Six months Jun 15 - Jul 15 2013

Six months!

Dear Harper,

We celebrated your sixth month birthday the other day.  Maddie loves cupcakes and I have been trying to save cupcakes for special occasions only so that when she sees them at the store and asks for one I can say "Oh, those must be for someones birthday" or "we don't have anyone's birthday coming.  We can get a cupcake to celebrate the next birthday in our family"  After Daddy's birthday in June Maddie and I got to talking about who was next and it was me 6 months away which seemed so far so I told her we could celebrate your 1/2 birthday as well as Maddie's.  She was so excited.  We made birthday signs and got birthday hats and cards and sang to each of you on your half birthday!

You have started sitting and entertaining yourself more and more.  The swing and the lamb chair are on their way out and the highchair is here and ready for your first solid food experience!  You've also started mimicking which is so funny.  You and I sit while I feed you and make sounds back and forth.

Here are your updates this month!

Teeth: Still only two shiny white pearly beautiful bottom teeth.  You're still teething like crazy.  We have a frozen watermelon that you love to chew on.

Sleep: I'm so happy that you have started sleeping through the night again.  You aren't liking being put to bed.  You've started showing your feelings of distaste when you don't like something and going to bed is one of the things you really dislike!  You cry anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.  You take about an hour nap in the morning from 8:50 or so to 10:50.  Your afternoon nap is from 12 or 1 (somewhere in that time frame) until you decide to wake up.  Sometimes your afternoon nap is one hour and sometimes it's two.  Bed time is generally when you get cranky which always seems to be at 6:50.

Food: We are starting you on solid pureed food this week but you have been munching on mum-mum's for a couple of weeks now.  Your poor gums hurt.  You must have some top teeth coming in soon.

Sitting Up: You've started supporting yourself while playing.  I can let you go for a few minutes at a time now but I'm not able to walk away.  I feel so good when I am able to let you sit on your own.  I have felt you were board with tummy time and laying on your back for sometime.  I am so happy you can see life from a new perspective and guess what!?!  You're one step closer to being able to really play actively with Maddie which I am looking forward to but I think she's going to be a tough cookie when it comes to sharing!  We'll work on that!  For the most part you are still primarily supporting yourself on your arms and rolling over A LOT.  You are a rock star at rolling over!

General Temperament: You are such a happy,smiley baby.  You are just a ball of sunshine.  You cry from your crib at times when we lay you down and will cry and cry to let us know something is wrong.  You scream bloody murder and we will open the door and it's an instant grin from ear to ear!  Your smile is so lovely and it's one of my very favorite traits of yours.  You aren't scared of strangers but I feel you may be starting to become attached to me since we spend every single day together.  You let anyone hold you and often smile at strangers when we are out and about but you will often stare them down as well which your sister did.  You look at people with this intense face and it cracks me up.

Night time Routine:  Night time routine starts at 5:30 around here!  We start dinners (yes, dinnerS).  Daddy and I eat one type of meal, Maddie has a meal of her own because she doesn't care for much of what we eat and I also warm up your baby food.  At some point Daddy comes home during this frenzy and you get fed once I get Maddie situated.  After dinner we get all cleaned up, clean up the kitchen and spend some time on the floor. We get dressed for bed around 6:45 or so and we offer you a bottle which you sometimes take all or some of and sometimes none.  Bedtime is at 7,  

Here you are one morning after waking up.  Daddy noticed your toe sticking out of your sleeper!  Better retire this one.  It's our very favorite sleeper that you and Maddie wore.

Playtime:  We like to put a blanket on the floor in the living room and dump all of your toys out!  Maddie will often play with your toys.  Your favorite toys are your bouncer and swing.  I'm about to get out the next level of toys for you to play with.  You're getting bored of your baby toys.

You went swimming for the first time on July 4th!  The water was so cold we couldn't really put you in very far so you sat with Daddy until we wrapped you up in a towel.

(this is the look you give strangers while we're out and about that cracks me up!)

T.V.:  You tune into Maddie's shows sometimes but you definitely don't have "a show".  If anything, you like "Baby First TV" which has short developmental programming for babies to preschoolers.  The programs are very colorful with simple looking characters which I think you are attracted to.

Weight:  

6 months: 19 lbs

Length:

6 months:  28

Diaper Size:

Size 3 .

Clothes Size:

6 months, 6-9 months 

Hair Color:

6 months: Blonde

Eye color:

6 months - You have your Daddy's blue eyes, there is no doubt about it.

Five months May 15 - Jun 15 2013

My dear sweet Harper,

You've turned into a little ball of fun this month.  There's been a lot of laughing and I am so excited to see your personality developing!  You laughed at Maddie for the first time this month.  She loves to make you laugh.  Sometimes I laugh by playing peek-a-boo with you and she likes to join in on the fun and say "boo" too!  She also loves to give you kisses and forehead bumps and she likes to say "booga booga booga" to you just like Mommy.  

