Dear Sophie,
Tonight is Christmas Eve - your first! We aren't regular church-goers - though sometimes I think about becoming more active in church. I felt like tonight was a good night to try out the Lutheran church here in our little town.
You were in awe of the big room and the big stained glass windows and candles and, of course..the ceiling fans. Have I told you about your love for ceiling fans yet? I will. Soon. In another post.
We sat near the back. We weren't sure how you were going to be since it was past your bedtime and kind of a long day for you, but you were in great spirits. Smiley, too. You kept staring at and pretending to be shy with the lady sitting behind us. I think you made her day.
Anyway...at one point in the service the pastor had all the little kids come up to the front. They were going to sit and talk about the scene in the manger the night Jesus was born.
The pastor says, "Ok...so there were some animals there...can any of you make animal sounds?"
Right on cue, you let out the biggest, loudest, funniest squeal you had in you!
The pastor exclaimed, "OOH! There's one!" and of course you drew a whole room full of eyes and smiles.
If you've seen any videos of yourself around this age, by now you probably know how loud and cute you can be.
For now though, you are tucked in to bed in your red & white striped Christmas jammies with the reindeer feeties and reindeer butt with visions of sugar plums dancing in your head. Mama and daddy can't wait for tomorrow to spend our first Christmas morning with you and in our new house.
Love you, little bear.
Mama
Friday, December 24, 2010
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
8 Months!
Today you are 8 months old and, as usual, things are happening so fast. I'm sorry I missed 7 months. If I blink my eyes again it will be your 16th birthday.
You are so wiggly! I can't imagine how this is going to go as you get stronger or learn to crawl and walk. Mama and Daddy are going to be in trouble! You are sitting up by yourself all the time once we sit you down, and you'll stay that way and play for a very long time now. You can't get yourself to that position on your own just yet, but it's definitely coming. You are also starting to pull yourself up to stand on us or anything you can grab, so I went ahead and lowered your crib mattress to the lowest setting this month. We don't need you taking any nose-dives out of the crib yet. Or ever.
You have learned how much fun it is to clap your hands and you do it for just about everything you like. Sometimes all we have to do is say "yay!" and you will start clapping. It's too dang cute. Your high chair is a fun place to clap too since you think food is pretty fun. You pretty much ONLY want to feed yourself now and get pretty pissed off if we try to feed you. I've discovered that the only way to make this work is to give you your own spoon and sneak bites in with the spoon I'm holding. We are trying to figure out what kinds of finger foods you like best and can handle best, but chances are if you couldn't figure them out today, we could try them again tomorrow and you'll be a pro.
We are still breastfeeding. I think my goal was originally 6 months. Then, before you were born, daddy and I went to a breastfeeding class and I was gung-ho to make it to a year. Then we had some problems early on (never-ending thrush, latch problems, clogged ducts, etc) and I decided my goal would be 9 months. Then things started going MUCH better so I was all about the year again.
And then you got teeth.
Now...with a proper latch, they can't really even be felt. But when you decide my boob is your favorite funny chew toy that is another issue altogether. You think it is just SOMUCHFUN to chomp down, then pull off really fast and smile up at me. While it's painful and you definitely shouldn't be doing it, it's still almost impossible not to want to laugh or smile at you when you're grinning up at me.
It didn't stay quite that cute though. I actually decided that it was never going to stop and we would transition you to formula. We tried a few different kinds, but you hated them all no matter who gave them to you or what bottle they came from. So while most people give up on breastfeeding, mama had to be different and give up on formula. That stuff is expensive - there was no way we could afford to try every kind there was and take the chance of them not working out. I don't have that kind of patience anyway. We'll just work on the biting thing or I will suck it up.
This month brought your first ear infection. You think your bubble gum flavored antibiotics are delicious. I am so paranoid about missing an ear infection with you because when your teeth are bothering you, you swat at your ears a lot. This time you seemed extra miserable and screamy. I hate that you weren't feeling good but man did I love how snuggly you were.
You're saying "mama" and "baba" and "dada" and a few other random syllables here and there, but it's pretty easy to see you don't associate them with us yet. They are just really fun to say!
You've started putting your hands on your hips when you don't like something. Is it even possible for this to start so early? Is it some kind of built-in instinct women have from birth? Oh well...either way, it's darn cute.
Til next month, Little Bear.
Love,
Mama
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
6 months!
(Whoops! I wrote this months ago, but forgot to hit "publish")
Dear Sophie,
Happy half-birthday! You continue to amaze and amuse us every day. It's been a pretty exciting month!
You started playing peek-a-boo with us! It's hard to stop once we start, too...just because it's so darn cute. Your favorite place to play this is on the changing table. We keep a clean cloth diaper there just for this purpose. You grab it, cover your face, and then yank it down really fast and smile. We act surprised and yell "Peek-a-boo!" and you think this is the most hilarious thing ever.
