8 Months already?

It seems like the last month has flown by! I attribute that to us going on vacation and having the time of our lives. 

Time waits for no one, even though I wish we could have taken that 2 weeks and had our daily schedules put on stand still until we got back, that's just not how it works. Anyway, We are back home and trying to get settled back into our routine which, if you have a baby or little one you might understand, is proving to be very difficult! Chloe is on track with her morning nap most days, but when it comes to her afternoon nap right now she only wants to nap for about 30 minutes. That's just not going to fly so we are working on it. I know eventually we should get back to the normal 4 hour nap, but for now we just go with the flow. 

While being home Chloe started scooting around and less than a week later she was on her hands and knees trying to crawl. She doesn't crawl very often, she shifts her position. Imagine sitting on your butt and putting your hands on the ground in front of you and moving into a sort of downward dog position all while changing direction by about 45 to 90 degrees, that's what she does to move around.

UPDATE: I wrote this over the last couple days and now she is crawling everywhere and as of this morning she stood up all on her own! It took me a minute to process what happened, but I am so proud of her!

She has a lot of motivation too, she loves the dogs so she tries to reach them while laying down and sometimes its super easy because they will lay next to her. She then buries her face into them and squeals with excitement. Its the cutest thing in the whole world. They even bring her "gifts" (their toys) and most of the time I catch it before it goes in her mouth, but occasionally one will slip by and before I know it she is gnawing on the toy so I quickly take it from her and give it back to the dogs. 

I figure it could always be worse, at least their mouths are cleaner than ours. 

She has expanded her vocabulary, she now not only says dada but also baba and bubu. She has also discovered screaming, so that's super fun especially when she's mad. Most of the time she just hangs out and plays by herself. She has also started to give hugs and kisses. I don't get them very often, but her daddy sure does. I think its because she sees him less and misses him. 

I am currently working on sleep training her, the last few days have been eye opening and have helped me understand more of how I should approach the whole thing. I am not big on the idea of letting her "cry it out" I personally think this approach is kind of harsh. I know a lot of people that do this and I'm glad it works for them, but I just don't agree with this approach. The approach I started with was to set her down in her crib and when she starts fussing I would pick her up until shes calm and set her back down. This just doesn't work out for us, she freaks out more when I set her down. I still nurse her at night and usually that's the reason she wakes up, she wants to nurse and put herself to sleep that way. So now that I have discovered this My new goal is to ween her from nursing at night and hopefully over the next couple weeks when she is finally weened she will sleep through the night. That's my plan as of this moment, it is subject to change. 

Beside all of that, Chloe is growing and eating more veggies and fruits! She eats mostly veggies, she had pears for the first time the other day and she appeared to like them, she also appeared to like sweet potatoes until last night so we will see how it all pans out in the future. 

A lot of people think she is older than she really is because her legs are so long! She's barely fitting in 9 month pants and fits better in 12 month, but her torso still fits in 3-6 month onesies. She also had a couple photo shoots this last month, we had family pictures done with my mom and sister while we were in CA done by the talented Emily Whetsler. When we got back Bianca, the photographer who did her 3 month pictures, wanted to do another photo shoot so Chloe went and was her little model for about an hour. If anyone is looking for an awesome baby/ family photographer in Rapid City, Bianca is so fabulous and her pricing is the best in my opinion! Look her up, Blink photography.  

This month has been huge for milestones with her and I cant wait until next month to see all of her progress!

Here are some pictures from our family photo shoot

I will do a whole separate post once I get all the pictures from both photo shoots :)

Chloe turned 7 months!!

Yes I am a little behind and I don't have pictures to accompany this post, but I'm still going to fill you all in!

Chloe turned 7 months on the 26th of December and she got to be in California for it! We went home for Christmas and got to see so many people, it was awesome! She met almost all of her Grandparents and Aunts/ Uncles and we had a fabulous time while there! 

Chloe is growing so fast, we literally skipped the 9 month clothing phase with pants, she went from 6 months to 12 months overnight! 

She can sit on her own when sat down and she can say dada. She pretty much calls everything dada, but that's not the important part! 

