13 month stats

Abigail is growing up so fast and I am falling behind in my documentation. :) I guess it is good that I am mothering and enjoying life. Blogs can wait. We made our monthly trek to the Wellness Center and our 13 month old weighs 17 lbs 4 oz. Her small stature has been a blessing on my back and my arms. She can stay tiny and petite as long as possible! She has been growing. I feel like suddenly she is leggy and fuller in the face. Here are some fun tidbits about her development:
*wears size 9 months clothes (surprisingly, some 6 month clothes still fit her)
*wears size 3 Pamper's Cruiser diapers
*wears size 3 shoes
*still nursing
*her hair is getting longer and she won't leave bows in it anymore (some rubber bands are left untouched)
*walking everywhere unassisted
*loves singing
*loves dogs
*enjoys playing with her yellow and orange bouncy balls
*points to your nose
*fascinated by her belly button
*wants to bite strange things (the couch, for example )
*puts sunglasses on/around her neck instead of her face
*loves opening and closing anything
*likes to put things in Noah's dog crate (even herself :)
*has gotten her legs caught in her crib when she is upset or sleeping
*still using her infant seat in the car (her Britax is waiting patiently in the corner of her room)
*loves laughing and falling backwards in our bed
*loves to hold and eat a banana all by herself
*loves ice water
*doesn't enjoy organic whole milk
*likes to push her mini stroller around and collect things to put in it throughout the house
*learned the sign for milk/nurse
*'talks' all the time
*likes to climb stairs on the playground
*getting more comfortable with strange ground textures (sand, grass, and woodchips aren't as scary)
*grunts and points for things she wants
*likes to take out the pots and pans in the kitchen cabinet
*likes to pick up our flip flops and walk around with them
*kisses her baby dolls and pictures of babies in books
*gives great hugs and kisses
*still wants to play when it is bedtime, so we have been letting her cry it out after our bedtime routine (this has been working)

12 month stats

This is almost a month overdue, but I need to record her stats so I don't forget them. At Abigail's one year checkup she was 16 lbs 14 oz and 28 1/4 inches tall. Abby is still in the first percentile, but she is staying on her growth curve. The doctor suggested we give her vitamins, since she is a picky eater. We are always trying new food with her to see how she likes them. She has days when she eats a lot and other days when she doesn't want to do much with food. She would rather play. Abigail has discovered playing with her food is a lot of fun. Once she starts playing in it, rubbing it all over, and throwing it on the floor; we end meal time. :) Life has become more fun as we have a toddler in the house. Here are some facts about her development and daily life.

*wearing size 2-3 Swaddler diapers

*wearing size 6-9 month clothes. (Some 9 month clothes fit her now!)

*loves to walk, takes some steps on her own (Today she took 21 in a row, unassisted.)

*enjoys opening and closing drawers and doors (She has smashed her fingers several times.)

*still takes a bath in the little blow up bath inside the big bathtub

*organic waffles, cream cheese toast, and mushrooms are new favorites on her menu

*loves to play with mama's keys

*sings and baby talks all the time

*says: mama, dada, hi, bye, barks like a dog

*waves, shakes her head no, claps, loves to pick up tiny pieces of anything on the floor

*gives kisses

*doesn't like sand, grass, or bubbles very much

*likes eggs one day and not the next

*loves to read books

*enjoys her new toys from her birthday

*Jeffrey, her stuffed giraffe, has become her new lovey

*has six teeth (She doesn't enjoy us brushing them.)

*loves to push her stroller

*doesn't like whole milk (She lets it fall out of her mouth.)

*still nursing

*pulls bows out of her hair

*still sits facing the back of the car since she is not 20 lbs (She doesn't like car rides as much as she used to. I am ready to turn her around.)

*only sucks her thumb when she sleeps and she does

n't do it as much as she used to

*has completely mastered all sippy and straw cups

*loves to climb out of her highchair, exersaucer, and car seat when I unbuckle her

*loves tickles

*smiley all day long (even when we are out in public)

*takes one good nap a day and sleeps for 12 hours at night

*loves the dogs (learned how to unlatch Noah's crate)

*discovered toilet paper

*enjoys riding in the stroller while mommy exercises(walks) with her friends

*points and grunts when she wants things

*we continue to use sign language with her

Pushing her stroller in downtown Fullerton Jeffrey and I are waiting for dada to get home.

See my cute curly ponytail!

Smiley bath time! Look at all my teeth!! Eating ice cream for the first time!

Yummy Cold Stone!