We borrowed a jumperoo from a friend of mine and you think that is pretty great too. I love watching your little feet kick like a ballerina when you get going. You started tripod sitting too - so now it's only a matter of time before you master this without falling over and discover all kinds of freedom and independence. Don't be in too much of a hurry, ok sweet girl?
You've re-discovered your hands and the cool stuff they can do again. You think its really fun to lay down and wave them back and forth and laugh at them and move them in weird ways. Your feet and giraffe continue to be your favorite things to play with and eat...with your new teeth! Yep...you have your two bottom front teeth now. Remind me to tell you someday how fun the couple days leading up to those suckers popping out was. Actually...I think I'll wait and let you be surprised with your own kid's teeth before we have this conversation. Let's just say I'm not looking forward to the rest.
Last, but definitely not least - your great-grandpa Les & great-grandma Marge came to meet you. I think you are just as much in love with them as they are with you. It was so fun to watch you all interact together and for all of us to spend time together. While they were here, we went the fish fry (your first!) at Lakefront Brewery and you got to see a live polka band for the first time. You LOVED watching everyone dance and were kicking your feet non-stop along with the music.
Til next month, Little Bear.
Love, Mama
Dear Sophie,
Happy half-birthday! You continue to amaze and amuse us every day. It's been a pretty exciting month!
You started playing peek-a-boo with us! It's hard to stop once we start, too...just because it's so darn cute. Your favorite place to play this is on the changing table. We keep a clean cloth diaper there just for this purpose. You grab it, cover your face, and then yank it down really fast and smile. We act surprised and yell "Peek-a-boo!" and you think this is the most hilarious thing ever.
We borrowed a jumperoo from a friend of mine and you think that is pretty great too. I love watching your little feet kick like a ballerina when you get going. You started tripod sitting too - so now it's only a matter of time before you master this without falling over and discover all kinds of freedom and independence. Don't be in too much of a hurry, ok sweet girl?
Last, but definitely not least - your great-grandpa Les & great-grandma Marge came to meet you. I think you are just as much in love with them as they are with you. It was so fun to watch you all interact together and for all of us to spend time together. While they were here, we went the fish fry (your first!) at Lakefront Brewery and you got to see a live polka band for the first time. You LOVED watching everyone dance and were kicking your feet non-stop along with the music. 
Til next month, Little Bear.
Love, Mama
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
5 Months!
Dear Sophie,
Today you are 5 months old! I can't believe it. I know I say that or something similar every month. Actually all of my posts might be broken recordish, but that's ok I'm your mom and can tell you how awesome you are and how much I love you all I want! Someday when you're a teenager you'll probably hate it, and then you'll get a little older and love it again.
You continue to grow and change and learn new things before our very eyes. You are still shrieking and squealing and cooing the vowel sounds, but you've added consonant sounds to your repertoire. Your favorites now are M, B, and V sounds. You love to blow raspberries with your mouth, but you don't do it the typical tongue-out way. Instead you suck in your bottom lip and try to blow and it's pretty much the cutest and funniest face ever.
You're finally showing some interest in sitting! I was kind of wondering if you ever would because you love to and want to stand so much but now you're doing the whole tripod thing and doing it pretty well! You still try to stand sometimes when I'm not holding on to you and I have to be quick in order to save you from arching your back and throwing yourself over. Right after I took this picture you did it and bonked your head on the crib. It startled you, but I don't think it hurt. You just looked at me as if to say "Whoa, mama!?!"
We borrowed an exersaucer from my friend Keara and you LOVE it. It's a little too tall for your little legs so we have a couch pillow under your feet. You love the things that make noise and play music the most, but you also love the things you can make reach your mouth. You are a drooling machine, and you've been showing signs of teething for a good month and a half or so now, yet nothing seems to be coming through. Early on we thought it was an ear infection with how much you yank and tug at your ears, but your doctor said that your ears are clear and that referred pain to the ear is common with teething. Since then we are paranoid that you are in pain every time you touch your ears. Sometimes I think it's just because you know they are there, but your daddy starts to worry and wants to give you tylenol just about the second you touch them. Sometimes I let him because I know he doesn't want to see you in pain, and other times I tell him I gave you some already because I feel weird giving it to you very often without *knowing* that you are springing some teeth through, ya know?
I got you an amber teething necklace. Apparently they help with pain and inflammation and are all the rage in Europe but I'd never really heard of them until recently. I'm not sure how much I believe in it, but I believe it enough to give it a try. Plus its super cute on, even if it doesn't work. It's not a necklace you chew on - it's just supposed to be absorbed through your skin.