You are a rock start at tummy time and you are turning from your back to your front quite easily but you've only turned from your front to your back a couple of times and I think that's been by accident.  You're reaching for things while on your tummy and you are propping yourself up to look around as well.  

 Father's Day was this past weekend.  We went to St. Louis for the weekend and drove back on Father's Day.  It was nice to spend a long weekend together and with Daddy's family.

Sleep:

At four months my little darling, you stopped sleeping through the night and are waking up one to two times nightly!  Daddy and I trade off nights with you.  I lay you down at 7:30 and you get up at 5:30 or 6:00.  I would like it if you could sleep just one more hour!  The 5:30 wake ups are grueling BUT once I walk in your bedroom and see you propped up on your hands looking at me with a huge grin, I'M UP AND READY TO FACE THE DAY!  Sometimes I put you in your swing when you wake up very very early and you fall back to sleep for an hour or so.

Daily Routine:
You take two naps a day generally.  One around 9:00 or 9:30 and an afternoon nap around 12:30 or 1:00.  If we are out and about you will snooze off and on while in your stroller.  You cry a little when we lay you down sometimes but really you are pretty easy going when it comes to bedtime.  You slept in Mommy and Daddy's room until we moved and got you your own room which I am so happy about!  I couldn't wait to decorate a room just for you.

You love to look at the mobile.  You've slept well in your crib and in the pack n play at Aunt Nancy's when we visit St. Louis.  I got you a lovey and I have been trying to get you used to cuddling with it since you don't take a pacifier.

Feedings:  You are taking a 6 ounce bottle every 3 to 4 hours.  I'm looking forward to introducing you to solids next month.  

 

Weight:  

5 months: Not sure.  We haven't had a check up in a month.

Diaper Size:

Size two .

Clothes Size:

Some 3-6 months, some 6 month clothes and even a couple of 9 month outfits!  You are bigger and longer than Maddie and the seasons are longer here in Chicago than they were for her in St. Louis so as much as I thought I would get to dress you in the same outfits as her it's been strange because you are almost a size and season ahead of where she was.

Hair Color:

5 months: light brown/some auburn/dirty blonde.  Much less hair than Maddie

Eye color:

5 months:  beautiful blue

Funniest Moment:  Laughing at Maddie and Maddie laughing at you.  

This has to be the best feeling as a Mother.  The first time you hear your children interact.  Maddie loves you so much.  The first thing she wants to see in the morning is her Mouse and she loves you so much that she makes a cute little bull dog face and pats you hard because she feels it so much.  She likes to grab onto your bouncer and bounce you around and you love that even though it scares me because Maddie can be a little...rough.

Milestones:

You found your feet.

You had found your hands individually but the other day I looked at you and you were putting your hands together and pulling them apart and then together again.  I think this was a first.

You make beautiful coo's.

Starting putting things in your mouth with purpose.

You sat in your bumbo for the first time and liked it.

Your favorite toys:  books,  anything crinkly, bounceroo, jumperoo, anything you can put in your mouth and chew on as you have been teething really bad for three months now.  

Firsts:

Your first move.

Your first room all of your own.

Mirrors - Every once in a while I will show you yourself in the mirror and you look intently and then smile once I start making faces and waving.

First reach and grab while on tummy.
Your first tooth on your first Memorial Day.  May 27th you sprouted a tooth!  you had been teething pretty badly.  

I just adore you Harper.  You make our days so much brighter and happier.  I love that you have filled each of our hearts with more love than we thought we could hold.  I don't think Maddie truly knew love until you came along.  Daddy and I were her parents and she needed us but when you came along she LOVED you.  It's the greatest experience I have ever had - watching you two connect these past five months.  When you come with me to pick her up every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at school she hits, pushes and kicks the kids that get near your stroller.  She is very protective of you.  You adore her as well.  You smile anytime she comes to you and you often laugh when you hear her laugh even if you can't see her.

You are such a blessing.  Always remember one thing...I love you.

Mama

Four months Apr 15 - May 15 2013

 Dear Harper,

Where has four months gone my Mousy!?!  You've been apart of our family for four months and it's been an absolute joy.  You are so beautiful, sweet and happy.  Your demeanor is so easy going and I am soooo thankful for that because I am still adjusting for being a Mommy of two!  

This was an interesting month.  I had to go to our storage unit and get out the bounceroo.  You are progressing much faster than your sister and I just knew it was time for you to learn to sit and balance using your back muscles.  You've spent more and more time in it although you aren't quite sure how to play with the little toys on the bounceroo.  We also had an appointment at childrens hospital, more about that later.  And you rolled over!!!!