Catching up and 11 Month Stats

I am finally getting around to writing again on my blog. Yay! The last month has been a bit crazy around here. David has been working insane hours, our refrigerator broke, a sink overflowed, and our dog, Macy, got another ear infection. Thankfully, David's work has slowed down a bit. He actually had dinner with the family a few nights this week. :) With a lot research on the internet and some prayer, I was able to fix our refrigerator. Wow, even I surprised myself. David fixed the sink and our dog just finished her round of antibiotics. Abigail and I have missed having David around, and it makes me even more thankful for the partnership and loving family we have. God has given us so much. I am extremely proud of my husband and his dedication to do an awesome job even though he was working countless hours with little to no sleep. What a great guy! I am so blessed!

Abigail has been growing up so fast. She is getting bigger and more independent.We made our monthly trip to the Wellness Center for her weight check and she is now 16 lbs 1 oz. This is still below the 3rd percentile, but after our last visit to the doctor, we were told not to worry, and to keep doing what we are doing. She will be checked out again at her one year checkup. As long as she continues to grow, we should not be concerned. We have been creative in the food department, offering her a variety of options for meal time to see what she favors. Our most recent additions to her menu are homemade smoothie pops, tofu, black beans, and garbanzo beans. I had never tried tofu before. The texture is interesting. It is a good source of protein and an easy finger food to prepare. I am so thankful for the incredible source the internet has been for helping me find good recipes and ideas for preparing healthy options for our little one. 95% of the food Abigail eats is organic. I have read so much about the importance of giving her the best food without all the chemicals and pesticides. Little bodies are so sensitive to these harmful elements. After learning about this, David and I are eating more organic food as well. About 50% of our refrigerator is filled with organic goodness. Organic food is more expensive, but I try to find it on sale. There are many frozen options as well. Trader Joes and Vons have quite a few organic foods that don't break the bank. I picked up a discounted book at Border's the other day and devoured it quickly. It is called Green Babies, Sage Moms:The Ultimate Guide to Raising Your Organic Baby. I learned so much reading this book. In an effort to be more green, I have also changed some of my cleaning supplies. I now use vinegar and baking soda to clean. A great website called vinegartips.com has over 1,000 ways to use vinegar in your home from cleaning to gardening. :)

Back to Abigail's development! Here are some size facts and fun, quirky things she is doing these days.
*wears 6 month clothes, some 6-9 month clothes fit, but pants/shorts must be six months
*wears size 2 diapers
*clicks her tongue (especially to music)
*bobs her head and moves her body and arms to music
*if you sing out one note she will copy you, if you change your tone or do a scale she breaks up her notes as well
*stands on her own
*so close to walking independently
*walks her stroller around
*cruises on furniture
*still sucks her thumb to sleep at night
*likes to climb
*still in love with our dogs, laughs and squeals when they are close to her
*eats avocado almost every day
*enjoys eating scrambled egg yokes for breakfast
*when she nurses during the day, she holds her foot and extends her leg in the air :) (strange child)
*laughs saying,"ha-ha" after other people laugh
*says,"mama" all the time
*says, "baba" for her big lamb
*got her second tooth on April 21
*waves when you say, "bye-bye"
*loves the park and enjoys watching other children
*likes the swing and to go down the slide with mommy
*puts her baby or her bear in her stroller before she takes them for a spin
*loves books
*likes to pull all of her books off of her bookshelf and then explore her favorites
*loves her book about colors, I have it memorized!
*started taking bows out of her hair
*shy in new situations
*goes to the nursery at church with no problems now
*plays with her door to her bedroom
*likes to play her homemade drums of tupperware with spatulas and wisks
*likes mirrors
*loves peek-a-boo
*good sleeper
* very ticklish
*bites when she is teething
*loves ice and ice water
I can't believe she is almost a year old. The time has flown! :)

