Week 10 - Nellie

Last Friday was my first full day back at work and it was definitely bittersweet.  I enjoy my job and love what I do but it was definitely hard when I had to say goodbye that morning.  It lessens the blow that I am only working one day a week (Fridays) until I return full time on April 8th.  When I got home last Friday night all I wanted to do was lay on the couch and snug my littlest baby, which is exactly what I did.

This week we were able to get Nellie to sleep in her crib for a short amount of time.  In this instance she actually put herself to sleep while I was organizing the girls' closet; I couldn't believe it when I turned around and she was out!

Along the same lines, my mom watched Nellie while I had a mommy and me date with Mila on Tuesday afternoon and she had her sleeping in the crib as well.

That same evening Nellie put herself to sleep in the car seat while I was making dinner.  Seeing how this is progressing, and how well she is doing with the schedule, I think it's about time to begin the initial stages of sleep training her so she learns to put herself to sleep initially and when she wakes up in the middle of the night.

We are getting much better in our morning routines and it seems both girls have settled right into it.  They have some alone time in mommy's bed in the morning, watching cartoons, while I make everyone breakfast. I walked in one day to see them both laying on the same pillow; best friends already.

Today we went to a birthday party for one of Mila's friends and the mom is SO crafty; she made little crowns for all of the kids and even a little baby one for Nellie.  How cute is that?!  

When we got home from the party I put her in the magic swing and she was just laying smiling and moving around,  and next thing you know she let out the cutest little giggle!  Robert and I both happened to be standing there at the time so it was special for both of us to get to experience that "first" together.

Now that Nellie has started cooing and making noises Mila randomly will mimic them, sometimes even from across the room.  It's seriously so adorable to see them together and to see what an amazing big sister Mila is.  I am still in awe by the fact that she has yet to be even slightly jealous of Nellie, only really showing it when she wants me to pick her up on the off times that I am not holding Nellie.  I know it's only going to get sweeter as they get older and Nellie starts responding to me; I can't wait to see it.

2 Month Dr. Appt - Nellie

Nellie had her two month doctor appointment today and is just perfect!  She is 22.75in long and weighs 11lbs, 5oz; her head circumference is 15.75in, which puts her in the 95th percentile (the doctor said she has lots of brains!).  The doctor said she has great skin for winter in Southern California (whatever that means) and that she is such a strong baby.  We had a lengthy conversation about vaccinations and I am less concerned than I was going into the appointment.

Nellie got three shots and an oral vaccination today, poor little thing.  She received the second of the Hepatitis B shot, the DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus and Whooping Cough), Hib and Polio (all three combined in one) shot, the Pneumococcal shot and the Rotavirus oral vaccination.  I had asked about getting the measles vaccination early and Dr. Brouwer said its not needed at this point but she would let us know if that policy changes.

She did great and was so happy right before the shots, and then making the saddest little faces and squeals after each one.  I'm not sure who it was worse for, Nellie or me!

She's been a little fussy since the appointment, letting out pathetic little wails every few minutes that would just break your heart.  Thankfully my parents were able to take Mila so we spent most of the day laying on the couch, Nellie nursing and sleeping, and me snuggling her.    

Her next doctor's appointment is in April, for her 4 month checkup.

Mila is Potty Trained!

I am SO happy to finally be able to say that Mila is potty trained!  We started potty training her around mid-January when Robert’s mom had just been here and was working with her on it.  She was rewarded with M&Ms (against my will…but I gave in!) but after the novelty wore off she would only do it if we asked and then made her sit on the potty.

Last Monday I decided to pull out all of the stops and, using my friend Aimee’s cliff notes from Toilet Training in Less Than A Day, and go straight to big girl (real) panties.  The first day I asked her EVERY 5 MINUTES if she was still dry (rather than "do you have to go potty") and verbally praised her for that.  She did go potty every time I asked but hardly asked me to go.  The next day I waited for her to tell me that she had to go and we had two accidents all day but every other time she went on the potty herself. One of the big things this book does is have her do all the work: she pulls up and down her panties, wipes, dumps the pee from the little potty into the toilet and cleans up all messes. I really think that had a lot to do with our successes.

For the past week Mila has woke up dry from her overnight sleep all but one time (we still have her in Pull-Ups for that...I'm still worried!) and has woken up dry from her naps everyday.  She is both pooping and peeing in the potty as well. Today was her big test as it was her first day at preschool since potty training started and I'm SO happy to say she stayed dry all day!  The M&Ms ran out a couple days ago and I told her when they're gone, they're gone; now she just gets verbal praise and is SO proud of herself, as are we :)

Way to go Mila!!!!

