But I do think we might have gotten this sleep thing down for the moment. She continues to need only 3-5 minutes of patting and shushing to go to sleep at night now. And this evening, she woke up crying at 9:30pm (she has a BAD diaper rash and I think she peed and it burned, waking her up) and I nursed her and put her back in the crib. She's still there.
That's NEVER happened. Ever. Usually if she wakes up, she will not go back to sleep in the crib. I'm not sure how to feel about it... mixed feelings of gratitude that she is able to go back to rest without being next to Mommy, and sadness that she doesn't need me right now (she will again, I'm sure).
For the moment, I'm counting my blessings!
Now, if I can only figure out where this diaper rash came from and what to do to make it go away.....
Friday, July 30, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Maybe?
We *might* have had a breakthrough. Maybe. I'm not dancing yet, but I'm feeling better. I was starting to absolutely dread bedtime, and it would break my heart to even try to get her down. After Monday's heart-wrenching time, I sat down and very obsessively wrote a minute-by-minute bedtime ritual. We stopped the early morning nap. And I resigned myself to just getting through this.
I don't know what worked, but for the last two nights she has gone to sleep within 5 minutes of me putting her in the crib. I'm still patting her back and shushing her, but there's minimal screaming and writhing. She's also had two days of very predictable naptime at daycare (one 1 1/2 hour nap late morning and another 30 minute nap later in the day).
It's likely we'll have sleep issues again at some point, but I'm feeling a tiny bit more confident. Oh -- and she slept from 7pm until almost 7am this morning! I brought her to bed at 10pm to nurse and she did nurse about 5 times throughout the night, but never woke up. She was in a very good mood this morning.
*deep breath* Now Mommy needs to get some sleep!
I don't know what worked, but for the last two nights she has gone to sleep within 5 minutes of me putting her in the crib. I'm still patting her back and shushing her, but there's minimal screaming and writhing. She's also had two days of very predictable naptime at daycare (one 1 1/2 hour nap late morning and another 30 minute nap later in the day).
It's likely we'll have sleep issues again at some point, but I'm feeling a tiny bit more confident. Oh -- and she slept from 7pm until almost 7am this morning! I brought her to bed at 10pm to nurse and she did nurse about 5 times throughout the night, but never woke up. She was in a very good mood this morning.
*deep breath* Now Mommy needs to get some sleep!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Ups and Downs
Well... I feel like Saturday was an Epic FAIL at being a parent. First, after a lovely time at Mommy & Baby yoga, Emma bit the little baby (same age as her) she was playing so nicely with. Little Maegwin is going to have a bruise and red mark from that for a few days -- luckily her Mommy was very understanding.
Then, our wonderful friends came over and brought their gorgeous daughter, Elyse (who is 14 months now). We were having another wonderful time, and the girls were being so cute when *whack*, poor Elyse tumbled down and got her head on the cedar chest first, and then later on the stairs. I felt terrible, but luckily Elyse is a trooper and recovered quickly (thank you for being so understanding Momma Mary and Daddy Reza!).
But the kicker was last night.... she took all of 10 minutes to fall asleep and I was feeling so proud of her going to sleep in her crib, but after 30 minutes, she started to scream. And scream, and scream and scream. The only time she wasn't screaming was when I was holding and rocking her. I'd soothe her into being quiet, and then the second I'd try to lay her back in the crib, she did more screaming. It took TWO HOURS to get her to fall back asleep in the crib, and that was only after I rocked her into submission, and then let her sleep on me for 30 minutes until she was in a super-deep sleep, and then I transferred her.
Cognitively, I know none of those things are really a parenting fail, but I was in tears last night. Hearing any little baby scream in pain, whether it was Maegwin, Elyse, or Emma, just breaks my heart right in two. *sigh*
On the other hand, today was a brilliant day (so far). We went to the OSU campus to take family pictures and unfortunately, the heat was a little too much so we'll take more next week when it's cooler. But I did get some *great* video of Emma and Rattleworm!! More pictures of the last two days to come a bit later.
Then, our wonderful friends came over and brought their gorgeous daughter, Elyse (who is 14 months now). We were having another wonderful time, and the girls were being so cute when *whack*, poor Elyse tumbled down and got her head on the cedar chest first, and then later on the stairs. I felt terrible, but luckily Elyse is a trooper and recovered quickly (thank you for being so understanding Momma Mary and Daddy Reza!).
But the kicker was last night.... she took all of 10 minutes to fall asleep and I was feeling so proud of her going to sleep in her crib, but after 30 minutes, she started to scream. And scream, and scream and scream. The only time she wasn't screaming was when I was holding and rocking her. I'd soothe her into being quiet, and then the second I'd try to lay her back in the crib, she did more screaming. It took TWO HOURS to get her to fall back asleep in the crib, and that was only after I rocked her into submission, and then let her sleep on me for 30 minutes until she was in a super-deep sleep, and then I transferred her.