10 Month Stats

Abigail, David, and I took a trip to the Wellness Center on Saturday to do a weight check. Abigail is now 15 lbs 3 oz. She only gained 5 oz. in the last month, which puts her in the first percentile. We go to the doctor in about 2 weeks to get her weight checked again. I think she didn't gain as much because she and I were both sick for a couple of weeks. Abigail has some family members on David's side that are very petite. She may always be tiny and I am perfectly fine with that. I am not trying to make her a little chunky baby. I just want to be reassured that she is healthy and that her body isn't having any problems absorbing nutrients. She hasn't been wanting to eat from a spoon much lately. She would rather have more control over her eating and feed herself with her fingers. So, I offer the spooned food first and then when she is done with that, I offer her finger foods. This seems to be working. It has been a little frustrating because one week she would love bananas and then the next week she would throw them all off of her highchair tray. I am trying to figure out what she likes. A few days later, I will offer her the food that she threw and many times she will try it again and like it. I have made some fun new recipes that she seems to love. Wholesome baby food is an awesome website that I have found to be really helpful in giving me good ideas for making my own recipes. I made banana pancakes for her the other day. You slice bananas and dip them in a whole wheat pancake mix and fry them up in organic butter. I also made mini turkey meatballs. I added cheese and garlic powder to the ground turkey and cooked them in some organic olive oil. She loved these. :) Abigail continues to amaze me by her progress as she gets older. She is so smart!!! Here's some more info about our little baby doll:
*wears 3-6 month clothes/more 6 month now
*wears size 2 diapers
*wears size 2 shoes
*walks if you hold her hands
*laughs in anticipation of tickling fingers
*still only has one tooth
*loves music and 'sings' with us
*bobs her head to music and waves her hands in the air
*crawls so quickly
*pulls herself up on everything and holds on with one hand
*has balanced a few seconds standing with no support
*waves her whole arm/hand to say good bye
*loves the dogs
*throws food off her highchair when she is finished eating or sometimes to play(she will laugh when she is playing)
*wiggly worm on the changing table
*still a stomach sleeper with her little bottom in the air
*pulls bibs off/eats mostly naked
*loves for us to crawl and chase her as she crawls around the house
*schedule was pretty consistent until the recent time change
*wakes up once a night to nurse (my favorite nursing session)
*still figuring out the sippy cup/ going to try a straw one
*loves Cherrios, frozen peas, bananas, cheese, avocado, & yogurt
*plays peek-a-boo by moving her own blanket on and off her face
*loves to climb all over mommy and daddy in bed
*more interested in books
*loves touch and feel stories
*enjoys musical toys
*still uses my purple maternity shirt as her lovey
*likes to drag toys when she crawls
*crawls to your location if you call her from another room
*crawls to Noah's crate, stands up, and puts her arm in to pet him
*likes to look out the window to watch the dogs play outside
*likes to stand up in the bathtub
*can take off her Velcro shoes
*loves to chew on a straw
*fascinated by ice water glasses and will put her whole hand in one
*loves to lay back and watch the ceiling fan rotateDavid and I are so in love with this little munchkin. She is pure joy!!!

9 month stats

We went to the doctor on Monday for Abigail's nine month check up. Now that she is so active we have to bring toys and books to keep her busy, otherwise she crinkles the paper and tries to eat it. :) Abby is now 14 lbs 14 oz and 26.5 inches long. She is a tiny little doll. She is only in the 3rd percentile. The doctor was concerned because she fell below her normal growth curve. Our pediatrician doesn't think Abby has any digestive problems because she has never had any problems with vomiting or diarrhea. She thinks that Abby is just not eating enough calories. Abigail is not a picky eater, but she just doesn't like to eat very much. We are now making sure that we mix formula into her solid foods. I have started pumping again to increase my milk supply. I have also been creative with some new recipes using my breast milk. She has had a banana yogurt smoothie and mashed potatoes. Instead of using cow's milk for these, I used breast milk. She seemed to enjoy them! I was really upset on Monday after hearing Abigail is not growing as much as we would like. We have an appointment scheduled in six weeks to check her progress. If she is still not gaining appropriately, the doctor will order some blood tests. Abby is meeting all her developmental milestones and seems very healthy. She just may be very tiny. For now, I am offering her time to nurse more than often, and giving her yummy yogurt and avocados. Here are some other interesting tidbits about Abigail these days:
*loves to feed herself bananas and string cheese
*bobs up and down when listening to music
*still only has one tooth
*loves to play with her toys in the bath and splash, splash, splash
*still in size two diapers
*wears 6 month clothes/ some 6-9 month clothes fit her on top, but are way too big on the bottoms, she slides right out of them
*likes to play with other babies her age
*loves peek-a-boo
*loves to crawl after the dogs
*enjoys reading her Lovebug book, once it starts its musicbox tune she claps her hands up and down on the book with huge smiles
*still sucks her thumb
*her hair is growing so fast and is curly in the back
*looks really pretty in the color purple
*straws and spoons keep her entertained at restaurants
*scrunches up her nose and breathes in and out quickly with a funny smile
*has bedtime stories, prayers, and songs every night
*ticklish on her tummy, neck, and thighs
*gives great hugs in the morning when she wakes up
*crawls quickly everywhere
*pulls herself up to stand and balances with one hand holding on
*loves to touch our DVR, Wii, and alarm clock that are on our console below the TV (We are looking for an enclosed entertainment unit.)
*walks when we hold her hands in front of us
*talking with new sounds (loves to say babababa)

Love the curls!!!