She is definitely a mamas girl and I love it! She is so funny and loves trying to make me laugh! 

She loves spending mornings with her daddy and laughing at him. 

The dogs are her best friends until they accidentally knock her over then they're her enemies, but she really does love them. 

She has tasted many foods and I think her favorites have been whipped cream and pineapples, too bad she has to wait until she's older to fully enjoy these delicious foods. 

She loves spoons, but prefers knifes. (Don't worry we only let her play with the spoons) 

We haven't gotten a good solid laugh out of her but her short bursts are good enough for us. 

She is so beautiful and we love her so much!

Chloe is 6 months old!

Half a year has gone by since my sweet girl was born, HALF A YEAR! Before I know it she'll be moving out! She is growing and learning everyday. She is doing so great and is getting so big! Here are some of her updates!

She now rolls back to front and front to back.
She always wants to be on the move and is constantly squirming.
She loves to jump and if she's not squirming she is trying to jump, we are working on getting her a jumper.
She loves to stick out her tongue and make noise with it.
She is still very clingy, but I don't mind.
She loves seeing her daddy right after he gets home from work in the mornings.
We have started to feed her baby food, she is not exactly a fan... at all.
She loves grabbing her feet and trying to eat them.
She is very attentive and is starting to differentiate between different items.
She loves bright things, she gravitates towards bright yellows and reds. Usually she tries to reach for a cup i'm drinking out of if its one of those colors, so we found a little blue cup for her and she LOVES it!
She also loves phones and the bright pictures, she likes chewing on them especially Brian's phone because it's bigger, but she gets drool under the case so she has to settle for mine.
She is starting to sit with a little help.
She puts everything in her mouth, especially cords and cables so we have to keep a very close eye on her when she's rolling around.
We are making our second attempt at swaddle weaning her and its not going perfectly, but it's better than the first time.
She loves the dogs, she is always reaching for them and trying to grab them. When she does get a hold of them they are so patient and don't try to bite her or anything!
She can take her pacifier out turn it around flip it upside down and get it back in her mouth the right way.
She is down to 2 naps a day, even though I try to get her to take a 3rd one because she's much happier when she does. I guess she really just wants to be awake!
She is finally reaching for things!
On Thanksgiving she sat all by herself!

I believe those are all of the updates! I hope everyone had a great Holiday!

10 things to not say to a new/ experienced mother

I have been talking to a couple mommy friends about things that drive them crazy, mostly things that have been said to them about their baby, etc. I am going to address some of these statements and hopefully it will help others understand that sometimes it's just not okay to say certain things to a new/experienced mother.

1. Are you going back to work/ Why wouldn't you go back to work? First off I just had a baby, let me breathe. Second, let me enjoy my child and not have to worry about that for a while. Some women (myself included) love their jobs and want to go back, others have no choice and have to work to earn a second income. You know what? That's awesome! You go girl! Some women feel differently and stay at home, they can't see ever going back to work and you know what? That's awesome! You go girl! Sometimes this question can be okay, I know a lot of people asked me what I planned on doing and most of the time I was totally okay with people asking me, but when I started getting judged for what my response was that's when I would get really upset.

2. When do you guys plan on having another one? Oh you know, we plan on popping another one out tomorrow! Just don't. This question is so obnoxious, most people enjoy reveling in their beautiful child and want to enjoy him/her for a while. 

3. Why did you have a 3rd one when you already have a boy and a girl?/ Oh you have to keep trying for (gender not represented) No, just no. Most people just want a healthy baby regardless what gender they are. You're going to love that baby no matter what. Some people just love and want lots of kids. Yes some people are happy once they have a boy and a girl and that's all they want. Good for them! Leave them alone they're happy. Lets just leave everyone alone with this question, we all hate it.

4. You didn't find out the gender? I couldn't do that. Good for you! Sometimes people like surprises, don't question why they didn't want to find out the gender. I think this would be one of the best surprises in the whole world!

5. He/She looks nothing like you! Why would anyone decide this is a good thing to say to any mom? Sometimes this hurts peoples feelings, and you have to remember you are dealing with a very hormonal mother. Just stick with "you're baby is beautiful" and you'll be golden.

