Happy 8 Months, Nellie!

8 Month Stats

Weight: approx. 17.6lbs

Length: approx. 27in

Eating: you are still on four bottles a day and roughly 33 ounces of milk.  You dropped your dream feed this month and, with the addition of solids, it seems you are getting enough to eat during the day so you have been consistently sleeping through the night, hooray!  You are eating more combinations of foods (broccoli/apple, spinach/mango, banana/peas/pears, pumpkin banana), who knows if they're good but you always finish them so maybe you think so.  Tonight you had your first meat, hamburger, in the form of blended spaghetti sauce. You loved it and ate the whole thing!

Bedtime: we've reached a great mark in your growth pattern in that we are almost always able to lay you down awake and you will eventually flip over to your stomach and put yourself to sleep.  Your bedtime is still at 7pm; you are still taking a pacifier AND can find it yourself in the middle of the night.  You are an early bird, generally waking at 6am on the dot; on the days you do "sleep in" you are still up by 6:20am.

Awake:  all the awake time spent crawling around burning energy is wearing you out so you get tired much easier now and are ready for a nap roughly 2 hours after you wake up, rather than the 2-3 you were averaging last month.

Naps: you are sleeping much better and are always taking about a 2 hour morning and afternoon nap.

Diapers: you are such a dainty little thing and are still in size 2 diapers.  

Clothes: you are still in mostly 3-6mo and 6mo clothes, I don't think you've hit your next growth spurt yet.

Favorites: now that you are crawling you LOVE to explore the house, particularly the bathroom, which is off limits.  Your Exersaucer is old news now and annoys you because it keeps you contained.  You have a funny habit of growling as you crawl around the house, but at least we always know where you are.  You love making noise and giggling at and with your sister.  Mila thinks it's hilarious that your favorite is to yell inside the house and the car (which is against the rules), which makes you just do it more.

Development: in addition to crawling, you are already pulling up on any and everything and evening shuffling around the couch once you are standing. You can stand on your own for about three seconds until you fall down but I imagine that you will be walking well before your 1st birthday.  You are saying so many more consonants now and even strung together "da da," much to my displeasure. You are also in the early stages of being able to pick up food and put it in your mouth.  You have six teeth now and are constantly playing with them and making funny faces.

Nellie,

First off, sorry you look so ridiculous in this month's picture, but when your month birthday falls on a day when both mommy and daddy work you are lucky I was able to get you in a onesie with the correct sticker on it!  But in my defense, this was the little monkey I was dealing with:

Luckily Tori was able to take these shots of you; this captures our little princess much better!

You are on the move!  Once you got the hang of crawling you really started moving and are even venturing off on your own out of my sight.  Your favorite place to hang out is in the bathroom, which is off limits, and even Mila knows to shut all the doors and tell you to get out or "you will get germs!"

You have also started pulling up and scooting around the couch.  I just know that you are going to be our crazy child that gets into anything and everything.

The most frustrating thing, to me AND you, is when you would pull up in your bed but then you couldn't figure out how to get down so you would just stand there and cry until someone would come rescue you.

Your hair is getting so long and I made the mistake of cutting your bangs (which is much harder than it looks) and now it looks better when I put it in cute little pigtails, which you totally rock.

I love seeing you with your sister and your relationship is really developing.  She is SO gentle and sweet with you and really listens when I tell her why you can't do certain things and explain that one day you will be big enough to play with her.

We love you so much little Nell Bell.

Love,
Mommy

Mila Says...

Mila is at such a fun age and is talking, and picking up on, so much.  Some of the stuff she says I know she has heard at home but other stuff I am so surprised by and when I ask her where she heard/learned that she simply replies, "skee school."

I recently asked her to get in her carseat so we could leave and she said "I'm on it mama!"

Waffles are an all time favorite breakfast item, most likely because they are served with syrup.  I used to give Mila a full little bowl but that quickly stopped when I turned the corner one day and saw this!  She abandoned the waffles on the plate and was SLURPING the syrup out of the bowl!

One night before bed she asked to snuggle with me and then said, unprompted, "best fwend. you're mine, mama."  And then my heart exploded.

She has figured out how to do all sorts of things with her body, like curl her tongue, stand on one leg, hop around, kick her leg up in the air, etc. And now she constantly wants everyone to watch her.  "Mama, watch me!" *jumps up in the air*  "Mama, watch me!" *twirls around in a circle* "Mama, watch me!  Mama, watch me! MAMA! WATCH! ME!" *shakes her booty*

I was talking on the phone one morning when I was buckling her in her carseat.  She sneezed and when I didn't acknowledge it, she said "Mom."  *still talking* "Mom." *still talking* "MOM. I SNEEZED."  "Bless you."

When playing in the trailer one afternoon with Kayleigh and Alyssa: "C'mon laaaadiiiies."