At the beginning of September we started you on some solid foods and you are a natural! You didn't push any out with your tongue and you seemed to really enjoy it. You even grab the spoon and try to do it yourself already. We started with rice cereal since it's cheap and easy, but since then you've tried bananas, avocados, sweet potatoes, pears, and plums. You seemed to think I couldn't give you the plums fast enough so so far I think those or sweet potatoes are your favorite. I'll write more about this in another post because there are some funny and cute pictures to go with it.
Another huge change has happened lately too - you have moved into your own room and sleep in your crib now. I can't quite explain it, but you seemed to be telling me that you were ready to stop sleeping with us. So we got your room painted and decorated and moved you in last Saturday. I will write more about that transition in another post, too, but for now I have to say that looks beautiful in there and I find it very relaxing. You seem to like it too. I miss you to pieces at night, but I know that this was the right thing and the way we've done things all along were also the right thing. You babies don't come with instruction manuals, ya know.
Lastly, and this probably won't excite you as much as it excites me, but The Battle of the Epic Eye Boogies has come to a close. We've been dealing with an intense eye-boogie problem with you since birth because both of your tear ducts were too tiny and clogged to work right so the liquid from your eyes had no where to go. I had to massage and wash each one twice a day. You weren't a big fan, and I was even less of one because 75% of the time the massage pissed you off and made you cry (I hate to make you cry - it makes my heart physically hurt like it's being squeezed and wadded up in a tiny ball). You woke up one morning a few weeks ago and your right eye was clear. It took a few days for me to believe they weren't coming back and gave me new determination to clear up the left. As of 3 days ago, the left is clear too. Yay!
Well sweet bear, I think I've gushed about you to you enough for one evening. I can't wait to see what the next month brings.
Love, Mama.
Today you are 5 months old! I can't believe it. I know I say that or something similar every month. Actually all of my posts might be broken recordish, but that's ok I'm your mom and can tell you how awesome you are and how much I love you all I want! Someday when you're a teenager you'll probably hate it, and then you'll get a little older and love it again.You continue to grow and change and learn new things before our very eyes. You are still shrieking and squealing and cooing the vowel sounds, but you've added consonant sounds to your repertoire. Your favorites now are M, B, and V sounds. You love to blow raspberries with your mouth, but you don't do it the typical tongue-out way. Instead you suck in your bottom lip and try to blow and it's pretty much the cutest and funniest face ever.
You're finally showing some interest in sitting! I was kind of wondering if you ever would because you love to and want to stand so much but now you're doing the whole tripod thing and doing it pretty well! You still try to stand sometimes when I'm not holding on to you and I have to be quick in order to save you from arching your back and throwing yourself over. Right after I took this picture you did it and bonked your head on the crib. It startled you, but I don't think it hurt. You just looked at me as if to say "Whoa, mama!?!"
We borrowed an exersaucer from my friend Keara and you LOVE it. It's a little too tall for your little legs so we have a couch pillow under your feet. You love the things that make noise and play music the most, but you also love the things you can make reach your mouth. You are a drooling machine, and you've been showing signs of teething for a good month and a half or so now, yet nothing seems to be coming through. Early on we thought it was an ear infection with how much you yank and tug at your ears, but your doctor said that your ears are clear and that referred pain to the ear is common with teething. Since then we are paranoid that you are in pain every time you touch your ears. Sometimes I think it's just because you know they are there, but your daddy starts to worry and wants to give you tylenol just about the second you touch them. Sometimes I let him because I know he doesn't want to see you in pain, and other times I tell him I gave you some already because I feel weird giving it to you very often without *knowing* that you are springing some teeth through, ya know?
At the beginning of September we started you on some solid foods and you are a natural! You didn't push any out with your tongue and you seemed to really enjoy it. You even grab the spoon and try to do it yourself already. We started with rice cereal since it's cheap and easy, but since then you've tried bananas, avocados, sweet potatoes, pears, and plums. You seemed to think I couldn't give you the plums fast enough so so far I think those or sweet potatoes are your favorite. I'll write more about this in another post because there are some funny and cute pictures to go with it.
Another huge change has happened lately too - you have moved into your own room and sleep in your crib now. I can't quite explain it, but you seemed to be telling me that you were ready to stop sleeping with us. So we got your room painted and decorated and moved you in last Saturday. I will write more about that transition in another post, too, but for now I have to say that looks beautiful in there and I find it very relaxing. You seem to like it too. I miss you to pieces at night, but I know that this was the right thing and the way we've done things all along were also the right thing. You babies don't come with instruction manuals, ya know.Lastly, and this probably won't excite you as much as it excites me, but The Battle of the Epic Eye Boogies has come to a close. We've been dealing with an intense eye-boogie problem with you since birth because both of your tear ducts were too tiny and clogged to work right so the liquid from your eyes had no where to go. I had to massage and wash each one twice a day. You weren't a big fan, and I was even less of one because 75% of the time the massage pissed you off and made you cry (I hate to make you cry - it makes my heart physically hurt like it's being squeezed and wadded up in a tiny ball). You woke up one morning a few weeks ago and your right eye was clear. It took a few days for me to believe they weren't coming back and gave me new determination to clear up the left. As of 3 days ago, the left is clear too. Yay!
