Week 41

Dear Jorie,

This week, you've been working on building your crawling speed, learning new sounds you can make, blowing bubbles, and generally enjoying life.

I can see you...why can't I touch you?

On Saturday we met up with Jaimee and Zeta for coffee and baby play time. We have decided that in the future, play dates will be at one of our houses, you two are getting too hard to corral! Zeta is walking, and MAN can she walk fast! At one point you crawled under the glass coffee table at the coffee shop, and both of you were very confused by the clear force field keeping you apart. It was so much fun watching you two interact. You've both grown and changed so much since the first time you met! It really is awesome to watch you guys both growing up together. I hope you stay really good friends as you get older. 

This past Sunday, it was really nice out, so we packed you up and headed out to Mt. Hope for a run for me and a walk for your father. We used the jogging stroller for the first time, and you really seemed to love it, I know we do. It's really awesome to be able to take you out on jogs now, especially as my runs get longer and the weather gets nicer. We used it again on Tuesday when I went for a jog along the canal. Again, your father was pushing you in the stroller while walking, but he was walking almost as fast as I was running! Having you there watching me and smiling and laughing helped me keep going even when I was really tired. 

There really isn't much more to report about this week. Just the usual craziness and fun. This morning was really nice though. Since today is my late day at work, I got to spend all morning with you, and you were in a really good mood. You let me sleep in until 8, and then even when you were up, you were just hanging out in your crib playing. After I got up and dressed, I took you downstairs and gave you some Oatmeal mixed with Pureed fruit, and then a cut up banana and some cheer.ios. While you were eating that, I was able to do a few small chores, like starting the chicken marinating for dinner, and I was able to sit down and drink a cup of coffee while "talking" with you as you ate. After breakfast, we went upstairs and you played with the toys in your room while I folded some of your laundry and changed the crib sheet. 

It was just such a perfect morning. It reminded me of when I was on Maternity Leave and I got to spend all day every day with you. Some people may think I'm crazy, but I'm ok with that kind of life. A life spent helping you grow and learn and play. 

Daddy, you're too slow!

Yes, I have to work right now, so that you can grow up in a house with a dog and a cat and food on the table. But honestly, that's why I'm working, not so that I can go out and feel fulfilled having a career. I thought that I would never want to be a stay at home mom, and then I met you.  Every day is something new with you, a new food, a new place, a new trick. Both me and your Father are completely enthralled with you, still. We take pictures of you doing the most mundane thing, because it all seems so exciting when you do it. 

We've been slowly working on getting some baby proofing done, our plan is to baby proof the living room, and then gate it off so you can have free reign in there. We bought a baby gate, but it's too small and we need to get some extensions for it before we can put it up. This weekend I'm going to make your Father go to the dreaded B.uyBuyB.aby so we can decided on all the baby proofing paraphernalia we need.

I love you baby girl. I hope you are as happy as you make us.

Best Friends at 9 months!

 

Week 40!

Dear Jorie,

This week was so full! We had guest over on Thursday, and art opening, a birthday party for a family friend on Saturday and all of our usual shenanigans.

This past Thursday, we had Becky M. and her son over for dinner. Her boyfriend Adam came too, which was cool because you Father knew Adam a long time ago. We had a great time, although I think you were frustrated you couldn't run around with Becky's son (who's four.) I could just see you thinking "I want to do that!" while you watched him tearing around our house.

I should mention that this weekend was St. Patrick's day, although we did not go to the parade on Saturday. We figured we'll try to go next year when you'll be old enough to enjoy it.

Instead on Saturday, we went to see Ruth at a craft show, so she and the girls could get some time with you. They miss watching you so much! After that we headed up to an Art opening for Amy and Jason. Amy was so excited to meet you, and for the first time I've ever seen, you reached for someone you'd just met to pick you up! You seemed to really love Amy! 

This week we've started expanding your repertoire of finger foods. We added in ring pasta, which we give you mixed with peas, and which you absolutely love. Your Grandma O says it's the Italian in you, I think you just really like being able to pick up your own food, and pasta is of course tasty. The day care is also going to start feeding you steamed carrot bits today. You really seem to enjoy being able to feed yourself, so we're going to try to move towards mostly finger foods. I'm not sure what we'll try next, but it will definitely be something you can feed yourself!

You had your official 9 month evaluation on Tuesday. Your Father took you, and everything looked good to the doctor. She even asked if you were always this happy, which I have to say, yes, yes you are. You are 27.5 inches tall and weigh 16 lbs 3 oz. So you're still tall and skinny! The only problem was that your iron levels were a smidge low, so we're supposed to make sure you're eating more green veggies. 

Since you're not a fan of green veggies right now, we've started hiding them. I blended up some spinach and mixed it in with some pears. You seemed to like it when I fed it to you, so hopefully that's the answer. 

You're getting so big and strong lately, it's hard to believe how fast you're growing! You crawl fast as lighting now, and you can pull yourself up to stand easily. You're working on standing unsupported, sometimes you do it for a second before you realize you're not holding anything. You haven't really worked on walking too much, I think you find it easier to crawl somewhere then just stand up when you get there.

Lately you've been working on saying Mama and baba although I'm not sure if you actually know what you're saying yet. You definitely babble up a storm these days! You've also started using some definite signs for things like "Give it to me!" and a couple of times you've made the sign for food or for milk when you were hungry. You've also almost mastered waving, which is still super cute to watch you do.

I would like to note that I am still nursing you, but only once a day now. I'm hoping I'll be able to keep it up until your first birthday. I haven't talked about it much here, but it's definitely been a struggle to maintain my supply while working. 