Cognitively, I know none of those things are really a parenting fail, but I was in tears last night. Hearing any little baby scream in pain, whether it was Maegwin, Elyse, or Emma, just breaks my heart right in two. *sigh*
On the other hand, today was a brilliant day (so far). We went to the OSU campus to take family pictures and unfortunately, the heat was a little too much so we'll take more next week when it's cooler. But I did get some *great* video of Emma and Rattleworm!! More pictures of the last two days to come a bit later.
Ups and Downs
Well... I feel like Saturday was an Epic FAIL at being a parent. First, after a lovely time at Mommy & Baby yoga, Emma bit the little baby (same age as her) she was playing so nicely with. Little Maegwin is going to have a bruise and red mark from that for a few days -- luckily her Mommy was very understanding.
Then, our wonderful friends came over and brought their gorgeous daughter, Elyse (who is 14 months now). We were having another wonderful time, and the girls were being so cute when *whack*, poor Elyse tumbled down and got her head on the cedar chest first, and then later on the stairs. I felt terrible, but luckily Elyse is a trooper and recovered quickly (thank you for being so understanding Momma Mary and Daddy Reza!).
But the kicker was last night.... she took all of 10 minutes to fall asleep and I was feeling so proud of her going to sleep in her crib, but after 30 minutes, she started to scream. And scream, and scream and scream. The only time she wasn't screaming was when I was holding and rocking her. I'd soothe her into being quiet, and then the second I'd try to lay her back in the crib, she did more screaming. It took TWO HOURS to get her to fall back asleep in the crib, and that was only after I rocked her into submission, and then let her sleep on me for 30 minutes until she was in a super-deep sleep, and then I transferred her.
Cognitively, I know none of those things are really a parenting fail, but I was in tears last night. Hearing any little baby scream in pain, whether it was Maegwin, Elyse, or Emma, just breaks my heart right in two. *sigh*
On the other hand, today was a brilliant day (so far). We went to the OSU campus to take family pictures and unfortunately, the heat was a little too much so we'll take more next week when it's cooler. But I did get some *great* video of Emma and Rattleworm!! More pictures of the last two days to come a bit later.
Then, our wonderful friends came over and brought their gorgeous daughter, Elyse (who is 14 months now). We were having another wonderful time, and the girls were being so cute when *whack*, poor Elyse tumbled down and got her head on the cedar chest first, and then later on the stairs. I felt terrible, but luckily Elyse is a trooper and recovered quickly (thank you for being so understanding Momma Mary and Daddy Reza!).
But the kicker was last night.... she took all of 10 minutes to fall asleep and I was feeling so proud of her going to sleep in her crib, but after 30 minutes, she started to scream. And scream, and scream and scream. The only time she wasn't screaming was when I was holding and rocking her. I'd soothe her into being quiet, and then the second I'd try to lay her back in the crib, she did more screaming. It took TWO HOURS to get her to fall back asleep in the crib, and that was only after I rocked her into submission, and then let her sleep on me for 30 minutes until she was in a super-deep sleep, and then I transferred her.
Cognitively, I know none of those things are really a parenting fail, but I was in tears last night. Hearing any little baby scream in pain, whether it was Maegwin, Elyse, or Emma, just breaks my heart right in two. *sigh*
On the other hand, today was a brilliant day (so far). We went to the OSU campus to take family pictures and unfortunately, the heat was a little too much so we'll take more next week when it's cooler. But I did get some *great* video of Emma and Rattleworm!! More pictures of the last two days to come a bit later.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Woo Hoo!!
After several heart-wrenching nights of putting Emma to bed, only to have her wake up screaming minutes, if not seconds, after being put into the crib and taking hours to get back down, I decided to apply my psychological expertise and do a bit of shaping. After all, that's all that these "sleep training" programs (whether Ferber or Pantley method) are at their base.
Monday night: Bedtime routine, rock to sleep, put in crib, cue screaming after literally 30 seconds in the crib, and Mommy patted, shushed and gently sang to Emma without picking her back up out of the crib. Each time she sat up, I gently put her back on her side or belly. It took about 45 minutes after that initial scream, but she went back to sleep. First time in months Emma has fallen asleep at night on her own without being rocked.
Tuesday night: Bedtime routine, rock to sleep, put in crib, screaming after 10 seconds in the crib, and Mommy patted and shushed. This time it took 30 minutes for her to go back to sleep.
Wednesday night: Bedtime routine, put into crib after 2 minutes of rocking just for cuddles, and 10 minutes of patting in the crib. She fell asleep! Very little crying, no screaming at all.
Monday night she lasted 2 hours in the crib before waking up, last night she lasted 2 1/2 hours in the crib before crying. Who knows about tonight, but I'm VERY proud of my little girl and I think we're well on our way (temporarily, at least) to falling asleep on our own in our crib. I'm definitely not giving up the co-sleeping for now because it's really the only time I get to cuddle with her, but I imagine by the time she's a year old, she may be ready to stay in her crib a lot longer. I'm letting her dictate how long she can be in the crib before needing her first feeding of the night.