6. He/She looks like (insert word here) I have heard so many different variations of this statement, and It makes me want to rip out my hair. Seriously? Why would you look at a new born baby and say he/she looks like anything but a beautiful brand new baby. NO the baby does not look like an alien, some sort of vegetable, troll, etc and if you think this, let me stick YOU in the birthing canal for an extended period of time and see how you look when you come out. I know when I had my baby I couldn't imagine seeing anything more beautiful and perfect. I know people think its funny and they say it as a joke, but this hurts peoples feelings. This mom just made the most beautiful creature to ever grace this earth and you're going to tell her that he/she looks like something other than beautiful? Just don't, sometimes keeping your comments to yourself is the best option, especially if you think something like this.

7. Are you breastfeeding?/ Why aren't you breastfeeding? Most of the time it's a friendly question from an expecting mother who wants the pros and cons of both, which is perfectly okay and most of the time you can have a good discussion about this. Its when people you don't even know ask you. Its weird, just stop. I don't want some stranger asking about my boobs unless I'm bra shopping. Sometimes this question really hurts some women. Some women can't breastfeed and when you question them it can really hurt some feelings. If they're formula feeding their baby don't criticize them. They are doing the best they can for their baby so shut it. 

8. Put some clothes on that baby! It's probably freezing! Oh hey thanks for reminding me to dress my child! I knew I forgot something! This one is my personal favorite! I get this far too often and I hate it more and more every time. It makes me feel like a crappy mom and contrary to popular belief I actually like feeling good about myself. I know I dress my child in the right amount of clothing that I feel she needs. Don't go telling me how cold her feet are when it's 75 flipping degrees inside. Or when its cold out, don't tell me to put more layers on her. I know I dressed her in plenty of warm layers. She's warm and happy leave us alone. 

9. Can you even remember life before having him/her? Yes,yes I can. I had full nights of sleep and did what ever I wanted. It was glorious! Now, would I ever trade my life now to go back to my old life? Never in a million years!

10. You're still wearing maternity clothes? Yes, yes I am. Most women I know (myself included) can't fit into their pre pregnancy clothes for a little while. After pushing a baby out your hips don't just snap back to where they used to be. What's the point on going out and buying a whole new wardrobe when those clothes wont fit you in a couple months. Do I enjoy not being able to ever wear jeans and look semi decent? No not at all, some days I sit and complain because I have one pair of pants that fits me and they're white. I don't want to wear those everyday especially since my baby spits up all the time! Don't judge what someones wearing, ever. Lets be real though, maternity pants are super comfortable!

Those are just a few things that I've heard from other moms/ personal experience! What are some that you've heard?

Chloe is 5 months!

I just love my sweet girl so much! I love that I get to spend everyday with her. She is my best friend! Here are some updates about how she's doing.

• She officially rolls over from her tummy to her back. Now we just have to work on getting her from her back to her tummy.
• She just started grabbing her feet this morning.
• She is very interactive with her toy rings and pacifiers
• She doesn't necessarily love tummy time, but she is definitely enjoying it more and rolls over all the time!
• She is always laughing at things I do, when I talk to her, when I make faces at her, etc
• She loves standing, with help of course!
• She gets very excited when she sees daddy or mommy, she is so full of love!
• She still doesn't like anyone else, just mommy and daddy. Hopefully this is just a phase and she will get through it and let other people hold her/ talk to her.
• She is very selective with who she lets talk to her. If she doesn't want you talking to her, she will let you know.
• We sing together, yes she sings and its adorable!
• She loves the dogs and is very observant of them. When they get close enough she grabs them and puts whatever is in her hands in her mouth. The dogs, especially Molly are very patient with her and haven't really reacted to her grabbing them. 
• Everything goes in her mouth
• I'm pretty sure she's teething, we have had a rough couple of weeks sleeping at night.
• she still hates her car seat, here's to a new one tomorrow! Hopefully its more comfortable and she's happier with it.
• She can take her pacifier out of her mouth, turn it around, chew on it, then turn it back around and put it back in her mouth right side up. I'm still impressed with this.
• Bath time is becoming a favorite time of hers. After we are all done washing I let her splash in the water for a couple minutes and she loves it!
• She plays this game when she wakes up from her naps where she will turn and have her arm extended out then turn back towards me then repeat and she thinks this is so funny!
• She enjoys touching our faces, but especially when she's nursing.... She always tries to stick her hand in my mouth.

