Rice Cereal or Rice Milk??

Today was the big day! Carly got to try her first taste of "big" girl food. I have been anxious about this day for the past few weeks (mostly because it means my baby is growing up). I've read the "introducing solid foods" chapter(s) out of our various baby books multiple times, read sections of library books, and surfed the internet looking for information in preparation for this big day. In my reading I learned that we shouldn't make more than 2 tablespoons at a time while she is learning how to eat solids, that if she spits out then she isn't ready, and stage 1 food should come after rice cereal. Beyond those three pieces of information many of the books vary and contradict one another and sometimes themselves. So after the doctor asked us our opinion and told us to try it when we were ready, we decided to give it a whirl today.

This afternoon we made a trip to the store to purchase a pack of baby spoons and a box of Brown Rice Cereal. Unfortunately Carly fell asleep on our way home so our big adventure was put on pause. After she awoke and had her normal late afternoon/evening feeding we began our preparation. We mixed a 1/2 batch of the "infant's first meal" recipe making rice cereal. However, while Dave was stirring (i.e. playing with it) he pointed out that it was more of the consistency of rice soup rather than cereal.

With the cereal made, Carly all ready in her Bumbo chair, and the camera set and ready Dave fed her the first spoonful of rice cereal. She didn't push the spoon back with her tongue and she didn't spit it out; however, I'm not really sure she was sure about what to do with this new flavor in her mouth. She did allow Dave and I both to give her a few more tastes; however, not too many. (We threw out more 1/2 of what we made even when cutting the recipe in half. Which means we threw out probably 1.5oz of "liquid gold" aka milk.)

When we try tomorrow, I'm thinking we shouldn't try immediately after a feeding, but when she isn't completely full. Dave is also thinking it may work better if it is just a little thicker and not just rice flavored milk on a spoon.

Doctor's Appointment

Carly went for her 4 month doctor's visit yesterday. We had a fantastic visit and learned that she is 25 inches long (50 - 75th percentile), weighed 13lbs 13ozs (25 - 50th percentile), and her head's circumference is 42 cm (90 - 97th percentile). Her doctor was very impressed at her ability to hold her head and chest up while on her tummy and enjoyed listening to her coo and babble during the exam. At the end she did get another round of shots, but she was very tough. There were a few tears shed after the second injection, but nothing her daddy's hug couldn't fix. She was all smiles before we even walked out of the room.

I was especially grateful for her pleasant attitude during our visit and her shots because she hadn't napped all day. She played really hard all morning and then refused her usual noon time nap. I tried to make the early afternoon calm and relaxing with her and I reading and playing with books in hopes to avoid a melt down when putting her in the car seat for the doctors visit or at any other point in our trip. Luckily this was the case. She wasn't fussy while we were out and fell asleep on the ride home.

We did get permission to start solid food between now and her 6th month appointment, so rice cereal is in her future...

Girls will be Girls

Carly is 4 months, 3 days old and she already knows how to hold and hug a baby doll. Last night while we were playing in her room she caught eye of one of her dolls. We handed it to her and she pulled it towards her head. Then tonight she and I began to play with the doll again today. Using both hands she grabbed for the doll and pulled it toward her. I asked Dave to come up and watch and of course she quit playing. I then pulled out a second baby doll (that was slightly larger) from the closet and her eyes lit up. Dave pulled it out of the box and she begun pulling this one up to her chest. We were absolutely blown away that she naturally just treated the doll like her own baby and held it close to her chest.

Four Months

Carly is four months old today! It blows me away to think that 4 months ago today Dave and I went to the hospital and met Carly at 2:17 pm. In watching Carly play, eat, and interact today I've realized how much she has changed in these four months.

She can now -
~ sit up with assistance, and does a tripod sit independently
~ she grabs for toys (and everything else in sight) and will lean to get something if it is just out of her reach
~ toys and books are beginning to go in her mouth, hands are continuing to go in her mouth
~ she has begun pulling at her socks with her hands and will work her socks off when in her stroller and car seat
~ she enjoys hearing stories and helping to turn the pages (especially Fluffy Chick and Friends)
~ she rotates around on her back and stomach
~ has begun to drool constantly
~ likes to assist in holding her bottle
~ splashes and kicks during bath time
~ loves playing in her exersaucer and rotates around from toy to toy
~ is super cute and smiles ALL of the time

You'd Never Guess...

Carly had a very active day! She had visitors and did a lot of playing. She even entertained my dad tonight by dancing and making various noises tonight in her exersaucer for almost 30 straight minutes. But today's photo of the day truly illustrates that
1) Her father LOVES to read and
2) Her mother is a teacher.



To see Carly's one a day pictures go to www.davidandsharonorr.com On the website there is a featured gallery titled "Carly - One Day, One Picture".

What a year...

Today is the first day of my final year of being in my 20's. The idea of turning 29 doesn't make me feel old or have me dreading next year's birthday; however, reflecting on all that happened while I was 28 does make me feel "mature".

It was exactly one year ago today that my grade level sent me home sick from school. Being the little worker bee that I am, I refused to go home at first then scheduled a doctor's appointment. With the mentality that she would give me the good drugs to beat a head cold since DayQuil didn't quite seem to be cutting it this time and it was only Monday with a long week ahead. So home I went to nap and wait on my doctor's appointment.

