Mila Jane: 5 Month Milestones

She's 5 months, people. Stop time please. 

• Still nursing amazing. Gaining weight beautifully. 
• I'm pretty sure we have 2 teeth creeping in, one on top and one of bottom. Chewing everything and loves iced teethers. She gets extra fussy around nap time and bedtime. I have been relying on teething tablets and gel to help her sleep. Once she's asleep, she's been sleeping fairly solid the past week.
• We introduced oatmeal to her first (the doctor suggested that over rice cereal for her) and although the first two times she was uninterested, she now loves it. 
• Recognizes her name when you say 'Mila'. Will look for you and smile. 
• Can stand (with assistance), and holds herself up on tummy time for very long periods of time. Not quite ready to sit up on her own, but she's close. Rolls all over the place.
• Very loud!! "Talks" all day, every day.
• She is such a happy baby, it melts my heart when she smiles all day long.
• Very clingy to mommy. Will actually reach for me sometimes when someone else is holding her. I credit that to being home with her all day every day. 
• Her relationship with Lucy is one that I can't even explain. There are times when the two of them just look at each other and laugh for 5 minutes straight. Like they are talking without even using words. It's amazing to see. She lets Lucy roll around, snuggles and "harass" her with no complaints, just happy to see her big sister.

• Usually on schedule with naps and takes 2-3 each day. With teething they have been a bit of a struggle. Hoping they balance out soon. (Part of the reason this post is so late!)
• Loves the Baby Bjorn and facing out while I clean or we go on a walk outside.  
• Loves her feet. Tries to chew those toes all the time. 
• Her eyes have still not decided what color they want to be. Some days they look brown, some days green, some days I still see some blue. 

Mila Jane: 4 Month Milestones

Seriously, this face kills me. I can't stand it. 

This post crept up on me. I could have sworn I just posted about her three month milestones last week. Things around here have been going a mile a minute and I'm trying to slow down and really enjoy each moment. Friday marked 4 months for our Mila Jane and I have to say I've seen the biggest changes in her these past few weeks.

The stats:

Weight: 12 pounds, 8.5 ounces

Length: 25 inches long

• She still sleeps great and goes to bed anywhere between 8-9:00. She isn't as scheduled these past two weeks as she has been (was sleeping 9-5 solid). She wakes usually between 3-4:00AM, but goes right back to sleep after eating. Generally wakes for the day around 7-7:30AM.
• Has been sitting up pretty solid with assistance. We found this great chair for her (it's actually a toddler's saucer chair from Target) and she will sit in it for long periods of time. She's even sitting in the chair for all the photos in this post. It has become a lifesaver as she often grew frustrated of lying down and not being able to see things, and was usually only happy being held. 
• We are hoping to introduce her to her activity chair soon. Uses the bumbo for short periods of time.
• She has discovered her feet and loves to chew on those toes. :)
• Just the past few days I caught her taking her fallen pacifier and putting it back in her mouth.
• Jordan told me she holds her bottle when eating. I haven't seen since I'm always nursing when she's with me. 
• She's rolling all over the place, most often from back to belly. Unfortunately she tends to do this a handful of times when she's going down for a nap or bedtime so we have to come into the room a few times and flip her.
• Aside from the recent rolling over, she puts herself to sleep every night with the help of a snuggly swaddle and a pacifier. 
• Smiles ALL THE TIME. We've been able to get some good laughs, too. Lucy seems to be able to get smiles and laughs out of her more than anyone. Likes to see and smile at her own reflection. Little stinker smiles so much at bedtime that it's hard to put her down. 

These eyes haven't decided if they are turning brown or staying dark blue. And those lashes...

I thought it would be fun to compare photos of Mila and Lucy at 4 months. 

(I finally learned how to adjust lighting in my photos. What a difference 3 years makes!)