8 Month Stats

Our little baby doll

See my new tooth! It's so white and shiny!Don't you think I have the cutest profile! ;)

Abigail is eight months old!!! Wow! She turned 8 months last Wednesday, so we made yet another trip to the Wellness Center for a weight check. She weighs 14 lbs 2 oz. She is still very small, but healthy and that is all that matters! She is reaching all her milestones and continues to amaze us daily. Here are some interesting tidbits about Abigail's life these days.
*wears mostly 6 month clothes/some are still too big( I put a NB onesie on her that fit today, oh my.)
*wears size 2 diapers
*laughs a lot and squeals with delight/especially after being kissed or tickled
*likes books/especially her puppy book (It has different textures that you feel as you read it.)
*likes to bite down hard now that she has her first tooth
*still nursing (working on the biting part...haha)
*gives wet kisses
*still sucks her thumb to go to sleep
*enjoys eating 3 'solid' organic meals a day
*likes to eat frozen peas and whole grain puffs all by herself (Such a big girl!)
*learning to master the sippy cup
*sings with us when we sing to her
*'talks' herself to sleep before naptime
*blows raspberries and makes bubbles
*sticks her tongue out to touch her tooth
*moves her arms and legs when she is really excited about something
*crawling very quickly
*enjoys a splashy bath time, although she wants to stand up and crawl out of the bath
*standing/pulling herself up on everything (even on Noah, our dog)
*likes to grab at wires (ahh! These are from our computer power chords.We are constantly moving them away from her.)
*loves to watch lights and ceiling fans
*a toilet flushing holds her attention
*enjoys watching animals (A trip to Petsmart is awesome with all those fish and birds. Wow!)
*actually jumps up and down in her Sassy jumper
*still loves to look at the baby in the mirror (We do this in every store we go into.)
*watches Sesame Street (She loves Elmo's World and I can't get that silly song out of my head.)
*closes her eyes when Macy (our German shepherd) comes up to her
*squeals and put her arms up and down when Noah (sheltie) comes up to her
*loves to ride in the Baby Bjorn
*enjoys walks outside in her stroller
*takes a short nap in the morning and a longer one in the afternoon
*sleeps with mommy's shirt (She has done this since she was 3 months old. I take the shirt out of the crib when I go to bed. You can never be too careful.)

Here is my first ponytail!

7 month stats

I know I am a little late with this post, but I wanted to fill in my information about Abigail's progress before I forget. Abby turned 7 months old on December 21. Here's what she is doing these days. She is still on the light side, but she is a bundle of energy. She weighs 13lbs 10 oz.
*still loves bath time
*no teeth yet, still slobbers
*crawling (yay, I need to baby proof my house)
*pulls herself up and stands
*crawls to the end of her crib and stands up(crib mattress has been lowered twice now)
*wears size 2 diapers
*wears 3-6 month clothes (some 6 month clothing is still a little big)
*sits well unassisted
*laughs (you don't have to tickle her to get a laugh)
*loves to stand
*had her first snotty cold (doesn't like suction bulb)
*plays peek-a-boo
*jumps in her Sassy jumper now (bobs up and down)
*hair is coming in blonder ( has enough for a little ponytail in the back)
*climbs all over mommy and daddy when I bring her to bed in the morning
*easily distracted while nursing(she has to be in a quiet place/otherwise she thinks she is missing out on the fun)
*sleeps in funny positions (see picture below)
*good cuddler
*excellent hugger
*loves to play with her musical toys and blocks
*sucks her bottom lip
*much more 'talkative'
*eats in her white Ikea high chair
*good eater (loves her solids)
*loves being silly with Daddy (the diaper hat was his idea)