You are really teething pretty badly and have been for two months now. I have tried every trick in the book and I finally broke down and got you a baltic amber necklace which is supposed to help with the pain of the teething.  You've had it on a week now and I think I see a improvement but I'm not sure.

Your new baltic amber necklace.

A new bracelet for Mommy intended for teething.

You like to chew on this toy occasionally.

My heart hurts when you can't figure out how to keep things in your mouth to soothe yourself.

BABY STATS:

Sleep:

You have been a very easy sleeper thus far but you've reached that silly fourth month where everything turns upside down.  You never woke up much during the night the past four months but now you are waking nightly for a feed and we've had to ween you from your swaddle.  Since you have also learned to roll over, you roll onto your tummy and get really upset.  I wake up to find you crying because you are on your belly, I roll you onto your back and you roll right back onto your belly and cry!  It's a no win, I tell you!  Last night I finally swaddled you again because it's the only way to keep you from rolling over!  This is your last month of sleeping in Mommy and Daddy's bedroom.  We are moving to a three bedroom!  You get your own room, Harper!!!!  Yay!  I am so excited to decorate it for you so you will have a special place of your own.

You always turn your head to your right to sleep, a lot of times grabbing the pillow on your swing to nuzzle your face.

A nap at the beach.

You LOVE your swaddle!

Daily Routine:
You are settling into a routine.  Each day you generally take a morning, mid-day and afternoon nap.  I'm currently trying to get you on a schedule where you take a 9:30 and 12:30 nap.  You are going to bed around 7:30, sometimes earlier. 

Feedings:  Feedings are difficult.  I made two appointments with the pediatrician last month because you wouldn't take bottles from me at all, were arching your back and bobbing your head into the bottles nipple getting formula all over your face, a lot of times you get so riled up you slap me in the face!  The Doctor finally saw what I was talking about when you wouldn't take a bottle from me but instantly took the bottle from me when placed in your carseat in the exam room.  She noticed you had swallow suck coordination problems and referred us to a speech pathologist for a swallow study at Lurie Children's Hospital downtown Chicago.  I had to cancel our first appointment because I had surgery to have my appendix removed.  Things weren't improving and I had to wait another two weeks to get you in,  We finally made it and the swallow study reflected that formula was going near your airway so they thickened the formula with rice in a couple of  different thicknesses and found that with 1.25 teaspoons of rice cereal per ounce the formula was going down correctly.  So you have a good amount of rice cereal per bottle now and your feedings are less incremental than they were.  They were every 3 hours and now you are going about 4 hours or a little more between feedings.

Weight:  16 lbs

Length:

Diaper Size:  Two

Clothes Size:

3-6 months, some 6 month clothes and even a couple of 9 month outfits(ralph lauren runs small)!  Still outgrowing your sleepers like crazy!!!  Very similar to your sister but a little bigger.

Hair Color:

4 months: dirty blonde 

Eye color:

4 months:  A gorgeous blue.  Your sisters eyes are grey now, I wonder if yours will turn grey. 

Funniest Moment:

You love to laugh at facial expressions and a lot of times Maddie and I try to see if we can make you laugh.  We do make you laugh a lot and those times are so special to me.  It's obvious you get what's happening because you laugh each time.

Milestones:

You are rolling over from back to front and propping yourself up on your arms.  Your left arm always gets stuck underneath you.  We are still working on more and more tummy time and rolling over from your stomach to your back.

You are reaching and grasping at things when they are in front of you, even sitting in your bumbo.  
You are lifting your legs and bringing them into your chest now instead of just laying flat.

You coo and babble all of the time.  I love your sweet noises.  They are so high pitched and it seems like you are trying to tell us something.  Sometimes you mistake giving out a loud coo instead of  a cry when it's obvious you are frustrated or your teething is bothering you.
Eye contact -  You love to sit in my lap and look at me and you love it when I sing.  You love to look out the window at the blue sky.  I make you laugh a lot with silly faces and noises.
Mirrors - I showed you yourself in a wall mirror for the first time the other day and you smiled so big!


Your favorite toys:  I don't know that you really love any of your toys, you play with what's around.  You've outgrown your play mat because you roll over and the legs of it get in the way.  I think you like your bounceroo.  You haven't learned cause and effect yet.  For instance, bouncing and making toys do things,  you kind of just hang out and bat at a few toys.

Firsts:

First time in your bounceroo.

First laugh May 2011

First time rolling over May 9

First time to the beach!  You did very well.  Part of the time I had you in the baby bjorn and part of the time you sat in your shady car seat where you even napped.

I love you Harper.  You have such a sweet disposition.  Your smile is absolutely contagious.  I can't wait to see your personality develop more and more and to see your relationship with Maddie bloom.  

Mommy