I also have a big WOO HOO about daycare. The last two days she has eaten so well! She took 15 oz of milk (everything I brought in) yesterday, and she took 14 oz today! She's never eaten that much at daycare. I'm thrilled. I think we may be turning a corner with the feeding.
Who would have ever thought that I would be so happy and so amazed at something as simple as sleep and eating? My baby girl amazes me. Happy 7 months old Emma!
Monday night: Bedtime routine, rock to sleep, put in crib, cue screaming after literally 30 seconds in the crib, and Mommy patted, shushed and gently sang to Emma without picking her back up out of the crib. Each time she sat up, I gently put her back on her side or belly. It took about 45 minutes after that initial scream, but she went back to sleep. First time in months Emma has fallen asleep at night on her own without being rocked.
Tuesday night: Bedtime routine, rock to sleep, put in crib, screaming after 10 seconds in the crib, and Mommy patted and shushed. This time it took 30 minutes for her to go back to sleep.
Wednesday night: Bedtime routine, put into crib after 2 minutes of rocking just for cuddles, and 10 minutes of patting in the crib. She fell asleep! Very little crying, no screaming at all.
Monday night she lasted 2 hours in the crib before waking up, last night she lasted 2 1/2 hours in the crib before crying. Who knows about tonight, but I'm VERY proud of my little girl and I think we're well on our way (temporarily, at least) to falling asleep on our own in our crib. I'm definitely not giving up the co-sleeping for now because it's really the only time I get to cuddle with her, but I imagine by the time she's a year old, she may be ready to stay in her crib a lot longer. I'm letting her dictate how long she can be in the crib before needing her first feeding of the night.
I also have a big WOO HOO about daycare. The last two days she has eaten so well! She took 15 oz of milk (everything I brought in) yesterday, and she took 14 oz today! She's never eaten that much at daycare. I'm thrilled. I think we may be turning a corner with the feeding.
Who would have ever thought that I would be so happy and so amazed at something as simple as sleep and eating? My baby girl amazes me. Happy 7 months old Emma!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Standing Up!
Some video to share!
Emma "helping" with her laundry.
Emma "walking" with my friend Steph, who was so sweet to visit yesterday!
Emma standing up in her crib tonight -- and trying to chew on the wood too. Those top two teeth are bothering her so much!
We're having some sleep issues. She goes to bed and falls asleep just fine with our sleep routine (wash/bath, sleep clothes on, nighttime diaper on, story, nursing, and rocking), but then about an hour after she falls asleep, she wakes up SCREAMING. She'll sit up, she'll throw her little body around and just scream until she's either wide awake or one of us pick her up and rock her. Unfortunately, she won't lie back down -- I've rocked her back to a deep sleep twice already this evening, and each time I put her back in the crib, she's up again. Last night she only calmed down when I took her to bed with me. I know there's a sleep regression at 7 months, but I'm not sure if that's what this is or whether she's having sleep terrors. I hope she gets back to a good routine too. For what it's worth, she is consolidating her daytime naps down from three to two, but the two naps today were both 1 1/2 hours long.
Emma "helping" with her laundry.
Emma "walking" with my friend Steph, who was so sweet to visit yesterday!
Emma standing up in her crib tonight -- and trying to chew on the wood too. Those top two teeth are bothering her so much!
We're having some sleep issues. She goes to bed and falls asleep just fine with our sleep routine (wash/bath, sleep clothes on, nighttime diaper on, story, nursing, and rocking), but then about an hour after she falls asleep, she wakes up SCREAMING. She'll sit up, she'll throw her little body around and just scream until she's either wide awake or one of us pick her up and rock her. Unfortunately, she won't lie back down -- I've rocked her back to a deep sleep twice already this evening, and each time I put her back in the crib, she's up again. Last night she only calmed down when I took her to bed with me. I know there's a sleep regression at 7 months, but I'm not sure if that's what this is or whether she's having sleep terrors. I hope she gets back to a good routine too. For what it's worth, she is consolidating her daytime naps down from three to two, but the two naps today were both 1 1/2 hours long.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Growing Up (Too Fast)
We've had so many developments lately, I just haven't had time to get online and post them!
Emma is going from sitting to a crawling position and back up to sitting very fluidly now. I'm not sure exactly when she started pulling herself to a sitting position, but she's happy that she can get up and down independently.
On Tuesday this week, Emma finally pushed through her top left tooth, and then by Wednesday morning, the right tooth came out. Yes, my baby has 4 TEETH!! At 6 months, 3 weeks along, how amazing. So far her latch hasn't changed much, but I'm anticipating some biting and changes, so we're working on nursing manners. She knows the word "no," and she's learning not to pinch either.
But the BIG development happened at 7:10am this morning. We were getting ready to go to breakfast with Aunt Ann, who was visiting on work from Chicago, and Joe said "Has Emma ever done this before?" When I looked into the bedroom from the bathroom, my little baby girl was STANDING in her pack-n-play. She had pulled herself up from a sitting position into standing, and was standing by herself. It lasted all of 30-45 seconds, but still.... oh my goodness.
