Today was another beautiful day! Carly and I enjoyed a walk up to the local movie store to return 2 DVD's Dave and I had rented over the weekend. To get to the store we needed to cross a 5 lane road. This road has crossing signs and cross walks and was very easy to cross. (Which I was grateful for, especially since my tax dollars helped pay for a major overhaul of this road.) However, the video store is then on a short, two lane road off of this street. It amazed me at how much more difficult this street was to cross. The drivers on the larger road were MUCH friendlier.
Our day continued with a wonderful lunch outside by the lake with my mom and brother. It was so beautiful and peaceful to sit on a porch and have a leisurely lunch looking over the lake, which had a few boats out and cruising about.
After a delicious (and not so healthy lunch) we took a walk through the neighborhood, again enjoying the beautiful day. I know that rain is forecasted for the next few days, which I can deal with under one condition: The temperature stays warm during and after this rain episode. We will see if mother nature listens.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
Great Day and Great Weather
Today was absolutely BEAUTIFUL!! Carly and I started her morning with a 2.5 mile run/walk. Dave then came home for a picnic lunch on our front steps. Her LONG afternoon nap (3 hours) was followed with a 1.5 mile walk and some play time on our front steps.
We are both hoping this weather is here to stay!!
Carly hanging out in her jogging stroller during one of our trips out in the warm, sunny weather.
We are both hoping this weather is here to stay!!
Carly hanging out in her jogging stroller during one of our trips out in the warm, sunny weather.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Kisses
My dad has always used the roller coaster metaphor with me to describe life. Through various events in my life we have discussed our feelings by relating them different points on a roller coaster. These first few months with Carly have been a roller coaster. We have fabulous times when we are up high and can see everything clearly and we have times where I feel like I am hanging on for dear life hoping to survive.
Today was the second highest point since she was born (that will always be the highest point to me). It all started yesterday as she and I climbed the stairs for a nap time. As we climb the stairs I tend to kiss her cheeks, telling her how much her daddy and I love her and how I/we can't wait until she wakes up from her nap to play again. (Basically trying to soothe her and avoid nap time tears.) About half way up the stairs she turned her head and started "kissing" me back (a.k.a. licking my cheek). I noted it in my head, but figured it was just an accident... my cheek randomly got in her tongue's way. However, I did come downstairs and jokingly told Dave that Carly had kissed me, and it was too bad she probably didn't even mean to do it. Then tonight while we were playing, she began to get a little tired and fussy. So I scooped her up and began kissing her little cheeks. Then it happened, she "kissed" me back. Over and over! It was great!!
This is the moment I need to cherish and remember when the terrible 2's hit. Or when she is yelling she hates me because I won't buy her some $100+ pair of jeans or let her go out with a group of friends who are no good. It was absolutely priceless and perfect!! By far the highest feeling I have felt since the first time I held her beautiful self close to my chest.
She did it so many times that Dave was actually able to get a decent picture of her doing it.
Today was the second highest point since she was born (that will always be the highest point to me). It all started yesterday as she and I climbed the stairs for a nap time. As we climb the stairs I tend to kiss her cheeks, telling her how much her daddy and I love her and how I/we can't wait until she wakes up from her nap to play again. (Basically trying to soothe her and avoid nap time tears.) About half way up the stairs she turned her head and started "kissing" me back (a.k.a. licking my cheek). I noted it in my head, but figured it was just an accident... my cheek randomly got in her tongue's way. However, I did come downstairs and jokingly told Dave that Carly had kissed me, and it was too bad she probably didn't even mean to do it. Then tonight while we were playing, she began to get a little tired and fussy. So I scooped her up and began kissing her little cheeks. Then it happened, she "kissed" me back. Over and over! It was great!!
This is the moment I need to cherish and remember when the terrible 2's hit. Or when she is yelling she hates me because I won't buy her some $100+ pair of jeans or let her go out with a group of friends who are no good. It was absolutely priceless and perfect!! By far the highest feeling I have felt since the first time I held her beautiful self close to my chest.
She did it so many times that Dave was actually able to get a decent picture of her doing it.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
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.
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.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
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...
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...
Thursday, February 25, 2010
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.
Monday, February 22, 2010
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
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
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