She is so much more protective of Roscoe lately and anytime we speak sternly to him she says, "Mama. Be NICE to ROSCOE."  And when we left the house the other day I caught her patting his bottom, saying, "Sorry Roscoe, you have to stay home, buddy."

She gets so serious when saying "I love you."  She tilts her head to the side, looks pained and in the sweetest little voice says "I LOVE you, mooooom."

What Nellie Has Taught Me

When I became a mom the first time around I didn't think I knew EVERYTHING but I knew a lot, for sure. I had read many, MANY books on childrearing and I was set in my ways on how we would raise our firstborn.  Thankfully, everyone in our life followed our principles and rationales and Mila has developed into the model child. This is obviously a testament to the fact that we NAILED it and are perfect parents. Right? Right?

The second baby gets a bad rap; but I think it's this child that brings everything into focus and shows you what a real marriage and family is all about.  Even though I knew everything the first time around, Nellie has taught me more about parenting than I can ever imagine.

• I am stronger than I could have EVER possible imagined.
• Even if I don't want to I can get up at 5am and be up for the day, without being THAT grumpy
• I don't MEAN to spoil you but when you cry I just want to pick you up and snuggle you until you stop because I know it won't last for long
• You made our marriage so much stronger.  The second time around is no joke.  It's not as easy at all but it's so much easier that I think we are seasoned veterans.  Robert and I are so much more on fleek point for Nell Bell and our marriage is much stronger.  Having literally just realized this in the past two months, when you have a first baby your expectations of life have not changed.  You think you can do everything you did before and a baby will just fold into the mix. But when your husband wants to go to the gym after work and you planned on using that time to meet up with a friend it's quickly evident that things are not the same.  With the second baby you know what is expected of you and you are more of a team player.
• You don't need swim lessons, or classes, at 4 months old; you will have enough activities and be just fine with all of the people in your life that love you
• I now know I don't need to make you eat liver and you will still be super smart (this is mostly because, no matter how good it is for you, I just can't stomach cooking LIVER and then FEEDING it to you)
• I don't HAVE to make your baby food but, this time around, I enjoy it. It may (allegedly) not be any different than the all natural, organic food I can buy in the store but I love doing my part to give you the best, freshest food available 
• It's okay if I spend longer rocking you at night and put you down asleep (and not just drowsy) because you will still sleep through the night by the time you're in first grade
• I still live and die by Babywise, but it's just not the same with the second baby. You have shown me that, even if you aren't on MY schedule, you will follow your own and I will adapt
• Sadly, you have fallen off more items (bed, couch...) than I care to admit and you're absolutely fine! I now know babies aren't made of porcelain and you are no different than Mila, who lived in a bubble
• Your firsts are SO exciting (and SO sad) because they are our lasts
• Organic/non-GMO is best and I will continue to do everything I can to ensure this is all you have in that tiny little body of yours. I don't care if your formula is twice as expensive as last time 
• Breastfeeding for 7mo was EVERYTHING I ever dreamed it could be
• My body, all that it is, is so amazing and I am finally comfortable in front of a mirror
• We don't realize it's the last time until it never happens again
• You think after having one you could never love another so much (I may or may not have thought this after Roscoe and before Mila!) but it's just different and there's enough love to go around
• I will never be done having babies.  When I see the pregnant ladies at the doctor or the maternity clothes at the store or the stories of birth on TV or the friends having their own or the tiny little clothes or the new baby snuggles or the...  Eventually my body will be so old I can't have any more and then, and only then, will I know we are done.

Most of all Nellie has taught me that you can't plan for anything and everything will be the best.  You just don't get it when you are a first time mom. If you're only ever a first time mom you will get it eventually, extra babies just speed it up.  

And I wouldn't change it for anything in the world.

We've Got a Crawler!!!

Just minutes after posting the 7 month update, Nellie crawled!!!!

Happy 7 Months, Nellie!

7 Month Stats

Weight: approx. 16.8lbs

Length: approx. 26in

Eating: you finished your last bottle of breastmilk last week which was a bittersweet moment for your mom.  I am very happy with my breastfeeding journey and I am so glad I made it past my goal of six months.  You are now drinking 26oz of formula, four times a day and one dream feed before we go to bed at night.  We also have started you on solids and you have tried applesauce, carrots, sweet potatoes, beet apple, prunes, bananas, peas and pears, which you're having at lunch and dinner.  As I did with your sister, I am making all of your baby food you just (luckily? unluckily?) don't get to try the crazy stuff like liver because I don't have THAT much time!

Bedtime: you are still going down at 7pm each night and are now sleeping through the night!  You also now take a pacifier (haaaaaaaaallelujah!), which maybe has something to do with it.  You wake up usually around 6am but sometimes as early at 5am.  I can't seem to get you to sleep without rocking or bouncing you so daddy has taken over and gets you down most nights.