I'm not ready for her to be such a big girl! I want my tiny newborn back (kind of). :)
On the eating front, she's still barely playing with food. She gets a bit here and there in her mouth, very little down her throat, but that's ok. We'll worry about getting more solids into her whenever she is ready.
Our "new" thing we're doing is playing the piano. Every night for at least a few minutes, I try to sit down at the piano and play for her while she's on my lap. She'll "help" me play by putting her fingers on the keys, and tonight she figured out that if she bangs the keys, they make noise (she also tried to chew on them, but that wasn't as effective). Daddy got a video, so we'll try to upload that soon. We'll also try to get some pictures uploaded this weekend of my very active and BIG girl!
Emma is going from sitting to a crawling position and back up to sitting very fluidly now. I'm not sure exactly when she started pulling herself to a sitting position, but she's happy that she can get up and down independently.
On Tuesday this week, Emma finally pushed through her top left tooth, and then by Wednesday morning, the right tooth came out. Yes, my baby has 4 TEETH!! At 6 months, 3 weeks along, how amazing. So far her latch hasn't changed much, but I'm anticipating some biting and changes, so we're working on nursing manners. She knows the word "no," and she's learning not to pinch either.
But the BIG development happened at 7:10am this morning. We were getting ready to go to breakfast with Aunt Ann, who was visiting on work from Chicago, and Joe said "Has Emma ever done this before?" When I looked into the bedroom from the bathroom, my little baby girl was STANDING in her pack-n-play. She had pulled herself up from a sitting position into standing, and was standing by herself. It lasted all of 30-45 seconds, but still.... oh my goodness.
I'm not ready for her to be such a big girl! I want my tiny newborn back (kind of). :)
On the eating front, she's still barely playing with food. She gets a bit here and there in her mouth, very little down her throat, but that's ok. We'll worry about getting more solids into her whenever she is ready.
Our "new" thing we're doing is playing the piano. Every night for at least a few minutes, I try to sit down at the piano and play for her while she's on my lap. She'll "help" me play by putting her fingers on the keys, and tonight she figured out that if she bangs the keys, they make noise (she also tried to chew on them, but that wasn't as effective). Daddy got a video, so we'll try to upload that soon. We'll also try to get some pictures uploaded this weekend of my very active and BIG girl!
Growing Up (Too Fast)
We've had so many developments lately, I just haven't had time to get online and post them!
Emma is going from sitting to a crawling position and back up to sitting very fluidly now. I'm not sure exactly when she started pulling herself to a sitting position, but she's happy that she can get up and down independently.
On Tuesday this week, Emma finally pushed through her top left tooth, and then by Wednesday morning, the right tooth came out. Yes, my baby has 4 TEETH!! At 6 months, 3 weeks along, how amazing. So far her latch hasn't changed much, but I'm anticipating some biting and changes, so we're working on nursing manners. She knows the word "no," and she's learning not to pinch either.
But the BIG development happened at 7:10am this morning. We were getting ready to go to breakfast with Aunt Ann, who was visiting on work from Chicago, and Joe said "Has Emma ever done this before?" When I looked into the bedroom from the bathroom, my little baby girl was STANDING in her pack-n-play. She had pulled herself up from a sitting position into standing, and was standing by herself. It lasted all of 30-45 seconds, but still.... oh my goodness.
I'm not ready for her to be such a big girl! I want my tiny newborn back (kind of). :)
On the eating front, she's still barely playing with food. She gets a bit here and there in her mouth, very little down her throat, but that's ok. We'll worry about getting more solids into her whenever she is ready.
Our "new" thing we're doing is playing the piano. Every night for at least a few minutes, I try to sit down at the piano and play for her while she's on my lap. She'll "help" me play by putting her fingers on the keys, and tonight she figured out that if she bangs the keys, they make noise (she also tried to chew on them, but that wasn't as effective). Daddy got a video, so we'll try to upload that soon. We'll also try to get some pictures uploaded this weekend of my very active and BIG girl!
Emma is going from sitting to a crawling position and back up to sitting very fluidly now. I'm not sure exactly when she started pulling herself to a sitting position, but she's happy that she can get up and down independently.
On Tuesday this week, Emma finally pushed through her top left tooth, and then by Wednesday morning, the right tooth came out. Yes, my baby has 4 TEETH!! At 6 months, 3 weeks along, how amazing. So far her latch hasn't changed much, but I'm anticipating some biting and changes, so we're working on nursing manners. She knows the word "no," and she's learning not to pinch either.
But the BIG development happened at 7:10am this morning. We were getting ready to go to breakfast with Aunt Ann, who was visiting on work from Chicago, and Joe said "Has Emma ever done this before?" When I looked into the bedroom from the bathroom, my little baby girl was STANDING in her pack-n-play. She had pulled herself up from a sitting position into standing, and was standing by herself. It lasted all of 30-45 seconds, but still.... oh my goodness.
I'm not ready for her to be such a big girl! I want my tiny newborn back (kind of). :)
On the eating front, she's still barely playing with food. She gets a bit here and there in her mouth, very little down her throat, but that's ok. We'll worry about getting more solids into her whenever she is ready.