Well sweet bear, I think I've gushed about you to you enough for one evening. I can't wait to see what the next month brings.
Love, Mama.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
4 Months!
Dear Sophie,
Today you are 4 months old. Sigh. You are growing so fast.
You want to stand ALL THE TIME...except you can do it by yourself and your legs aren't quite ready to support your weight that long either...so we hold you like that - a lot. You are constantly testing your voice, and more noticeably the volume of your voice. Shrieking and squealing are like your own personal art form right now and you love to see how loud you can do it, change the way you're holding your mouth, and do it again...and again...and again. Your favorite time for this is at about 6:30 am while laying in the bed between a sleeping mama and daddy. We don't mind though because it is so ridiculously cute and you are so proud of yourself when you do it.
About a week ago you rolled over from back to front for the first time! Of course you were naked while you did it but after a few days you figured out you could do it with clothes on too. Now you do it almost as soon as we lay you down.
Tomorrow you get to meet your auntie Alexis and auntie Bailey for the first time. I'm so excited for you all to meet each other. Bailey especially. She's been asking for Corey and I to make her an aunt for years.
Happy 4 month Birthday, little bear!
Love, mama
Today you are 4 months old. Sigh. You are growing so fast.
You want to stand ALL THE TIME...except you can do it by yourself and your legs aren't quite ready to support your weight that long either...so we hold you like that - a lot. You are constantly testing your voice, and more noticeably the volume of your voice. Shrieking and squealing are like your own personal art form right now and you love to see how loud you can do it, change the way you're holding your mouth, and do it again...and again...and again. Your favorite time for this is at about 6:30 am while laying in the bed between a sleeping mama and daddy. We don't mind though because it is so ridiculously cute and you are so proud of yourself when you do it.About a week ago you rolled over from back to front for the first time! Of course you were naked while you did it but after a few days you figured out you could do it with clothes on too. Now you do it almost as soon as we lay you down.
Tomorrow you get to meet your auntie Alexis and auntie Bailey for the first time. I'm so excited for you all to meet each other. Bailey especially. She's been asking for Corey and I to make her an aunt for years.
Happy 4 month Birthday, little bear!
Love, mama
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Your first Brewers game
Dear Sophie,
Tonight we took you to your first Brewers game!
You did great! I, on the other hand...
It was 80 something degrees with some ridiculous percentage of humidity. I couldn't stand it and was sitting in a pool of my own sweat. And since I was so hot, you were getting hot, and I didn't like that you was so hot and sweating too. I also will probably feel guilty forever at how loud it was in there. I kept covering your ears. You don't notice just how loud stuff is until you have a baby I think.
You didn't make a peep - just loved looking around at people. Eventually, you just fell asleep.
We did end up leaving early though. Besides how awful it felt in there, the game sucked and was moving SO slow. TWO hours in it was only the top of the 4th. Screw that.
It was a learning experience for all of us, and we'll definitely do it again soon.
Random fun fact for you...Growing up in Portland, Oregon, we didn't have a baseball team. Most people rooted for the Seattle Mariners, but I was a Brewers fan, as was your Grandpa Tim's entire side of the family. Tom Trebelhorn was the manager of the Brewers at the time, and he is your Grandpa Tim's 2nd cousin, so a lot of us on that side of the family would head up to Seattle anytime they played there.
There will be many more games.
Love, Mama
Mama
Tonight we took you to your first Brewers game!You did great! I, on the other hand...
It was 80 something degrees with some ridiculous percentage of humidity. I couldn't stand it and was sitting in a pool of my own sweat. And since I was so hot, you were getting hot, and I didn't like that you was so hot and sweating too. I also will probably feel guilty forever at how loud it was in there. I kept covering your ears. You don't notice just how loud stuff is until you have a baby I think.
You didn't make a peep - just loved looking around at people. Eventually, you just fell asleep.We did end up leaving early though. Besides how awful it felt in there, the game sucked and was moving SO slow. TWO hours in it was only the top of the 4th. Screw that.
It was a learning experience for all of us, and we'll definitely do it again soon.
Random fun fact for you...Growing up in Portland, Oregon, we didn't have a baseball team. Most people rooted for the Seattle Mariners, but I was a Brewers fan, as was your Grandpa Tim's entire side of the family. Tom Trebelhorn was the manager of the Brewers at the time, and he is your Grandpa Tim's 2nd cousin, so a lot of us on that side of the family would head up to Seattle anytime they played there.
There will be many more games.
Love, Mama
Mama
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)