Elise is 11 Months Old!

Oh goose, you are 11 months old... The last month before your first birthday!  You don't know what that does to your mommy's heart!  Where did the time go?  I'm so glad that I have these monthly updates so that I can look back at them because this time has flown by and I have no clue where it went.

What have we been up to this month? Lots!  You have 3 teeth and are working on your 4th and maybe your 5th. You love brushing your teeth in the morning and before bed (hope this lasts).

You are crawling all over the place!  I have to race you to the dog bowls before you splash and dump water all over the place... Your favorite activity! You follow me wherever I go.  You also love chasing your pups around at times, though you have gotten a bit irritated by playing tug-o-war with Gracie because she always wins. You have also just started to love being chased by daddy and I... you have this adorable look when looking at us over your shoulder, like, "come getttttt me..." I can't get enough of it.  

I cannot believe how adamant you are about what you want. I always knew (since your breechment) that you would be stubborn, but oh my goodness... I had no idea how strong willed you would be!  You have your ways of doing things and ways of being held and you definitely know what you want. And what you want lately is me.  You whine when I'm not holding you or sitting right beside you. Granted, you did have your first fever this last week but you have been out of control clingy for the last few weeks. I will miss this someday.

You absolutely hate being told "No", you absolutely know what it means and you either ignore me or you sit your bum down and start crying.

getting in trouble...

You love making everyone laugh and imitate laughter when we laugh. It is pretty dang adorable!  You also babble all the time.  I think you are trying to say, "dog" but I'm not quite sure. I'm sure you will explode with words in the coming months. You are very expressive! You started making funny faces at us... especially at the grocery store while you are in the cart.  And then I lean in and you give me the biggest hug... melts my heart every time.  

Sleeping is another battle we are battling and I'm really not sure what to do about it. You're on my chest, sleeping as I'm typing this on my phone!

You are not very excited about eating anymore. I have a hard time getting you to eat protein. You still love green things, fruit of all kinda, and sweets (just like Mom and Dad).

We are getting so excited for your birthday!  We have a big surprise for you in the making!  There's so many people that can't wait to watch you dig into your cake and sing you "happy birthday" (I know I'm one of them)!

We love you so much, Goose! I never knew I could feel this kind of love for anyone... you are my everything and I will always, always love you more than you know!

Elise is 10 Months Old!

Dear Elise,

You have officially hit the double digits!  You are 10 months old and you are loving life! 

I never doubted people when they told me that this would go by in a flash, but oh my goodness, it is going faster than I thought it would.  I still remember bouncing you on the yoga ball like it was yesterday.  My knees thank you for making that a short-lived need.

Not much has happened since your last post because I wrote it so late.  Some fun things we have been up to: You met your first goat (and not your last and you love goat cheese and yogurt!), we got our family pictures taken, I am starting to plan your 1^st Birthday party (I still cannot believe it), you love going in the backyard to check on our garden (we do this at least twice a day when dad is at work), and you had your first girl date last weekend!

Your first goat encounter!

Your cousin and you at the goat farm.

You are slowly crawling!  You can definitely get from point A to point B but you go at turtle speed.  You can sit up from a laying down position.  Your favorite things to crawl to include: dog toys, dog bowls, and dogs.  You do crawl towards dad and I, too.  In fact, you are crawling to my laptop as I type. 

Your best friend, Chloe!

I walked into your room the other day to get you up from your nap and you were sitting up playing with your toes.  We saw you do it one other time yesterday, so you’re pretty much a pro at it now! 

Big news, your official FIRST word is, “Mama”! You figured out the other day that it gets my attention, so now you say it all day long if I am doing things other than playing with you.  Except it is more like… “moma mom, mam, ma, mama” all day long! I love it!

No new teeth yet.  You’re still working on the two top teeth.  I check them everyday and you hate it.

You’re still eating like a champ and even slowing down a wee bit on breastfeeding, especially if we are out and about.

You can eat all of this!