I definitely see some similarities, but I didn't realize how different they really look until I put them side to side. Their smiles are almost identical, but Lucy's eyes are shaped more like Jordan's while Mila's are bigger. It's hard to see in these photos, but Mila has darker hair. Also Lucy's eyes had already changed to brown at this point and Mila's haven't made up their mind what color they will ultimately be. Lucy's nose still looks like that when she smiles. Seeing this comparison gets me excited to see how Mila will look as she grows and if she looks more or less like Lucy.  

Mila Jane: 3 Month Milestones

 

Our little Bean is already three months old and is developing quite her own personality. While she can be high maintence at times, she is the sweetest little thing and can brighten up any bad mood in a second.

 

A few key notes:

• Eating great, usually 4oz every 3-4 hours. Still only breastmilk.
• Mila is very scheduled. You can bet she will go to bed each night at 9, wake up to eat at 4am and sleep again until 7am. She will let you know by 9am that it's naptime, same thing around 6pm. The naps in between depend on what we're doing that day and if we are running around versus lounging around the house.
• Smiles so much, the sweetest little smile. Unless, of course, I'm trying to get a photo of her smile, little stinker.
• Her laugh is infectious. I forgot how great the sound of a baby's laugh is. We've found a few ticklish spots on her neck and arms to get those giggles going, but sometimes we even get a few surprises. I hiccuped yesterday which brought on her laugh.
• She sits in her bumbo for short periods of time (10-15 minutes) and if she has a toy to interact with and focus on, she seems to really be content.
• Lots of drool and chewing her fingers!
• Mila is becoming more and more alert when she's awake.
• She's really starting to use her hands to reach for things and put them in her mouth.
• While I hate to admit it, she's adjusting very well to Mommy being gone all day at work. Luckily just a few more weeks before I home with the girls again on a more regular basis.
• Mila and Lucy already have an amazing bond. Lucy adores her little sister, lays with her and talks to her all the time and smothers her in hugs and kisses. Mila just needs to see Lucy's face and she lights up with tons of smiles. When Lucy came home from a few days at the beach with her grandparents, all she wanted want to see her little sister and talk to her. Sometimes I really think they're sharing secrets. I'm hoping this bond stays this sweet.

 

 

 

We love you Mila Jane.

 

12 Month Milestones

Lucy's first birthday crept up on us and I can't believe both her birthday and party are already over! We had such a perfect day for her birthday party. Family and a few close friends gathered at my parents' house for food, drinks and to watch the birthday girl dig into her cupcake. Lucy had a great time. I can't wait to share some pictures with you all.

Now that Lucy is officially a year old, I've really been taking the time to slow down and really take it all in. Sometimes I will just sit and watch her in her highchair, feeding herself and laughing along with Gabba. My favorite moments are the ones that she doesn't know I'm watching her. When she's falling asleep in my arms at night I look in amazement as her long legs are draped over my arms I can't believe I once fit her entire body in the crook of my elbow. 

Lucy is growing like a weed and learning so many new things everyday, and even though I am so proud of her and love seeing her develop, sometimes I wish she would just slow down a little. 

Here are Lucy's 12 Month Milestones:


- At her 12 month appointment, Lucy measured 29.75 inches long and 17 pounds, 7.9oz. 
- We have 6 teeth! 4 up top and 2 on bottom.
- Lucy's appetite is great. There is nothing she's tried that she won't eat (she now eats green beans!). While she didn't gain much weight since her 9 month appointment, the doctor assured us not to worry. Since I have always been a thin person, she may have inherited the same genes. That being said, we got the green light to start adding some serious calories to her diet. While we still do some baby foods, we are trying to get her to eat more of what we eat, or at least have a taste of what we are eating. 
- Solid foods include: pasta with butter, Cheerios, pancakes with a small amount of syrup, fruits (strawberry, mango and bananas are the favorites), veggies (zucchini, avocado, cooked spinach with butter, corn, peas, green beans), cheese (girl loves cheese like her mom), crackers, and usually a taste of whatever we are eating. We have not started any meats, although we were told that we could give it to her if they are ground (ground beef, chicken or turkey).  

