help me cope!

So, yes... right now I'm currently riding a tide of tender emotions... all of which I'm blaming you for. And I can't wait to see if my prediction is correct. And I really hope that once you come to join us, this doesn't mean that you're going to be crying more than your sister did the first month of her life... because honestly, I'm not sure that's even possible.

Ogden River @ 18 weeks!

Love,
Mama

Eight Month Update

Dear Birdzo-Butt,
Yep. That's what we call you these days. Not for any particular reason other than to mix things up a bit from calling you The Bird and Chunky Butt. Not that you're particular chunky. And not that I'm trying to give you a complex at a young age about the size of your adorable bubble-butt... but it's just so darn cute that we feel that we must incorporate it into one of your many nicknames.

Actually, we've been trying to call you by your given name of Hazel (sometimes with a Hazel-Bird thrown in there for good measure) because you're at that age where you're recognizing your name. And that, my dear, is completely awesome. But it's still hard for us to call you Hazel instead of Birdzo Butt. Because, when you get right down to it? I would have killed for a nickname like Birdzo Butt when I was a kid. Instead, I got stuck with names like Pencil Legs and Giraffe. Not very creative. Granted, this was when I was much older and not required to wear a bib at every feeding (as you are) because as much as I (you) liked to swallow my food, I (you) REALLY enjoyed spitting it out all over Mommy and Daddy. Ahem.

So, this month has been exciting. Really exciting. Like three ear infections in 30 days exciting. Yep. It's been that much fun. But through it all, you've been a total champ. You're still the happiest little girl at school and your face absolutely lights up when either your Daddy or I walk in to any room. There's nothing quite so ego-boosting and day-brightening than having your baby's face break into a beautiful smile at just the sight of you.

We had a get you a new car seat last month because you clocked in a 29.75 inches at one of your doctor's appointments (for another ear infection) and your carrier maxes out at 30 inches. So, on our anniversary, your Daddy and I decided to celebrate by buying a new car seat. When we walked out of Babies-R-Us an hour later, we were both reeling from sticker shock. HOLY COW that was an expensive anniversary gift.

You weren't so much a fan of your new car seat, and quite frankly... neither were we. I'd gotten pretty good at being mobile with you in your infant carrier. I could make a quick stop at Papa Murphy's, grab the carrier, run in, pay for the pizza, balance the pizza on one hand and the carrier on my other arm, manage to open the door, plop the carrier back in and start the car... all in less than 2 minutes.

Now? Well, now it takes me about 90 seconds to even get you out of the seat and then I have to carry you. And at 22 pounds and curious about the world around you? It's like carrying a 22 pound water balloon that's leaking all over my shoulder. Not the easiest thing in the world. And that's not the bad part. The bad part is getting you back in the seat because somewhere between taking you out of the seat and putting you back in the seat you have developed a massive phobia of the seat and O.M.G.... IT'S TRYING TO KILL YOU! It takes me at least 3 minutes to get you back in the seat and buckled up correctly. On a positive note, you've really got the arched-back thing down to a science.

I've actually bypassed a quick stop at the store for something because I don't want to deal with getting you out of your seat. It's that bad. So that's been fun. We're having to adjust our seat paradigm to get used to the new mode of transportation with you. As time goes on, you seem to be doing better and better with it. But you still have your moments. Nothing that a rattle can't take care of. But heaven help Mommy if the rattle is lost. Heads roll.

You're getting sooooo close to crawling. Your Daddy and I can't decide whether to be excited... or terrified. Because the house? NO WHERE CLOSE TO BEING CHILD PROOF. You're just so close, though, and we keep hoping that today will be the day that you finally put it all together and figure out how to move your legs and arms at the same time. Daddy also wants me to tell you that you clearly did not inherit your upper body strength from me. You are super strong and there are times when I almost hand you the jar of baby food to open the lid for me. But, hey... you got my butt. So, I've done my share.

Speaking of food, you are eating a TON of it. You're particularly enamored with sweet potatoes, squash and blueberries. Not so much peaches. I've seen you do full-body shivers several times now. And 90% of the time, it's right after your first taste of peaches. Not a fan.