Sleeping is still a little tough but we are getting through it.  That’s all I have to say about that.

We love, love, love you, goose!  HAPPY 10 MONTHS!!!! You are my angel, my darling, my star!

Happiness at its best!
Photo by Bonnie

Baby Food: Round 2

...Or should I say Toddler Food: Round 1?

Now that Elise is almost 10 months (whaaat?) and eating a whole multitude of foods, I thought it was time for another post about baby food.

Around 5 or 6 months (mommy brain), we started giving Elise puffs (Happy Puffs).  She loved them, and I loved that they allowed me to do a couple of things around the house while she silently ate her puffs. 

When I was a nanny, the parents would bring me finger foods to feed the kiddos.  So, I followed suit with my own child and low and behold, Elise loved eating independently!  The fancy name for this parenting technique is Baby-Led Weaning and there are a plethora of books on the market. But the main gist of it is, baby eats what you eat but in bite-sized pieces and they feed themselves. The only things that Elise has not eaten are peanuts, milk, honey, really spicy things, beef, and pork (the last two are for my own reasons not medical).  She eats 3 meals a day plus a few snacks here and there. 

Some things that are difficult with this path:

1. Babies choke.  99% of the time they will work it out themselves.  It does make your heart drop when it happens but as long as you are mindful of the size you are cutting the food into; there shouldn’t be anything to worry about.  Of course, start your kiddos off on very soft foods (bananas, avocado etc) and work yourself up from there.  Dads are actually the worrywarts in this department.  Mike would always get mad if she choked and tell me to switch back to purees.  As you can tell, I never listened to him.

2. It’s messy!  Our pups get A LOT of treats.  It is a lot easier if you have dogs that are natural vacuum cleaners.

3. It’s Expensive.  Our household has gone completely organic or at least Non-GMO (for things that are not available in organic).  We shop primarily at Natural Grocers, Sprouts, and farmer’s markets because it makes it that much easier to shop (Natural Grocers is the only store that carries all organic produce and most, if not all, of their other products are organic). Our grocery bill has gone up by 30%; however, I do believe this is completely worth it.  I’m feeding not only Elise, but Mike and I, food that I don’t really have to worry about.  I also believe this is so much healthier in the long run.

The PROS:

1. Elise feeds herself.  No need spending time steaming, pureeing, and feeding her pureed food.  Although, I do think parents should start their kiddos off with homemade purees (it’s short lived and helps them get used to food and texture).

2. Elise eats what we eat.  I don’t have to cook another meal every night.  With the exception from above, she eats and most of the time loves what we are eating

3. It’s less time consuming!  Elise eats while we are eating.  Easy peasy!

Some of Elise’s favorite foods:


1. Blueberries- I cut these in half and she devours them

2. Chicken Marsala- This is her absolute favorite dinner.  She eats for about 30 minutes continuously.  She absolutely loves the mushrooms.

3. Peas- Just steamed frozen peas whole

4. Cheese- cut into bite sized chunks

5. Falafel- This was her first favorite food.  Just cut into bite sized pieces

6. Green smoothies- although these are spoon-fed to her.  She has not yet mastered the straw.

Elise loves, loves, loves to eat. She also love flavor.  Funny, because while I was pregnant with her, I ate a bland, bland diet and hated to eat. 

In case anyone is wondering, Elise still nurses anywhere from 6-10 times in a 24 hour period

So, I am interested: What do you feed your toddlers?  Are they picky eaters?





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9 Baby Essentials

1 /  2 /  3 /  4  /  5 /  6 /  7  / 8 /  9

Now that Elise is coming up on a year, I feel like I have somewhat of a grasp on what we used almost everyday in her infant days.  These are in no way “necessities” but they made and still make babyhood a whole lot easier on us.  So here is my list of 9 things that are great for the first year of life!