- Her vocabulary is growing each week. Most common words include: shoes, toes, da-da, wassat (what's that), whossis (who's this), quack, arf/woof, kit-cat (or other forms of cat/kitty cat). She can also point out animals, bees, and other things I ask her in books. 
- When asked, Lucy can point to her toes, belly, nose, ears and mouth. Sometimes the mouth and nose get mixed up. :) When we tell her 'yes!' she starts clapping and you can tell she's so proud of herself.
- Clapping and laughing. This girl could do nothing but clap and laugh all day and I'd be thrilled. I love that squeaky laugh and can't wait to hear how she sounds when she really starts talking.
- Dancing. All. The. Time. We love it. 
- It's never too early to teach them to clean up after themselves. Lucy is great at putting her bath toys away after the bath. She gets excited and we make it into a game of tossing her toys in the basket. 

- Of course I'm dying to get her to be artsy. I bought her a pad of drawing paper and crayons. She will sit on the floor with the crayons and either draw a few lines or spend 15 minutes dumping her crayons and putting them back in the box. 
- She is in the middle of a very clingy stage where mama or dada are always wanted. She is great with both sets of grandparents, but past that she is very cautious and unsure. 
- We haven't started walking yet. She cruises along furniture, will stand up against me and even take a few steps holding my hand. I was even able to get her to stand independently for a few seconds.
- We have done a sleep over at each of her grandparents. One in February for Jordan's birthday and one a few weeks ago. This weekend we are going to have our first two night sleepover away from Lucy as we have a wedding this weekend. Jordan's parents are picking her up Thursday and taking her down the shore with them. We'll be heading down there early Saturday morning after the wedding to join our little girl for a weekend of fun in the sun.

Happy 1st Birthday, Lucy James! 

We love you!!

Lucy's 11 Month Milestones

I'm officially that mom who wants to cry at the thought of her baby turning a year old next month. I know I say this each month, but I feel like she is developing so rapidly and her milestones are doubling as each month goes by. A few key ones for this month:

- She is vocalizing so much lately. Her most common words are: Ra-ra (what she calls Lyla), Quack Quack (when she sees ducks in toys or books. Sounds like "qak-qak."), Da-da-da-da all over the place. Not quite sure if she relates Da-da to Jordan as she has called my mom Da-da a few times. She likes to hold her toy phone (or one of ours) up to her ear and it sounds like she says "who's that?" She also points a lot and says what sounds like "what's that?" so we always respond and tell her what she's pointing to.

- Lucy is trying so hard to walk. Lately she has been 'climbing' up my legs and leaning back on me to stand up without holding onto something. She also walks around using her walker toy as a guide. She stands any chance she gets.

- Her diet is growing each week. She had her first spaghetti, gelato and funnel cake this past week as some local festivals. She loved them all, although she didn't sleep that well that week. We've also been give her a lot more solids during the day and mixing the pouches (like in the above picture) with her cereal. Once the pouches are 'empty' enough we let her feed herself with the rest. If we gave her a full pouch it would end up all over herself. Her appetite has been amazing and the only food she has every rejected is green beans. Everything else we try she eats right up.

- Dancing. Anytime there is music, Lucy is dancing and bouncing around. We love that she is taking to music so well since we both come from families who consider music pretty important.

- Lucy has been very cuddly, especially in the mornings. When she first wakes up she is eager to sit up and play and wants nothing to do with sleep. We usually put her show on and she settles in with one of us and will sit contently and watch.

- Her motor skills have been growing as she realizes certain things she does result in things she wants to happen. She has mastered picking up small pieces of food and feeding herself (she even shares and tries to feed us). She also is great with a sippy cup and realizes that she needs to tilt her head back to get the water to come out.

- On the same page she has learned that with her 'Violet' stuffed dog toy, she can make the music start and change by squeezing the foot. She spends car rideswith Violet playing 'around the world' and letting each song play for about 3 seconds before going to the next. She also cracks up most car rides like she's having her own little conversation with Violet.