Our "new" thing we're doing is playing the piano. Every night for at least a few minutes, I try to sit down at the piano and play for her while she's on my lap. She'll "help" me play by putting her fingers on the keys, and tonight she figured out that if she bangs the keys, they make noise (she also tried to chew on them, but that wasn't as effective). Daddy got a video, so we'll try to upload that soon. We'll also try to get some pictures uploaded this weekend of my very active and BIG girl!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Garage Sales, Baby Yoga, and Peek-a-Boo, Oh My!
What a busy day we've had! This morning Emma & I got up and went to Mommy & Baby yoga. This is the start of another 6-week series, and today was a full class, about 15 mommy & baby pairs. All of the sudden, Emma is one of the biggest and oldest babies there! It made me alternatively very proud of her being that big, and very nostalgic for my teeny-tiny baby who didn't move much.
We're also having Day 2 of our garage sale today. It's been much less busy today, but Emma has enjoyed watching the people come in and out of the garage. She even made googly eyes at a couple of the little kids that have come along. :-) She loves other babies so much! We have made enough to cover 1/3 of a week of daycare, LOL. Oh well, it's a ton of fun and it gets rid of some of our stuff. We'll donate the rest to Goodwill.
And last, but not least, a video! Emma's current favorite book is a picture book called "Peek-A-Boo", and it's a book of different baby faces and emotions. She usually loves it when I close the book, then open it randomly to a face and say "peek-a-boo" -- she'll laugh and giggle, and then we repeat over and over again. Of course, when I brought out the camera to record, she was her serious, non-giggly self. My baby won't perform on command, I guess!
We're also having Day 2 of our garage sale today. It's been much less busy today, but Emma has enjoyed watching the people come in and out of the garage. She even made googly eyes at a couple of the little kids that have come along. :-) She loves other babies so much! We have made enough to cover 1/3 of a week of daycare, LOL. Oh well, it's a ton of fun and it gets rid of some of our stuff. We'll donate the rest to Goodwill.
And last, but not least, a video! Emma's current favorite book is a picture book called "Peek-A-Boo", and it's a book of different baby faces and emotions. She usually loves it when I close the book, then open it randomly to a face and say "peek-a-boo" -- she'll laugh and giggle, and then we repeat over and over again. Of course, when I brought out the camera to record, she was her serious, non-giggly self. My baby won't perform on command, I guess!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Pink Eye
Well... we have it. Or rather, daycare thinks we have it, Momma does have it, and Emma is showing some symptoms. Not a big deal -- Emma had it earlier in her life -- but what it means is that I had to cut my day short today, cancel clients, and am home with her from daycare. She's napping right now.
It's a silly policy, sending kids home who have symptoms of pink eye and making them wait 24 hours after start of treatment to come back, because by the time the kid is showing symptoms, they've been contagious and spread it all over anyway. But I know why the policy is there and we'll abide by it. It's frustrating on that end, but also in that me not being at works means no income but we still pay for daycare.
In the meantime, I guess I find things around home to do, right? :) I'm sure there's a load of laundry (or two or seven!) that have my name on them.
It's a silly policy, sending kids home who have symptoms of pink eye and making them wait 24 hours after start of treatment to come back, because by the time the kid is showing symptoms, they've been contagious and spread it all over anyway. But I know why the policy is there and we'll abide by it. It's frustrating on that end, but also in that me not being at works means no income but we still pay for daycare.
In the meantime, I guess I find things around home to do, right? :) I'm sure there's a load of laundry (or two or seven!) that have my name on them.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Happy 4th of July!
Our first 4th of July as a family, we went to the Franklin Park Conseratory (http://fpconservatory.org/). Emma had a *great* time! Today was the last day of "Blooms and Butterflies" and she really enjoyed watching the big butterflies flying around.
They also have their permanent Chiluly exhibit, which is very neat!
They also have their permanent Chiluly exhibit, which is very neat!
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Columbus Zoo!
We went to the Columbus Zoo (http://www.colszoo.org/) today! It was Emma's first trip to the zoo, and the first time I'd been back since 2007 when Joe was in Syria. They've made a lot of changes, and it's even more fabulous than it was before. I think it's the #2 rated zoo in the United States right now, which is a well-deserved honor.
We ended up buying a zoo membership so we can go back multiple times (more cost-effective) and since the zoo is less than 10 minutes from our house, it makes for a great weekend escape. Plus, Emma *loved* going there and seeing all the neat things. She really enjoyed going around and even took a nice nap mid-way through our day.
I loved taking her there. We ended up buying her a t-shirt that says "My First Trip to the Zoo." She won't get to wear it for long, but it is SO cool! :)
Friday, July 2, 2010
Great-Grandma Gladys
Her spirit is alive and well!