Things have finally warmed up in Utah and you're discovering all sorts of cool things like the sun, grass and... naked time. Yes. You loves you some naked time. And apparently, Mommy and Daddy need to let you be naked more often because Holy Cow! Is this me? Is this what I look like underneath all those cute outfits? LOOK AT MY AWESOME BODY!!!



Uncle Ryan and Aunt Kaylene hooked you up with an awesome toy the other day and you love to play with it and see how the different shapes move. You've also started to pull it down on top of you... I guess to inspect how it works?

You also scored a couple of toys from Goodwill. Because Mommy cannot stand buying another $20 toy that you lose interest in as soon as you see a piece of paper... or a blade of grass. And surprisingly, the $1 toys from Goodwill? They manage to keep your attention. Your favorite toy teaches you about cause and effect and you love hitting the buttons to get the little animals to pop up. It helps that whenever you are able to get one of the animals to pop up, Mommy and Daddy got nutso and exclamations of "Yay! Hazel!" followed by insane clapping is regularly heard in the house.

Mommy also invested a whole 85 cents on a bouncy ball that you love, love, LOVE. We're not sure if it's the color that has you fascinated, or the bounciness of it... but you're a big, big fan.



You're also a big fan of dropping your toys from the high chair, and then watching as Mommy picks them back up for you. So that you can drop it again. Like I said, you're a big fan of cause and effect.

You're still sleeping 11-12 hours a night. Although you're taking just two 40 minute naps a day. You don't really want to have anything to do with naps while you're at school, so sometimes by the time I pick you up at night, you'll have been awake for five hours and are fading fast. The weekends are a lot better because we take the time to rock you down for your nap... but I guess at school, they just don't have the manpower for that.

What's really cool is that you know that for either a nap or bedtime, when we go into your room and shut the blinds, close the door and turn off the lights... it's time to sleep. And you snuggle up underneath our chin, stick your thumb in your mouth and just doze off. Sometimes you struggle... but when you do that, I just put you in your crib and pat your back until you fall asleep. You love your room and you know what you're supposed to do in there. It's all very magical.

We usually try to have you in bed by 7 p.m., but last month, we decided to take you to SLC with us to see some friends. We figured that you would fall asleep around 7ish and we could just put you in one of the bedrooms while we stayed up and chatted with our friends. Yeeaaa... that was the plan. But you had different plans and stayed up until 8. And even after we got you to sleep and put you in the room, you kept waking up. Probably because you knew that there were some shananigans going on outside and you wanted to be a part of it. In short, you RALLIED.

Last month, you started waking up every weekday at about 8 a.m. Which was awesome. But on the weekends? 6 sharp. We need to work on this, sweetie pie. You've got your days mixed up. Mommy can't do 6 a.m. weekends. She can barely do 7 a.m. weekends.

Last month, you got to go watch Daddy compete in his very first triathlon since you came into our lives. You and I had a good time at Willard Bay waiting for your Daddy to finish. I must say that spectating a triathlon with a kid is a lot different than spectating by yourself. But we made some new friends and did a little bird watching while your Daddy beat himself up in a race that he hadn't trained for and still managed second place in his age division.

And finally, last week, you managed to pop in your top two front teeth. At the same time. With only a little fussiness. With this new development, I know I should probably start giving you new foods to experiment with. Your doc gave the go-ahead.... but I just can't do it. I mean... what if you choke? I haven't had my baby first aid training yet. And the other night when your Daddy and I experimented with giving you some yogurt to help with the thrush in your mouth from the antibiotics? You gagged on a blueberry and Daddy immediately went into his training and took you out of the high chair, held you upside down and started pounding your back. Which I think freaked you out even more than the blueberry. I know it freaked ME out. I've started to give you rice-puff cereal snacks. But go figure... the one thing that you DON'T put in your mouth? Completely edible.