Happy 2 Months, Nellie! (& Week 9)

Last Thursday I put Nellie on her stomach for tummy time and the next time I looked over she was on her back; I asked Mila if she pushed her over but she ignored me.  Then, on Friday, Aunt Sissy said that she rolled over!  And soon after we caught it on tape.  I’m sure rolling over before the expected four month mark does not necessarily mean that she will be a rocket scientist but it is pretty impressive for right now!  Mostly I am pretty sure she has just figured out a way to get out of tummy time early so we will have to find other ways to work on that! Overall, though, I am super impressed with how strong her neck is, even at such a young age.

Speaking of, Aunt Sissy and Uncle Bret were in town this past weekend for Nellie’s baptism and we had such a fun time. I can’t think of anyone that would be greater aunts and uncles to our girls and we are so happy to have them as their godparents as well.  Robert and I were able to go out for a date night while they watched the girls and it was a success on both ends!!!

the jacket papoose!

he's so cute with her

About two weeks ago we weighed Nellie and she was already at 11.2 lbs!  I would imagine that she has grown a couple inches as well because even some of her 0-6mo sleepers are getting a little snug in the length department.  Her two month appointment is on Monday so we will have the numbers then.

Mila, Nellie and Kira

Life is good.

Nellie started smiling this month and it just melts your heart! She has also started mimicking if you stick your tongue out at her, which is one of Robert’s favorite things to do.

We are still exclusively breastfeeding and that’s going great.  I started back to work with a half day last Friday and will now work every Friday until returning full time after Easter.  Robert has both girls on Friday and Nellie will take a bottle at home while I pump at work.   Starting her schedule last week has made such a difference in her overall demeanor; she is much happier now,  maybe because she is older but possibly because she’s well rested now too.  I am implementing the same BabyWise schedule as I did with Mila and Nellie fell right into it and is really doing well.  The night before my first day back at work she slept through the whole night (9pm-5:30am), which was glorious…but only happened one time.  We are at the point now where her grunts and noises are keeping me awake at night and sometimes I grab her and start to feed her, when I think she would probably just settle down on her own. 

Even with the new swing I am still having a heck of a time getting her to sleep when not in my arms. Other than that the only other time she is fussy is in the car, where she screams nearly the whole time which makes me lose my mind and wonder if I can just walk everywhere for the next couple of months.

She is much more alert than she has been and is able to track and follow things with her eyes now, which makes her activity mat much more exciting.

During our photo shoot with the 2 month sticker Nellie happened to look down and see her toes, all concentration on me was lost and it was so cute watching her try to figure out her toes.

Nellie is our little white baby and couldn't be prettier with her dark hair (that has yet to fall out!) and blue eyes (still blue! fingers crossed!).

We love you Nellie and just can't get enough of you!!!

For all pictures from this month, click here.

Nellie's Baptism

This weekend our family and friends got together to celebrate Nellie's baptism.

Nellie did great during the ceremony and didn't make a sound!  Mila wanted to be up front with us the whole time as well, which was fine...Nellie didn't mind :)

As with Mila, we asked Bret and Erin to be Nellie's godparents and they quickly accepted. They've been so great with Mila and I know they will be just as great with Nellie too.

During the portion of the ceremony where Nellie had to have water poured over her head she just took it quietly and may have even made a coo or too!  Father Pat said he's never seen a more calm baby.

After she was "dunked" Mila pointed at her and said, "Funny hair!"

After the church we had everyone back to our house for a party (which I unfortunately didn't get any pictures of) and had a great time.

It was so great to have everyone together to celebrate our little princess and we appreciate all the love that surrounds her.  She is a lucky girl and we are definitely a blessed family.

Mila Update - 28 months

Oh what a fun age our little Mila is at!  She is such a little doll with a big personality.  She is talking so much and numerous people have commented on how much she speaks and how clearly it is for everyone to understand.  She's started slightly repeating what we're saying, but nothing horrible yet (the worst so far is, "What the heck?!").  It's so funny to listen to her tell a story and watch her try and then of the word that she wants to use.  She has great manners, saying "bless you" after someone sneezes, "please," "thank you," "sorry" and covering her mouth when she coughs.  We had a couple weeks where she would say "Mine!" in an aggressive voice but that has since subsided.  Her newest thing lately is to tell everyone to be careful ("be careful with the door, Mama;" "careful in the kitchen, daddy").  Sometimes when I give her something she will clutch it to her chest, sway side to side and say "I luuuuuuub it!"