I love you Jorie Bear. Stop growing up so fast!

Week 39

Dear Jorie,

9 Months! Wow. It's hard to believe that you've reached this milestone. I feel like the time has gone by so quickly, and yet I can't imagine our lives without you in them. 

This week has been going well so far, after we survived the return of the sickness last Thursday. Because you had a fever Thursday night, you couldn't go to Daycare on Friday, so your grandparents all stepped up to help us cover the day. Grandma and Grandpa O watched you in the morning and then dropped you off with Grandma R around 2. I picked you up from Grandma R's at 4 and we saw the doctor again at 4:30. No ear infection or anything, just another round of whatever is going around it seems. Your Grandma O thinks you're faking it to get out of going "to school." She was also disappointed that you got better in time to be able to go back to Day Care on Monday. She was looking forward to having another day with you, she misses watching you once a week.

You do seem to be getting used to Day Care now, you don't give us much trouble on drop off now, and you're starting to trust the teachers there. We've told them they can feed you "breakfast solids" so this week you got to have your first croissant! They've been working on waving with you, which is super cute when you do it.

On Saturday, it was really nice out. And even though you were still not feeling 100% we packed you up in the stroller and took you and the dog on a walk through Mt. Hope. Well your Dad walked with you, while I did my run with the dog, until I tired the dog out, and your Dad walked with you AND the dog (he's got skills.) You really seemed to enjoy tooling around in the stroller watching the world go by. I'm hoping to get my hands on a Jogging stroller soon so I can take you running with me!

You were still kinda crabby on Sunday when we went grocery shopping, so I tried to entertain you by playing with my scarf. You did enjoy the scarf, right up until you decided that the best way to play with it was to stuff as much as you could in your mouth!

Last night at Ross family dinner night you spent a good long time charming your Uncle and Aunt into playing peekaboo with you. Earlier you also had your Grandpa R on the floor playing with you and some of the millions of toys they have at their house for you.

Lately your father and I have been trying to create "baby safe" zones in the house. Places where you can have free reign to play without us worrying about what you'll get your hands on. I thought I had baby proofed your bedroom, but the other day while we were in there you became obsessed with your nightlight, and managed to pry it out of the outlet on the wall. Which you were then enthralled with trying to stick your fingers in. So we're going to have to find you a new night light, and put covers on those outlets! We're also working on getting a baby gate for the doorway between the living room and the bonus room. It's a REALLY wide door way. We thought we had a gate wide enough, but no, we need to get extenders for it. Hopefully we'll have it up and functional by next week!

It's been an amazing nine months baby girl. I'm so excited to see what's to come this spring and summer. We have a zoo membership just waiting for warmer weather, and there are so many places to take you now that you're able to move around and explore! 

I love you!

9 Months Old!

Dear Jorie,

Happy 9 Month Birthday! I Love you!

Week 38

Dear Jorie,

Well the big events of this past week were all sickness related. First you got sick, and then, on Monday night, I came down with a fever. Your father has managed to escape it so far, but we've been hunkered down in "get better" mode for most of the week. 

You're back at Day Care this week, and you seem to be doing alright, although you still gave me a lot of guilt when I dropped you off this morning. It really tears me up to leave you there. I wish there was a better solution than sending you to day care five days a week. 

I really do hate being away from you so much. Wednesday mornings are the best, I can spend the whole morning playing with you, just relaxing and enjoying the time. I keep thinking about when I was home on Maternity leave, and how great it was to spend all day with you. I miss you all the time.

There really isn't a lot to report about this week. You're doing a lot of babbling, getting REALLY close to saying words. Every now and then I think I hear you say Mama or Dada, but I'm not 100% sure yet. You also clap now. You love it when people clap along with you.

You've also started waving, although you're not always consistent with it. It's really cute to watch you wave, although you mostly do it backwards, holding your palm towards yourself. We've been trying to encourage it as much as possible.

Right now because you're still stuffed up from being sick, you've been breathing through your mouth a lot. It's really funny because when you get excited you breathe really fast, and you sound like you're going "ha!Ha! ha!"

I love you so much. I'm sorry this weeks letter is kind of disjointed. I'm still recovering from being sick!

 

Sick!

Dear Jorie,

Well, we survived your first illness. On Wednesday, when I got home from work, your father mentioned that you seemed a little warm and sluggish. So we took your temperature, and got a reading of 102.4. We tried not to panic, and gave you some acetaminophen. When your temperature only came down to 101, I was still worried so we called the emergency after hours line at the doctors. We were told to keep you hydrated, and keep administering the acetaminophen, and if your fever didn't break by Friday, to take you in to see your doctor.

Your father stayed home with you on Thursday, and your fever seemed to be coming down for a while, but then in the evening it spiked back up. You were cranky and snotty for most of the night.

I stayed home with you on Friday, and again, in the morning your fever seemed to have come down, but after missing one dose of the acetaminophen, you fever started creeping back up. I made an appointment with the doctor and she saw you at 3:30. She looked in your ears and mouth, which you hated, and listened to you breathe. They took your temperature (101.4) and weighed you (15 lbs 11 oz.) And then they swabbed your nose which you really hated. You screamed your head off for a few minutes after that. 

The verdict was flu, or a flu like virus. We were to keep you hydrated, keep you medicated, and just wait it out. If you got worse, or developed any new symptoms, we were supposed to call and bring you back in.

Luckily for us, your fever broke sometime Saturday morning, and by Sunday you were back to your normal happy self, although you are still kinda snotty. Hopefully that will clear out soon too.


I love you Baby Girl, it killed me to see you so unhappy.