Those are the new developments, She is growing and weighing more and more everyday!

See what I mean when I say everything goes in her mouth.

This is what I'm talking about with her touching our faces. It's rather cute!

Scare in the square

Around here they always have something going on in the downtown area. During fall they do a few things, but for Halloween they did a downtown trick or treat. We had so much fun and even dressed up! Well Chloe and I did, I let Brian out of it for today for a couple reasons, the main one being he didn't have any black clothes so he walked Thor. I dressed up as a bank robber and Chloe was my bag of loot! (For Halloween Brian and I will both be bank robbers) I got Chloe all dressed up and then got myself dressed and we headed downtown! 

It was a whole lot warmer than I imagined it was going to be, which made my "costume" quite unpleasant, but at least I didn't wear the mask. I haven't finished all the costumes yet, I have one more thing for Chloe's, and I have to get matching shirts for Brian and I and spray paint them. Anyways once we got downtown I got Chloe out of her car seat and headed towards main street square while Brian found parking. Once Brian caught up we met up with the McCormick's (one of the fire families) and did some trick or treating!

Chloe was so cute and held her own bag, I did get a lot of looks for having her trick or treat because she wouldn't be "eating the candy." My reasoning is that I want to have this memory with my baby and no one will ruin that for me! I've been waiting to do a theme costume for awhile now and you can't take that from me! We had a lot of fun and can't wait for Halloween so we can wear our full costumes!

The pumpkin patch.

Out of my 24 years on this earth I have never been to a pumpkin patch. Now before you start saying how "my childhood was ruined" because of this (which it wasn't) let me explain. I grew up in New Mexico and there weren't really any pumpkin patches that my parents knew of. Besides, back then they weren't the crazy spectacles they are now. Now that I've gotten that out of the way, Brian and I wanted to take Chloe to one of the pumpkin patches here. One of the families from the fire department was going and asked if we wanted to meet up, so we did. It was out in Spearfish, which is about an hour away. We got loaded up in the car and headed out. It was such a pretty drive, I enjoyed looking at all the houses on the way. When we got to the patch we parked and got in line to get inside. When we got to the front they were charging $7.00 per person, I know I haven't had much experience with these things, but that seemed a bit excessive. After paying we went inside and looked around, there was one of those cut outs that you can put your face in. I tried getting Chloe to look up, but that didn't happen. 

They also had a couple animals you could kind of pet, but not really, a corn maze, and a couple other things for the kids. We decided to meet up with the family first then decide what to do. They were in the corn maze so while we waited we went over to the animals, I wanted to pet the goat they had. So naturally I make Chloe do it, but she wasn't super into it. After our rendezvous with the goat we met up with the family and decided to go into the maze! I wish I had gotten a picture of the map, it was literally like looking at hieroglyphics I had no idea where to start. Since I was carrying Chloe, Brian had the map. I felt confident we would do good, and we did until I handed Chloe to Brian and I took the map and we got to this circle part. We got so lost, not even the map could help us so we took some pictures and Brian had us look into the sun... it was awful!

Eventually we found the right path, Brian took the map from me and we did pretty good the rest of the time. I guess we got lost a second time, however Brian did good at not letting me know. We made it out of the maze and went to this big bucket of corn and Brian sat Chloe in it.

 

By this time she was starting to get a little fussy so we couldn't get any good pictures of her. We took her over to where the pumpkins were and they were all gross looking. We found one that looked half decent and tried to get some pictures of Chloe "sitting" on them, it didn't really work out. 

(the only half decent one)

We decided that now was a good time to leave so we said our good-byes and got on the road and went home. We ended up getting some pumpkins at Walmart for $3.88 and they're a good size! We had a lot of fun spending time together and cant wait to carve the pumpkins!