Awake:  I saw it every month but you are always happy!  You have four little teeth now and you look so goofy and adorable when you smile it's ridiculous.  You generally stay away for about 2-3 hours in between naps but can something go as long as 5-6!  Shockingly, even when you are awake for this many hours you are almost never cranky. It's unbelievable how happy you are!

Naps: after a rough couple of weeks where there were no afternoon naps (but this was the start of you sleeping through the night so I'm not reeeeeally going to complain...), you have started napping twice a day again and are going down for about 1.5-2 hours each time.

Diapers: You are still in the size 2 diapers, which fit you much better now.  You HATE pooping and want the dirty diaper off immediately. 

Clothes: We have got our all of your 6 month and 6-9 month clothes so you are just wearing a mix of all of those.  All of the pant outfits are too short for you so I am thinking you are longer/taller than the average babe.

Favorites: You LOVE LOVE LOVE jumping in your Exersaucer and go absolutely bonkers every time you are in it. You will literally stay in it for hours and when you aren't in it you scootch all the way over to it and sit right beside it until someone puts you in.  Your sister still tops your favorites list and you have started laughing at her on your own, without her laughing at you first.

Development: you are thisclose to crawling, getting up on your arms and knees, rocking and doing baby pushups every time you are on your stomach.  You seem to get so frustrated when you can go anywhere and flop down on your stomach for a minute before getting up and trying again.  It's only a very small matter of time before you are going to be crawling all over the house and I have to remember how to babyproof our house.  You are jibber jabbering more this month than last month and love to laugh and squeal.  After you cut your four teeth you seem to be taking a break and we haven't had anymore pop up just yet. You can hold your bottle, rake toys near you and just recently started clapping!!!

Little Nellie Bell,

Happy 7 months pretty little girl.  You are such a delight and we are so blessed to have you in our lives.  You wake up happy every single day and are SO excited for the day, we should all be so lucky.  You are a growing little girl and seems to be so much bigger now than you were even a month ago. You have two upper teeth and two lower teeth now and have such a cheesy little grin.  You love talking to anyone that will listen and laugh so hard at pretty much anything.

Aunt Sissy and Uncle Bret came to visit us this month and they had so much fun with you. You enjoyed the extra attention and I know they couldn't get enough of loving on you.  This month they announced that Sissy is pregnant, due just one day before you were born, so if you wanted a brand new little cousin for your birthday then, don't worry, they've arranged for that.

We celebrated 4th of July and took you to the parade, which I actually think you enjoyed.  You loved watching all of the people and seeing all the bright colors and hearing the loud noises.  I loved an excuse to dress you and your sister up in matching outfits, sure to be the first of many, MANY outfits.

Tori always comments on how advanced you are and how strong you are getting.  You can now hold your own bottle and we've started feeding you solids.  You seem to like all of the food so far but it's funny how your taste buds seem to change day to day; some days you like pears or beet apple and the next day I can't get you to take even a bite! Your appetite is much heartier now and you are sleeping long, I think you must be growing growing growing.

You are sitting up all the time now and can move from a sit into a crawling position, although you have yet to take off.  You start in a seated position but within a matter of minutes you have switched over to your hip and down onto your stomach so you can get up and rock on your hands and knees.  You look most determined when a coveted toy is almost within your reach, getting frustrated when you can't quite get to it. It's like your brain is telling your body to move and it's just not listening!

You are obsessed with your Exersaucer and we can't keep you out of the thing; you can spend hours in it and when you're not in it you scoot your way over to it and pat it until someone will pick you up and put you in.

You love it so much you don't even stop jumping even when you are sleeping!

When I came home from work last Friday I walked into the room and said "Mommy's home!" and you immediately started clapping, which is the first time you've ever done that. Talk about melting mommy's heart into a giant little puddle!!!

You have started reaching out for people to pick you up and I absolutely love it.  We adore you so much baby girl!

Love, Mommy

6 Month Dr. Appt - Nellie

Nellie's doctor appointment today went great! Nellie is now 26 inches long and weighs 16.3lbs; her weight is back on the upswing and the doctor was very happy with the progress.  She sat pretty much the whole time Dr. Brouwer was in the room and this, along with her raking and hand/eye coordination,  was a sign that Nellie's gross motor skills were very advanced; most babies this age are still pretty floppy and not too coordinated.  She asked what Nellie had been saying and I said she started jibber jabbering much more lately and was squealing a lot.  She said that was great to hear because sometimes babies that were advanced in gross motor skills weren't too interested in language so they liked to keep an eye on it; the fact that Nellie is doing both is great.

We talked about food and she said to stick with fruits, vegetables and cereals for now and we could add more after her 9 month appointment.  Dr. Brouwer was happy to hear we are giving Nellie formula and said I can choose to wean anytime I want; she is just happy that we made it through the winter season with nursing.  She had one oral and two shot vaccinations and was a champ and cried for maybe five seconds before jabbering and smiling at the nurse.  Her next appointment will be at 9 months and she will get one shot then.