A huge thanks to Aunt Janie and Aunt Deb for bringing the adorable Nebraska onsie and socks for Emma at her baptism. Although it does tear my heart a bit in half to have my little future Kansas State University fan dressed in Nebraska Cornhusker Red! :)
A huge thanks to Aunt Janie and Aunt Deb for bringing the adorable Nebraska onsie and socks for Emma at her baptism. Although it does tear my heart a bit in half to have my little future Kansas State University fan dressed in Nebraska Cornhusker Red! :)
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
New Daycare
I'm pleased to announce that we absolutely LOVE our new daycare! It's The Children's Center in Dublin, OH (http://www.childrenscenteronbridge.com/). It's a locally-owned daycare (yay for no chains!) and is not nearly as far of a drive in traffic that I initially believed it might be. I also love how large it is, and how many windows there are to let in natural light. The caregivers are sweet and interested, and all of them knew who we were the first day we were there, and greeted us with very authentic enthusiasm.
We've only been there 3 days, but we've noticed a dramatic difference in several things. First, Emma is super-happy and bubbly when we pick her up in the evening! At our prior daycare she would be fussy and screaming in the evening, often very clingy to us at night when we'd get home. Even after only 3 days, she is excited to get there in the morning and has made fast friends with several of the babies.
Second, we are using the cloth diapers and the staff are really enthusiastic about it! They find it easy to do, and Emma's bottom looks wonderful. Laundry hasn't been an issue -- we're still averaging every 2-3 days for diaper laundry, which is what we were averaging before.
Third, she is eating MUCH better. At the prior daycare she would be given three 4-oz bottles the entire time she was there (8am to 5pm usually). Today at this daycare, she was offered three bottles by 12:30 pm!! She didn't eat much of the first one, but that's totally ok. And yesterday she ate all 4 bottles before 5pm.
Fourth, they allow us to keep a stash of frozen breast milk in the freezer of the fridge in the infant room for up to 2 weeks in case baby is going through a growth spurt or they need extra. MOST of the mommies there breastfeed!! I'm so thrilled about that.
And last, but not least, we have had multiple parents from different classrooms spontaneously tell us how much they love the daycare and what a wonderful experience it has been for them. We never even interacted with the parents at the other daycare -- it was just in and out. We've met several sets of parents and I already know 5 babies' names. It took me 3 months to just learn 3 babies' names at the prior daycare.
I'm SO happy about the switch. The child to adult ratio is much better, and Emma already seems to be thriving. I feel like it's going to be such a positive thing in the long run.
We've only been there 3 days, but we've noticed a dramatic difference in several things. First, Emma is super-happy and bubbly when we pick her up in the evening! At our prior daycare she would be fussy and screaming in the evening, often very clingy to us at night when we'd get home. Even after only 3 days, she is excited to get there in the morning and has made fast friends with several of the babies.
Second, we are using the cloth diapers and the staff are really enthusiastic about it! They find it easy to do, and Emma's bottom looks wonderful. Laundry hasn't been an issue -- we're still averaging every 2-3 days for diaper laundry, which is what we were averaging before.
Third, she is eating MUCH better. At the prior daycare she would be given three 4-oz bottles the entire time she was there (8am to 5pm usually). Today at this daycare, she was offered three bottles by 12:30 pm!! She didn't eat much of the first one, but that's totally ok. And yesterday she ate all 4 bottles before 5pm.
Fourth, they allow us to keep a stash of frozen breast milk in the freezer of the fridge in the infant room for up to 2 weeks in case baby is going through a growth spurt or they need extra. MOST of the mommies there breastfeed!! I'm so thrilled about that.
And last, but not least, we have had multiple parents from different classrooms spontaneously tell us how much they love the daycare and what a wonderful experience it has been for them. We never even interacted with the parents at the other daycare -- it was just in and out. We've met several sets of parents and I already know 5 babies' names. It took me 3 months to just learn 3 babies' names at the prior daycare.
I'm SO happy about the switch. The child to adult ratio is much better, and Emma already seems to be thriving. I feel like it's going to be such a positive thing in the long run.
Six Months!
I'm still wrapping my head around the fact that my little girl is 6 months old. Here's our current stats!
Weight: 15 lbs, 11 oz (up from 6 lb, 5 oz at birth)
Height: 26 1/2 inches (up from 20 inches at birth)
Head Circumference: 16 1/2 inches
Motor Milestones:
*Sitting up unsupported for 5+ minutes at a time
*Rolling from front to back
*Rolling from back to front
*Able to push up on all fours and move forward 1-2 "steps"
*Grasping with hands
*About 75% accuracy with pincher grasp
Other Developmental Milestones:
*Regular sleep pattern (down at 7:15-7:30pm, up between 5:30-5:45am)
*Regular naps (mid-morning for 45 min, noon hour for 1 1/2-2 hrs, mid-afternoon for 45 min)
*Regular smiles and laughter
*Trying solids (avocado so far)
Weight: 15 lbs, 11 oz (up from 6 lb, 5 oz at birth)
Height: 26 1/2 inches (up from 20 inches at birth)
Head Circumference: 16 1/2 inches
Motor Milestones:
*Sitting up unsupported for 5+ minutes at a time
*Rolling from front to back
*Rolling from back to front
*Able to push up on all fours and move forward 1-2 "steps"
*Grasping with hands
*About 75% accuracy with pincher grasp
Other Developmental Milestones:
*Regular sleep pattern (down at 7:15-7:30pm, up between 5:30-5:45am)
*Regular naps (mid-morning for 45 min, noon hour for 1 1/2-2 hrs, mid-afternoon for 45 min)
*Regular smiles and laughter
*Trying solids (avocado so far)
Monday, June 28, 2010
Recent Videos
A few weeks ago, Emma and Daddy were playing around in the hallway after daycare. This little outfit is sooooo cute!