We are so blessed and happy that you are a part of our lives Hazel. You make every day better with your smile and your spirit. Even when you wake up earlier than Mommy was hoping for, when I walk into your room and see you smiling at me from your crib... my heart melts. I can't wait to see you every morning because of it.

Love,
Mama

Six Month Update

Dear Hazel,
Yesterday, you turned 6 months old. SIX MONTHS! I can't believe that it's been six months already! "They" were right. Time flies and I still remember holding you and watching your eyelashes grow and wondering how in the world I was going to get you past the next feeding, much less get you to 6 months!

This last month has brought a lot of fun and interesting things to your development. For one, you have gotten EXTREMELY difficult to change clothes or diapers. This is because you refuse to hold still and are constantly squirming to get off the changing pad or to just another location on the carpet. It's like you've decided that you're so easy with everything else, Mommy and Daddy are just gonna have to earn their keep by chasing you around the living room or the changing pad to get that stupid diaper on.

Since you roll every which way and we think you're just a few months out from crawling, you Daddy and I decided that something needed to be done about the living room situation so that you were more comfortable. So, we created the High Altitude Training Center. Which is a fancy way of telling you that we bought an area rug for you to roll, squirm, crawl and throw up on (of which you did three out of the four within the first 20 minutes of the Grand Opening).

The High Altitude Training Center also includes your jump-a-roo and a Cozy Corner for after particular tough training sessions. However, your Daddy seems to be using this much more than you do, as you apparently have more stamina than he does and routinely run him into the ground. Thus, the Trainee has become the Trainer.


The High Altitude Training Center has caused some problem in my own training, though. Because, really... would I rather go run, or play with you? I think we all know the answer to that. And I think we all know that the half-marathon in T-Minus 20 days... well, it may just have to run itself. Because there's NO WAY I'm going to be able to run it. For this... yes, I blame the babe.

*Ahem*

As I write this, I'm sitting in your room listening to you squirrel around in your crib... fighting the nap that you are long overdue. You, my dear, have a mind of your own and we're quickly learning that if a nap is to be had, it will be on your own terms. No ifs, ands or cute little butts about it. In fact, I believe you have declared a moratorium on naps that last longer than 30 minutes. You've also declared a moratorium on waking up after 6:32 a.m. Yea... remember when I bragged to people that you routinely slept until 7:30 or 8 a.m. every day?? Not. So. Much. Anymore. And not that 6:32 a.m. is a horrendous time to wake up as I know a lot of people that would yell at me and complain that their child wakes up at 5 a.m. and is ready to go for the day... and honestly 6:32 a.m. isn't a bad time to get up for work on the weekdays. But 6:32 may as well be 4:32 on weekends. I would LURVE to sleep in until 8 on the weekends. Luckily, your Daddy is a morning person and after I feed you, he takes you while I go back to bed. It's heaven.

This month, you've also taken to blowing bubbles and love to make funny sounds with these things called lips. You think it's hilarious to blow bubbles at Mommy and Daddy, and you also stick your tongue out at us if we stick ours out at you. Since you got your two bottom teeth in March, you haven't been drooling quite as much and are instead making chomping motions with your mouth. And you are very interested in what Mommy and Daddy are eating... following the path of the food from our plate to our mouths... and often reaching for it. Which we are taking as a sign that you're ready for solid foods.

You were sick for most of the months of March and April. You had a really stuffy nose and a cough. We tried to let it work itself out of your system, but after three weeks of no improvement, we took you to the doc and got you on antibiotics. After two weeks of medication, you have finally started to feel better. Not that when you were sick you were particularly grumpy or anything. I think that you've just been sick so much since starting day care that you aren't even phased by it and probably don't know what it's like not to have a stuffy nose or a cough. Luckily, we're getting past the cold and flu season, and looking forward to not quite as many colds over the summer. (Knock on wood)

You are, by all accounts, the happiest baby in the world, Hazel-Bird. You love to laugh, but are pretty particular about what is worthy of a laugh from you. In fact, the same thing doesn't work twice with you. Something that had you in laughing fits one day, won't even garner a raised eyebrow the next. This is particularly exhausting for your parents as we would move the moon if we could just get you to laugh, as the sound is like the sweetest drug out there and gives us an elation that should probably be illegal.