Shortly after my arrival at the doctor's office I was called back and began describing my symptoms to the nurse: sinus pressure, runny nose, dizzy spells, scratchy throat, a cough, and my over the counter stuff hadn't been working since Thursday. Something intrigued her enough to ask for a urine sample. The doctor then came in and checked me, finding a lot of fluid on my ears and sinus pressure around my nose and forehead. So she began writing prescriptions and told me that I shouldn't plan on heading into work the following day. Thanking her for the prescriptions and thinking, "yeah right, I know I'll be at work tomorrow" I casually asked why the nurse had asked for a urine sample. My doctor then explained it was probably to run a pregnancy test since I mentioned having dizzy spells, but that she was confident the spells were from all of the fluid. This really got my mind running (because three days earlier - Friday night - I was starting to wonder if maybe Dave and I were expecting a bundle of joy).

So trying to stay calm I asked if it had been run and come back negative, assuming that I would have been told it was positive. My doctor then said she figured it hadn't even been run yet and they could just toss it instead of billing me for it, unless I wanted it run. I told her to go ahead and run it. She offered to let me leave and be called with the results or wait. Because I was their last patient before lunch I decided to wait around. A few minutes later, in she walked with a smile... "Well, it came back positive! Congratulations!! May I have back all of the prescriptions I just wrote you."

I called Dave, who was on his way to purchase my birthday present (a new pair of sunglasses) and shared our good news. In hindsight I wish I had been slightly more creative in telling him, but he knew I was going to the doctor and was flying out the very next morning on a business trip, so I wanted him to know as soon as possible. Dave's voice was filled with such excitement that even the doctor could hear him when she walked back in with information and commented about how he must be very excited.

Needless to say that was the end of his workday and we met at home to set up our first ultrasound and doctor's appointment and then to head to Barnes and Noble for a pregnancy book. My cold did take a while to go away, and it was the first of three during my first trimester, but it also marked the beginning of a great year.

As I currently sit here with a similar head cold I can't help but chuckle. There is no pregnancy with this birthday, but rather a beautiful 3.5 month old who loves me very much and a very supportive husband who is stuck travelling for work this week instead of being at home to celebrate with me.

Here's to a great last year of my 20's. *CHEERS*

Hands

Carly woke up this morning knowing it would be a day all about her HANDS! When I first walked into her room this morning she was playing in her crib with her hands. Clasping them together, waving them infront of her face, and beginning to bring her thumb and pointer finger together (the pincher grasp). This enjoyment continuted throughout her day!

Splish - Splash

Splish Splash I was taking a bath... There was a splishing and a splashing...

Carly has really begun to enjoy kicking her legs during bath time. At the end of bath time last night I think there was an equal amount of water outside of her tub as there was in the tub. This led my mom and I to make an executive decision about bath time - It was no longer to be held in the kitchen. Bath time needed to be moved to the bathroom.

Tonight Carly took her bath in her whale tub; however, it was sitting inside the tub in our master bathroom and not in the kitchen sink area. After putting her in the tub I realized this was a VERY SMART executive decision. I didn't particularly enjoy sitting on my knees and leaning over the tub to bath Carly, but I was very thankful that when she kicked and splashed the water went into the larger tub and down the drain. And oh did she kick and splash tonight. After getting her all washed up my mom and I sat there just watching her play and entertain herself. Kicking and cooing, smiling and twisting.

So after watching Carly entertain herself so very well, we were able to pull the plug and walk away. No more cleaning up the splashed water or moving the tub and her other bath accessories from the kitchen to the laundry room. It now is all just staying in the tub ready to be used and played in tomorrow night.

(All of her excitement did make her extra hungry - she ate an extra two ounces at bedtime tonight.)

Super Bowl XLIV

Carly made her first super bowl party appearance tonight. The party started at 4, so we arrived fashionably late. Our intentions were to arrive around 5:00 so that Carly would maybe last until a little after kick off. Well at 5:00 we were loading Carly, her pack 'n play, her diaper bag, and a veggie tray into the car.

During the party, Carly smiled and played with the other guests and was even sweet enough to use her pack 'n play to take a short nap in one of the spare rooms. After this revitalization she was set and lasted the remainder of the party. Although towards the end she did get tired and laid on the sofa cushion next to her daddy. (It was really sweet looking.)

Once we arrived back at home she had her final feeding of the night and then was out like a light.

Thankful! Very, very thankful!

Tonight we ventured out for an "adult" dinner with Carly. She has been to restaurants, but only with family or just us. Tonight we ventured out to visit with friends at Red Rocks, a local restaurant that we tend to only go to for special occasions. (The last time we were there was to celebrate my birthday two years ago.) I must admitt that I was slightly nervous about what tonight may have entailed. Carly does occasional have that impeccable timing about waking up and wanting to be fed or held right around the time that our meal arrives when we are out to dinner. So as I read over the menu I was trying to find something that I could eat at room temperature or would be served cold in case such an event occurred this evening. Unfortunately nothing matching that description fancied my taste buds. So, I ordered a hot meal and hoped for the best. Thankfully Carly was a gem. I was able to rock her to sleep shortly after ordering and she slept through the meal. Then she ate as we waited on others to finish and for coffee and dessert. While Dave and I enjoyed a delicious piece of chocolate cake, Carly enjoyed playing with our friends and a few of her toys. Shortly after paying Carly did express an interest in heading home, but who can blame a 3 1/2 month old for only wanting to be out with mom and dad's friends for 2.5 hours. :-)

Hopefully she will be just as enjoyable tomorrow for the Super Bowl.

Faces

Carly really enjoys to make a variety of faces. Through our picture a day series (http://www.davidandsharonorr.com/Series/carly/10114168_cucBM#781806770_XzKfx) we have tried to capture many of her faces. She will cry, smile, frown, bat her eyelashes, and stick out her tongue all within a few moments of each other. Tonight was one of those nights.

And my favorite...