- I can't say enough just how mild tempered she is. Sure, she has her fussy moments but they are so few and so far between. They are also pretty much all at night when she is tired and just wants to fight sleep. We haven't had one public meltdown to date. When we take her out she sits so contently in her stroller or highchair and is so well behaved, people actually ask if she is always like that. We are proud to say that she is!

There are so many more than I know I'm forgetting. Lucy's personality is really shining and we can't wait to see how much more she develops over the next few months.

And to close with one of our favorite photos of our girls:

Lucy's 10 Month Milestones

10 months seems so old! Our little girl is maturing so quickly and growing like a weed. Two shorts months and we will be celebrating her first birthday. Time truly does fly by. A few key milestones this month:

- Stands every chance she gets and walks along furniture. Can walk using her 'walker' toy that sort of looks like a manual lawnmower.

- Has started to say a few words mostly Lyla and Elmo. Da-da and ma-ma are still regulars in her vocabulary although we aren't sure if she knows yet what they mean.

- Loves water/baths. Splashes like a fish. We can't wait to bring her back to the pool.

- Knows the word 'no' and reacts to it. Usually listens and stops what she is doing, but sometimes tests us.

- Dances!! She is dancing so much lately. Especially to her favorite songs on Yo Gabba Gabba.

- Gives kisses - the sweetest!! Sometimes they end up a bit sloppy, but sweet nonetheless.

- Points to show what she wants. i.e., points to the TV when she wants her show on.

- Loves books and flipping through the pages to point at the pictures. Sits very well each night when we read before bed. She just sometimes like to turn the page a big prematurely. :)

- Sleeps great at night. Usually goes to bed after her bath around 8:30. Some nights she sleeps until 4 or 5. Some nights she still wakes up once to eat. She is usually awake for 'good' around 6am. Eventually goes back down for a nap in the early morning.

- Still just two teeth at the bottom. Loves to grin and show them.

- Eats like a champ. There is really no food we have tried that she won't eat - fruits, veggies, cereal, puffs, you name it.

- Still on breastmilk. Looks like we will make it to one year! Once she turns a year old we will switch or organic whole milk.

I'm sure I'm forgetting more milestones, but those are certainly the major ones.

Some shots of Lucy from my iPhone. What did parents do before the camera phone when you can snap a picture in the moment without having to run and grab the camera?

Lucy's 9 Month Milestones

I feel like I just posted her 8 month update. 9 months just seems so old and our little girl just seems so big these days. It amazes me how much she develops each month and how different she looks in pictures just weeks apart. I love to just watch her when she's playing independently and interacting with her toys. I'd love to know what goes through her mind sometimes. 

We have her 9 month appointment this Friday and will find out her current weight and length (and if she's still super tall for her age). 

• Lucy now has one and a half teeth on the bottom
• She is eating two solids a day - usually cereal and either a fruit or vegetable - along with her usual diet of breastmilk. Keeping all solids organic.
• We've also given her a few dissolvable finger foods that she will feed herself, but she mostly likes to play when them.
• She is a crawling machine, but is already trying to walk. She stands up any chance she gets and scoots around while holding onto tables, chairs, people's legs, etc.
• She claps and waves a lot now and is starting to react when you clap or wave to her.
• She still laughs so much. It's my absolute favorite sound (until that little voice starts talking.)
• We have slowly been transitioning Lucy to sleep in her crib at night. It isn't easy and some nights she only makes it half way before we bring her into our room because she just won't sleep. We've had one night that she lasted until 6am, so we are being patient. Each night gets a little better.
• For the most part her talking is still babble, but she is learning new sounds all the time (for example, she recently started saying 'fffff'). She did say 'hi' to my mom the other day, but I can't get her to say it to me. Again, we are being patient. She will talk when she's ready to chat.
• You can see in the photos she is tugging at her ear - Lucy's sign of being sleepy. I was able to get a few good shots before she was over the camera.
• She is pretty on target with her age and the size clothes she wears., but I think her feet are small. She's wearing size 3 in shoes and even then, they are sometimes big.