She started preschool in January and just loves it.  When it's time to go to preschool all she can talk about is her friends and when I get there to pick her up the first thing she asks for is her snack.  She has a little pink backpack that she insists on wearing to and from school, even though there's nothing in it but a clean change of clothes. She is currently going to school three mornings and will increase to four in March and then change to four full days in April when I head back to work full time.

Every week she is sent home with all kinds of art projects that we hang up on her art board and she is so proud of them.  When she walks by them most of the time she will stop, point at them and say "taaa-daaa!"

She loves being outside and going to the park, something we (unfortunately) don't have a ton of time for lately, but I am glad that she gets that at preschool.  We're still making time for her to see Kira, who she still LOVES, but it's definitely not as much as it used to be.  Mila is a PRO with the iPad and iPhone, something I'm not sure I am happy or sad about.  She knows how to swipe into the iPad, navigate the apps, even clear them to save the battery: and we didn't teach her any of that!  She loves watching Veggie Tales (which teaches bible stories), Dora, Caillou and Spanish kids programs on the Amazon Prime video app (which I initially hid in a folder and then she found!) and Mickey Mouse Club (although Doc McStuffins is becoming a close second) on TV.

The iPad is such a great learning tool, assuming that you have the right apps on it.  There's a couple puzzle apps that I am amazed that she can do and do them so fast.  There are others with numbers and letters and also flash cards that she loves as well.  We have been practicing counting her numbers 1-12 and spelling her name and she will often ask to do this if we are waiting in the car or a store somewhere.

waiting patiently for daddy to get home from work

We went to Palm Springs in January and enjoyed some fun in the sun.  Mila was a little fish and didn't want to get out of the pool.  She crawled around the baby pool and saddled up to all of the bigger kids that came into the pool and just stared at them in awe.  She even asked to go in the big pool with daddy a couple times (to get closer to the big kids, of course!).  Guess it's time to re-start those swimming lessons!

She is the perfect mesh of a girly girl and not caring anything about girly things.  She loves her purse and glass slippers, and more recently her baby doll and diaper bag but doesn't really care what she wears in the morning, which saves a battle before walking out the door!

Her pretend play has really increased as well.  It started with her "feeding" me french fries and ketchup from her hand while we were in the car and has now crossed over to all of her bath time toys (My Little Ponies and Minnie Mouse being her favorite).

She loves her baby doll and carries it around the house with her, perhaps because I am always carrying Nellie around?  She likes to feed her breakfast and has even breastfed her which I was oddly emotional (in a happy way!) about.

She is still pretty easy to put to bed, although she has been delaying more than usual lately.  She kisses and hugs everyone goodnight and then says "Hug! I got! (forgot)" and has to go around and do it again.  She wants songs at bedtime, to be covered up and then wants to start the whole process over.  But she is still sleeping 12 hours a night and taking a 2-2.5 hour nap every day so that's great.  She is still in her crib and what's amazing to me is that not only does she never try to get out of it, she also never calls for us when she wakes up!  She just sits in there patiently, waiting for us to come get her.  Sometimes I think she would wait for hours!

Auntie Whit came to visit!

We started potty training her with Pull-Ups around the middle of January and it was going great...until the novelty wore off and then she was over it.  She would still go on the potty when we asked her but never would tell us and frequently would go in the Pull-Ups.

This week we really hunkered down I decided I'm not leaving the house until she's potty trained! After many suggestions from other moms, we implemented Toilet Training in Less Than a Day and so far it's going good.  Yesterday I spent THE WHOLE DAY asking her every five minutes if her panties were dry and nine times out of 10 they were.  She didn't tell me much on her own that she had to go so that's what we're going to work on the rest of the week.  She has been wearing real panties now, which I think is helping, because she can feel the accident and I am having her go through all the motions herself (pulling down her own pants, cleaning up the mess, etc.)

Pony ride!

Mila LOVES being a big sister. Loves loves loves.  She is so much more gentle with Nellie than I thought she would be and is obsessed with giving her kisses.  Sometimes she presses on her a little to hard or leans on her but that's to be expected. She always wants to know where the baby is and loves to tell us when she is crying.  "Hiiiii Siiister" is one of her favorite things to say and she helps out immensely with tummy time by keeping Nellie entertained. She wants to be involved with everything from diaper changing to bath time to swinging and sleeping.

I can't wait to see what the next couple of months bring and can't believe we are almost on the down slope of having a 3 year old on our hands!  I can't imagine things getting any better but I know that's exactly what is going to happy!

For more pictures click here and here.