The infamous "Hover Baby"!!
Emma trying to crawl.... this was taken on our way back from Kansas (on 6/25/10).
Emma playing around with her first solids, avocado. This was yesterday (6/27).
The infamous "Hover Baby"!!
Emma trying to crawl.... this was taken on our way back from Kansas (on 6/25/10).
Emma playing around with her first solids, avocado. This was yesterday (6/27).
Sunday, June 27, 2010
What a Week!
There is so much to update from our week in Kansas! I'll try to do a little day-by-day synopsis.
We drove Thursday and got there Friday evening. We immediately got to see Grandma and Grandpa Miller, and Uncle Rich. Great-Aunt Sandra and Great-Uncle James came out to the house to see Emma too. She was so hot and so tired, it was a rough time but she did as best as I could expect! Great-Aunt Sandra and Great-Uncle James took us all out for dinner. We also got to see the three tiny month-old kittens my parents have, and Emma loved them! We wanted to bring one back but knew it would be too much.
On Saturday, we got to see Uncle Chuck and Aunt Bobbi, as well as Cousin Heather and Cousin Lauren. I went grocery shopping with Grandma while Joe and the girls were watching Emma, and we got the flowers for Sunday. It was mostly a day of acclimating to different people, and showing Emma the house where I grew up. Uncle Rich took everyone out to dinner this night.
Uncle Rich, Feeding Emma... :)
Sunday was the baptism. Great-Aunt Deb, Great-Aunt Janie, Great-Aunt Mary and Great-Uncle Rick, First Cousin Becky and her children, Mrs. Stowell (a friend of Grandpa Miller), Mrs. Zillinger (a neighbor of Grandpa Miller), Pastor Joel and his wife, and everyone else was there. It was a wonderful day and Cousin Heather took some fabulous pictures!!
Emma in her pretty baptismal gown.
Pastor Joel, Momma, Daddy and Emma (Pastor Joel is the one who married us, almost 12 years ago now!)
Aunt Ann and Uncle Chuck -- Emma's Godparents
Monday we relaxed and spent time with family again. There was nothing scheduled, but in the evening, we went out to dinner with Heather, Lauren and Rich at The Chubby Pickle. At 2:52 am (not that I looked at the clock), Joe went running to the bathroom to vomit and not 10 minutes later, I followed running to the bathroom to have diarrhea. That continued much of the night, so we were exhausted by Tuesday.
So Tuesday we let the girls watch Emma and Joe and I slept all morning. Then I had lunch with three good friends from high school, and brought Emma. She was a great hit, and loved the other girls' kids. It was nice catching up with my friends, and reminiscing about the "good 'ole days." Tuesday night we got to watch Cousin Lauren play all of 10 minutes of her softball game before it was called on account of a thunderstorm.
Wednesday I asked Uncle Chuck to bring over his lawn mower so I could mow Grandma and Grandpa's place, and between him, Joe and I, we got much of the jungle cut down. It looked MUCH better and the bugs were less. I got sunburnt and bit by mosquitos, but that's ok. I also got my hair cut by the hairdresser who used to do my hair in high school! :) Talk about feeling young again.
Thursday was our last day in Kansas. We drove out to the cemetery early in the morning so we could show Emma where her Great-Grandparents are buried, then spent the morning with Uncle Chuck at his farm. We got to see the teeny-tiny kittens that are there -- all of a month old! Then we spent the rest of the time with Grandma and Grandpa, and just tried to enjoy the last evening there. We also got to see another one of Cousin Lauren's softball games, longer this time.
Friday was bittersweet. We loaded up the car, went out to say goodbye to the Grandparents, and got on the road. I'm not ashamed to admit that I cry each and every time I leave my parents, even at this age, because I love them so much and I hate being so far away. This was such a wonderful trip. Between the excitement of the thunderstorms each and every day (and hail the first day!), seeing family, watching Emma cuddle with her Uncles and her Cousins, and seeing the smile on Grandma's face when Emma was laughing... it was just such a full, wonderful, fulfilling trip.
For a 1050 mile drive, Emma did well both ways. We took today to rest and relax, and are preparing for another big week. Emma started on solids tonight -- her first bite of avocado! She really liked it and Joe got some good pictures. She starts her new daycare tomorrow, the one that will let us use our cloth diapers. AND on Wednesday, she gets her 6-month check-up. If the WiiFit Plus is correct, she'll be over 16 pounds (or close to it) when she gets weighed.