In the last month, you've become quite vocal and our house is often filled with the sounds of your happy screeching. You love to make all sorts of sounds... usually while banging something with your hand. The other day you were in your jump-a-roo looking out the open window and screeched at some people walking by. Apparently, it startled them, but it made you soooo happy! Already the social butterfly, Hazel Bird. We're going to have our hands full when you get mobile, I can already tell.

Sadly, this month you've also learned to use your new vocal skills to manipulate. Meaning that even if Mommy is two feet away from you, if she turns her back on you for any reason (like to make sure the house isn't on fire because she's been ignoring the food cooking on the stove so she could play with you)... THERE WILL BE BLOOD. You simply don't like not being the center of attention. It's as if being the center of our world is not enough for you!!! So, you let out a cry that we're beginning to recognize is less of a hunger, tired, or poopy diaper cry, and more of a: "HEY! I'M OVER HERE, COME LOOK AT MY CUTENESS!" cry.

And it WORKS!! We're digging our own grave here, we know. But if you only knew how cute you really are. Do you know that you have started to smile with your eyes? Your eyes are just so expressive and I've actually seen them twinkle when you're particularly content and happy. They're the flame and your Daddy and I are the unsuspecting moths.

One thing that you have continued to love in the last six months has been having me put my hair in your face. You absolutely love it and I find that I can calm you down if you're worked up over something by just letting you snuggle in my hair. I know these days won't last, though, as you're already starting to pull on the hair and I've had more than one occasion where I thought you were trying to pull it out by the root.

Speaking of hair, you got yours cut for the first time this month. It's not like you had a lot of hair to begin with, but it was just soooo patchy that we decided something needed to be done to even it out. You were so sweet and good sitting in the chair while we had it cut. And ever since then, the patchiness has evened out and the bald spot on the back of your head is almost gone!


Developmentally, you made big strides this month. We'd been working with you on sitting up on your own for quite some time and although you'd have a couple of seconds here and there before you fell over on your face. So on Friday when I dropped you off at day care, I sat you on the mat and sat behind you and gave you a toy. I couldn't believe it when I took away my hand and you just sat there. For two minutes. Unassisted. Like you'd been doing it your whole life and really, Mommy.... it's no big deal.

I'm so glad I got to see it! It's always a big bummer when the staff at day care get to witness a first, and not your parents. So, yea... the day before you turned 6 months, you sat up for the first time. You're such a rock star!

This month we also put you in the jogger for the first time. Daddy was the first one to do it, and the next day I got to take you on a little jog along the river. You were asleep within minutes, so I take that as a sign that you don't mind it. But, man! Is that jogger hard to push! Good grief! No wonder all these mommy's that run with joggers all the time are in such great shape!!

You are continuing to grow in leaps and bounds. I'd guesstimate that you're probably about 20 pounds by now and I have no idea how long you are. I suspect that unlike most babies that go through growth spurts at 3 months and 6 months, you've been on a non-stop growth spurt since 6 weeks. It's about time to buy some more clothes for you since all of your six-month-old pants are now fitting like capri pants. So says your Daddy.... he who tried to put you in a green top and orange pants the other day. True story.

Since the sun has been out more and more in Ogden, you've got to experience its warmth and you really love it. The only thing that's a bummer is that we have to put sunblock on you and with the way you squirm, I know it's only a matter of time before I make the mistake of getting some of it in your eyes... and ruin everyone's life.

You're quite the book reader, Hazey. You absolutely love the pictures in books and hearing someone read you a story. Your favorite is The ButterBee book, and you love it when Daddy reads to you. And it turns out? Daddy's a big fan, too.



We can't believe how fast the time has gone by. Six months?? Are you kidding me? Soon you'll be driving!

And in answer to your unasked question about whether or not you finally fell asleep this afternoon while Mommy was blogging? Well, it took me 2 hours to write this, so you do the math.

Love,
Mama