ASU BABY!!

My little ASU cheerleader! Just had to share :)

Cheering, GO DEVILS!

This is my future Sun Devil right here!

Sleeping Through the Night!

I am so proud to announce that...


AUBRYN IS SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!


We moved her into her own room, a very bittersweet moment. It was much later than I anticipated moving her, but due to space (even though we live in a 2 story, 3 bedroom with a loft house...lol), she was with us in our room. I figured that her being in our room was hindering her sleeping, since she would wake up shortly after we came to bed. I decided to do a "technique" that I put together from hearing other parent's sleepytime stories. I found out later that it is actually a technique called the VRT (verbal reassurance technique). She now sleeps from 8:30pm to 6:00am!!!


So...here is to a full night's sleep!!


It has been 9 months of waking multiple times throughout the night. I have not gotten a good night's sleep since December 19, 2010. And you know what? I would not trade a SECOND of those wake ups, late night feedings, pacing back and forth with an inconsolable baby, Tylenol and teething tablets, diaper changes (and sometimes clothing/bedding changes), and endless snuggles for ANYTHING! 


I love you baby girl!


<3 K

Happy 9 Months, Baby Aubryn!

Hi Blogiverse!


Well, I didn't intend for this to only be a once-a-month blog, but things have been very busy this month! Now, not only am I mommy to my beautiful girl, but I am now a working woman again! Other than that, I am just loving watching my little one grow.

Your color coded schedule and food, ready for the first day of daycare! 


Speaking of that...

My dear baby girl,

   I cannot believe it has been a whole month!! I cannot believe that you are 9 months old!! 9 months!! Ahh! I know I keep saying this, but I feel like I just found out yesterday that I was pregnant, and now you are a beautiful 9 month old. It makes me smile and want to cry, all at the same time, to see you grow every day. 


You are so much more independent this month! You definitely want to feed yourself. Since we got our Baby Bullet, I have been making all of your food. But recently, I have been able to make my own recipes and play with foods and textures for you. We recently found a favorite, Chicken, Carrot & Brown Rice with a little Mango. You still really like sweet potatoes, apples, bananas, pears, squash/pear, and apple/carrot. You do like the BB food, however, you would MUCH rather eat anything and everything that is toddler/adult food (some of which I probably shouldn't have given you yet lol). 

This month, you:


~ have started going to daycare recently because I went back to work. Normally, Daddy, Grandma Teri, or your babysitter Brittany, watches you. But this week, Grandma Becky got to watch you and Chloe for a whole day! 


~are starting to develop a temper, and starting to be very picky (I wonder where you get that from?) ;) 


~are still trying so hard to walk! You seem to think that you can walk, even though you are not quite there yet...you LOVE your walker that daddy and grandma got you, and the push walker (above photo)


~are still in size 2 diapers and mostly 0-3 or 3 month clothes. 


~STILL HAVE NO TEETH! AHH! It drives me crazy! You bite everything (to the point where you leave the little bite circle) but you have no teeth! I am not quite sure how you do it, because I give you the hard crackers that don't dissolve, and you still bite them right away anyway. 


~finally fit into a couple of 3-6 month outfits! We will soon get to use those cute ones that I have waited so long to see on you :) 


~have finally learned to crawl like a normal baby lol. You have been crawling for a long time (since about 4 months) but you did this crazy worm crawl...now it is all fours :)


~LOVE your sister and aunts and uncles. You seem to understand that these people are family and you should think that they are awesome :) Your sister can make you laugh like no other, and it is so cute to watch. I am so blessed and happy that I get to watch you two beautiful girls grow up together.


Many interesting things happened this month, but the two biggest of them all was:


You went to your first ASU game!! Since I am a HUGE ASU fan, and a former student, it was a proud day when Daddy, Grandpa, Aunt Caitee, and I took you to your first ASU football game (Sept 9). You actually seemed interested, and would cheer when we did (until you got tired, then you cried lol). It rained, dust stormed, and was super loud, but we had fun, and I cannot wait to take you again!

We went on your first cruise! Labor day weekend, you and I (unfortunately, Chloe could not come, so daddy stayed home) went with Grandma and all of the kids, our friends Ninnah and Josh and their kids, and 3 nannies (a total of 23 people!) on a 3 day cruise to Mexico. I believe you were the youngest cruiser on the ship! Everyone was so enthralled with everything you did, including all of the strangers (who quickly became cruise friends) who loved to play with you and show you off :) We all had so much fun, and I so proud to have taken you on your first cruise!

Sadly, I am starting to think about your first birthday already :( I cannot believe you are 9 months, and it feels like tomorrow you will be 1. I cannot even express to you how much I love you, and what joy you have brought to my life. I thank God every day for the amazing gift that he has given me. Daddy, Chloe and I love you very much (along with MANY other people)!


Don't grow up too fast baby girl, I love you.


With all of the love in my heart,


Mommy

Happy 8 months, Aubryn Grace!