Abigail's 6 month stats

Yesterday, we visited Abigail's pediatrician for her sixth month check up. Abby is now 13 lbs 4oz and 25 in long. I didn't write down her head circumference. My other doctor always gave me that information, so I didn't think to write it down. She is still in the seventh percentile, but growing proportionally. Our doctor would like me to feed her solid foods three times a day now. She said I can still add some formula to her food to add in some extra calories. I've been mixing it into her food for the last two weeks. Here are some updates on what Abigail has been doing lately.
*eating solid food
*has real people poo (haha)
*no more pacifiers
*had her first fever on November 5 after mommy was sick for a week (thankfully it only lasted a day)
*just started wearing size 2 pampers swaddlers
*wearing size 3-6 month clothes (some 6 month clothes are still too big)
*giggles and laughs when we kiss her neck and belly
*sucks her thumb
*almost crawling
*tries to sit up on the changing table
*loves bath time with splashes and likes to eat her washcloth
*enjoys eating bananas in a fresh mesh food eater
*talks/sings all the time
*when she nurses in the early morning in bed, looks at daddy sleeping and smiles while trying to touch him (so cute)
*sits up, but still needs some support
*puts everything in her mouth
*likes to take her socks off
*loves jewelry (necklaces and braclets facinate her)
*loves to look at the cute baby in the mirror
*loves to pet Noah and giggles when he comes over to lick her
*faces forward in the Baby Bjorn and helps mommy wash the dishes, cook, and do laundry ;)
*fascinated with faces and glasses (watch out, she will grab your nose)
*cries when you take away things she really wants
*migrates to the corners of her crib in the night
*Daddy has taken over bedtime and sings Abby to sleep every night
*sleeps on her belly curled up with her feet and arms tucked under her (she has done this since 3 months when she learned to roll over, everytime we put her on her back, she would roll right over to her belly)
*her hair curls up by her ears
*extra talkative in the early morning hours
*filled with smiles and joyful squeals when she wakes up

More fun awaits as Abigail continues to grow and develop her personality. She's a keeper. ;)

Abby is 5 months old

Size:
Abigail is still a little peanut. Just look at these jeans. Where did her feet go? :) She is growing. Her current weight is 12lbs 1/2 oz. She has gained a whole pound from last month to this month. Yay! She still wears size 1 diapers. She is wearing 3 month clothes. Some 3 to 6 month clothes fit her, but are a little big. I tried some medium size pjs on her this week and they seem to be fine. Don't you just love footed pajamas?!

Movement:
David and I think she is going to be a little gymnast if she stays this petite. She is strong, flexible, and moves around so much. I always find her in a new position in her crib in the morning. Her playmat seems too small for her because she is always rolling and scooting off of it.
Playing:
She can't sit up on her own yet, but she sure does love her Bumbo seat. Her seat has a play tray. We put little toys on it and she slaps the table and knocks them off. David was watching her Monday night when I went to Bible study and he said she licked the table and then splashed her hands in her slobber. She enjoys playing with her ring links and bunny. She has a snail teether that she loves to bite on.Discovering her tongue:
She seems fasinated with putting her tongue on everything; your face, your hand, your leg, your hair, anything that is in reach. She still reaches out with her hands, but loves to 'point' with her tongue. Lately when I have been drinking a plastic cup of ice water she wants to put her tongue on it. I say, "Brrr, it's cold." She has dumped that water all down the front of me about three times now while she was nursing. I think she wants me to say, "Brrr, that's really cold," with more enthusiasm. ;)

'Talking':
Abigail is very vocal. She squeals, shrieks, laughs, and giggles. She especially likes kisses on her neck from Mommy and raspberries on her tummy from Daddy. She will laugh and giggle for quite awhile. I love it!! For the last week, she has been waking up about 5:30AM to talk in her crib. I am sure she has some great stories to tell, but I am still trying to sleep at this point. She talks for awhile and then goes back to sleep. I tell her to save her very best stories for 7 AM, then I am all ears. :)Singing Songs:
Abigail likes music. I sing to her all the time. She even helps me with worship at church. I put her in the Baby Bjorn. Her favorite songs these days are: Jesus Loves Me, Hosanna, Joy in My Heart, Good Morning Song, I'm in the Lord's Army, Jesus Loves the Little Children, Deep and Wide, and Has Anybody Told You I Love You Today.

Sleep Habits:
Abby is a good sleeper at night. We are still working on her naps during the day. Sometimes they only last 30 to 45 minutes. It's all about paying attention to her cues and providing her some time to wind down and relax. She takes a nap in the morning and two little ones in the afternoon. She goes to bed at night between 7 and 8. She is so much happier and alert when she has her naps. I try to make sure we are not out and about when she needs to sleep. She sleeps fine in the car, but I would rather have her in her crib. During the day, she will snooze in her swing. I sometimes resort to this when she won't go to sleep in her crib.

I look forward to seeing her grow and change into the little girl Jesus wants her to be. It's been an amazing journey so far.