What a week, indeed!
We drove Thursday and got there Friday evening. We immediately got to see Grandma and Grandpa Miller, and Uncle Rich. Great-Aunt Sandra and Great-Uncle James came out to the house to see Emma too. She was so hot and so tired, it was a rough time but she did as best as I could expect! Great-Aunt Sandra and Great-Uncle James took us all out for dinner. We also got to see the three tiny month-old kittens my parents have, and Emma loved them! We wanted to bring one back but knew it would be too much.
On Saturday, we got to see Uncle Chuck and Aunt Bobbi, as well as Cousin Heather and Cousin Lauren. I went grocery shopping with Grandma while Joe and the girls were watching Emma, and we got the flowers for Sunday. It was mostly a day of acclimating to different people, and showing Emma the house where I grew up. Uncle Rich took everyone out to dinner this night.
Uncle Rich, Feeding Emma... :)
Sunday was the baptism. Great-Aunt Deb, Great-Aunt Janie, Great-Aunt Mary and Great-Uncle Rick, First Cousin Becky and her children, Mrs. Stowell (a friend of Grandpa Miller), Mrs. Zillinger (a neighbor of Grandpa Miller), Pastor Joel and his wife, and everyone else was there. It was a wonderful day and Cousin Heather took some fabulous pictures!!
Emma in her pretty baptismal gown.
Pastor Joel, Momma, Daddy and Emma (Pastor Joel is the one who married us, almost 12 years ago now!)
Aunt Ann and Uncle Chuck -- Emma's Godparents
Monday we relaxed and spent time with family again. There was nothing scheduled, but in the evening, we went out to dinner with Heather, Lauren and Rich at The Chubby Pickle. At 2:52 am (not that I looked at the clock), Joe went running to the bathroom to vomit and not 10 minutes later, I followed running to the bathroom to have diarrhea. That continued much of the night, so we were exhausted by Tuesday.
So Tuesday we let the girls watch Emma and Joe and I slept all morning. Then I had lunch with three good friends from high school, and brought Emma. She was a great hit, and loved the other girls' kids. It was nice catching up with my friends, and reminiscing about the "good 'ole days." Tuesday night we got to watch Cousin Lauren play all of 10 minutes of her softball game before it was called on account of a thunderstorm.
Wednesday I asked Uncle Chuck to bring over his lawn mower so I could mow Grandma and Grandpa's place, and between him, Joe and I, we got much of the jungle cut down. It looked MUCH better and the bugs were less. I got sunburnt and bit by mosquitos, but that's ok. I also got my hair cut by the hairdresser who used to do my hair in high school! :) Talk about feeling young again.
Thursday was our last day in Kansas. We drove out to the cemetery early in the morning so we could show Emma where her Great-Grandparents are buried, then spent the morning with Uncle Chuck at his farm. We got to see the teeny-tiny kittens that are there -- all of a month old! Then we spent the rest of the time with Grandma and Grandpa, and just tried to enjoy the last evening there. We also got to see another one of Cousin Lauren's softball games, longer this time.
Friday was bittersweet. We loaded up the car, went out to say goodbye to the Grandparents, and got on the road. I'm not ashamed to admit that I cry each and every time I leave my parents, even at this age, because I love them so much and I hate being so far away. This was such a wonderful trip. Between the excitement of the thunderstorms each and every day (and hail the first day!), seeing family, watching Emma cuddle with her Uncles and her Cousins, and seeing the smile on Grandma's face when Emma was laughing... it was just such a full, wonderful, fulfilling trip.
For a 1050 mile drive, Emma did well both ways. We took today to rest and relax, and are preparing for another big week. Emma started on solids tonight -- her first bite of avocado! She really liked it and Joe got some good pictures. She starts her new daycare tomorrow, the one that will let us use our cloth diapers. AND on Wednesday, she gets her 6-month check-up. If the WiiFit Plus is correct, she'll be over 16 pounds (or close to it) when she gets weighed.
What a week, indeed!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Grandma & The Grandkids
From right to left, Cousin Heather, Emma, Grandma Miller and Cousin Lauren. They were babysitting today for us since Joe and I got food poisoning last night and had been up since 3am with our various ailments. The girls are SO good with her.
I haven't had much time to upload pictures or even post much, but when we get back to Ohio, I'll put a bunch on. We still need to make a trip out to the cemetery, hang out with Grandma some more, and a few other things. It's stormed every day we were here, including one with large hail, which has made it a bit hectic. Poor Emma -- she's going through a growth spurt, teething, and having a lot of new people plus upset routine right now. She's a trooper though.
Friday, June 18, 2010
We're Here!
Emma was a trooper. Two days of intense traveling, a lot of new faces tonight, and she held up as well as she could. The heat was getting to her, so hopefully we'll keep her in the a/c and try to get her adjusted to the new faces as quickly as possible.
Pictures tomorrow!
Pictures tomorrow!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
On The Road
In about 5-6 hours, we're hopefully leaving for Kansas. We'll post pictures when we get there!
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