Aubryn Grace,


   As I write this, you are watching TV, fully engaged in your favorite character, Chica, from the Sprout channel. You are so funny when she comes on the TV. You drop everything you are doing, and stare at this squeaking chicken. Most of the time, you giggle and bounce as Chica "sings" her songs, but sometimes, you just stare in amazement. You are growing so fast! It seems like just yesterday, you were in my belly, and I was yearning to meet you. Now, you are a beautiful bouncing little girl, full of personality and joy. You are definitely a mommy's girl, although when I am not around, Daddy and Grandma will do ;) I just bought the Baby Bullet for you, so I am now starting to make your food from scratch. I hope you will like it!


At 8 months old, you:


   ~ Know your name and respond to it. You know who Mama, Dada, and Grandma are. If someone says, "Where's Mama?" you will look around. You DEFINITELY recognize voices. I could be in another room or just come home, and you hear my voice and get very excited! You recognize the cats' meows and the dog's bark and look for them. You also know what "uh uh" means when you are getting into something you shouldn't ;)


   ~ Laugh all of the time! Your laugh is the best sound I have ever heard :)


   ~ Make the CUTEST face we call "Squishy Face" that always makes us laugh...and you know it!


   ~ Love to dance! When music comes on, no matter if you are sitting or standing, you start dancing!


    ~Are eating Stage 2 foods, sometimes two jars per meal! (Soon to be Bullet servings) ;)


   ~ LOVE being in the ExerSaucer, especially when I give you fruit puffs to munch on!


   ~ Have found your new favorite food, we call them Baby Cheetos. You are loving being able to feed yourself! If you can, you rather feed yourself than have anyone feed you. You are becoming very independent...I am not ready for that!


   ~ Love to eat table food. So far, you have eaten Kix cereal, cheese, bread, pizza crust, eggs, ice cream, french fries, and anything anyone will let you try!
  
   ~ Can crawl up the entire flight of stairs (although I make sure that I am RIGHT behind you the whole time!). If you are at the first through third stairs, you can also turn around and come down.


   ~ Are still in 0-3 month/ 3 month clothes, and size 2 diapers. You are starting to get bigger, but not quite big enough for 3- 6 months yet!


   ~ Have put the fire under me to baby proof the house! You crawl everywhere, and when I am not looking, love to chew on flip flops, play in the cat water, eat cat food, and find any little tiny piece of anything on the floor and put it in your mouth (with that being said, you put EVERYTHING in your mouth! lol)!


   ~ Really like to pull yourself up to standing on any piece of furniture that you can. You especially love Grandma's bar stools. You could stand there and squeak the second rung forever if I let you! 


   ~ Are almost walking already! You can pull yourself up to standing at any long piece of furniture (ex. couch, coffee table, chair, etc.) and walk along it with your hands on the couch. You will be walking in no time!!


   ~ Can say "Mama" "Dada" "Cat" and are starting to say "What's that" but it comes out more like "S'dat" :) You don't always use your words, and definitely only say them when you feel like it, but you know what they mean!


   ~ Don't quite sleep through the night yet, but we are down to mostly one feeding per night. 


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I have finally packed up your Newborn clothes, put away your newborn gear (bassinet, cradle, baby rocker, etc). Although it was hard, you don't use them anymore :(


Daddy and Grandma bought you a walker last week, and you have learned to walk around the house in it. 

I am doing daycare right now so that I can stay home with you. Since I am still breastfeeding you, it is easier to be home. I have never left you for more than 4 hours at a time (and I LOVE that). I am currently contemplating going back to work, and actually had an interview yesterday for a new job! It will be hard to leave you, but it will only be part time for now. 


We have a routine. 8pm is bathtime. Followed by lotion massage, getting dressed, reading a book, bedtime feeding, and in bed by 8:30pm. You then (normally) sleep from 8:30pm to (you used to sleep until 4:30am, but it has changed to) about 1:30am when you eat again. Then, for the most part, you sleep until 6am when you eat again. Lately though, you have been waking up at 3am to play! You especially love climbing all over the bed... and Daddy! After 6am, we lay there and feed for a while, and sometimes you fall back asleep, sometimes you don't. We are up for the day by 7:30am!


I think that about sums you up for now. I hope you will like to go back and read this when you are older. Now that I have this way to write these letters to you, I hope you will enjoy seeing how much you have changed every month (as I have decided to write an update every month) :)




    Aubryn, you definitely have a distinct personality, and you are becoming more and more like your parents every day. I see your dad's quirks in you, as well as mine. You look like your dad when you sleep, and more like me when you are awake. I am amazed that I had a part in creating this wonderful little human mini-me, as everyone calls you. You are beautiful and perfect in every way. I cannot wait to see who you become and what you will accomplish. I look forward to every day, just so I can see what you will amaze me with next. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love you Aubryn Grace!
Happy 8 month Birthday baby girl!


     With more love than you could ever imagine,


                    Mommy <3

First Post

Hi everyone! I decided that it was time to join the Blogging world! This blog is all about my family, our crazy fun time, and my experiences as a first time (real) mommy and a wife. Please enjoy!