1.  Johnny Jump:  When Elise was a newborn, I would have to bounce her on a yoga ball to calm her down and put her down for naps (nothing else worked).  I knew when she was old enough she would love jumping and bouncing.  And I was right!  I absolutely loved this thing and so did Elise.  This allowed me to cook dinner, clean up the house, and have a few moments to rest my arms. 

2.  4Moms Baby Bathtub:  This tub makes bathing a baby a breeze!  The temp indicator is a great feature because our faucet likes to change temperatures on us.  She still takes baths in this and will continue until she no longer fits in it.

3.  OXO Tot Sprout chair: I love the look of this chair and it goes with our house décor.  The other great feature of this is the one-handed tray release.  It is nice and sturdy and wipes up very easily!

4.  Ergo Carrier: The Ergo made shopping a breeze.  At first, I was a little hesitant because it was so darn bulky but as soon as I learned how to put it on, I never left the house without it.  We even had some dog walks with this… I’m sure Chloe and Gracie even apprecialted this carrier.  In fact, when I put it on the dogs still get excited like we are going for a walk.  Lately, I have been putting her on my back and doing yard work and vacuuming (Elise hates, hates the vacuum if no one is holding her.)

5.  California Baby Bath and Lotion:  About a year before Elise was conceived, Mike and I got rid of all parabens, sulfates, dyes, phalates, and animal tested products.  I actually did a lot of research and testing of baby washes and lotions while I was pregnant.  This one wins hands down!  It’s gunk-free and has a perfect baby lavender scent to it. 

6.  Dohm Sound Machine: Hands down, the best sound machine out there.  Mike and I got this before Elise was born and we can’t sleep without it.  As soon as she was born, we invested in another one. 

7.  Little Castle Glider: My mom ordered this for me while I was pregnant.  It was a great gift!  It is a bit pricey but it is so comfy!  And a comfy chair is a necessity when learning how to nurse an infant.  This also will be a good addition to living room furniture once the breastfeeding part of my life is complete.

8.  Hape Galloping Zebras Baby Walker: We just got this walker for Elise and she loves it!  Shes is still a little bit unsturdy and needs one of us behind her but it definetly will help her learn how to walk a lot quicker! I am also a fan of wooden toys.  I read that toys that are not interactive develops a baby’s imagination much quicker and better than interactive and loud toys. Plus, the zebras are just so darn cute!

9.  Summer Video Baby Monitor: Even though Elise does not sleep in her room at night, this is still awesome for her naps.  I love being able to see her and knowing she is ok so I can go about my day.

Elise is 7 Months Old!

Goose,

What a month does!  You have suddenly become your own little person who knows what she wants.  You are a curious, happy, demanding, cuddly, and above all, oh so loving.

You are a mama’s girl but your face lights up when you see your daddy.   You give him the biggest smile (one that I only see when you see him) I read somewhere that babies seek fun and excitement from their dads and love and comfort from their moms…that fits you to a T.  However, I think we lose out to your pups.  They get the biggest smiles and happiest laughs from you.

You hate when your dad or me walks away from you.    In fact, you are typing with me right now because you didn’t want to be one foot away.  You have become very attached this last week and it is hard for us to get anything done.  I love that you love to cuddle.  You reach for me in your sleep and if you don’t feel me you wake up (which has its own problems) but I still love it no matter what.  Speaking of sleep… what is sleep?  I am chalking it up to teething and I hope this new found hate for sleeping of yours ends soon.  It takes about 45 minutes to get you to take a nap and go to bed.  Whatever it is just make it end soon… mommy is tired!

You absolutely love to eat.  You still despise avocados but everything else you love.  You love feeding yourself already and will get mad if I try feeding you.  I have recently started giving you whatever we are eating for dinner.  Last night, you ate chicken, pasta, and veggies.  I blended some at first but you weren’t having that, so I cut little pieces up and you gobbled it down.  You were happily eating away for about 30 minutes.  Your other favorites are HappyPuffs and Little Yums.  You also love sharing my morning bowl of oatmeal.

You are sitting up like a pro now.  You are pulling yourself forward so that you end up on your belly, which I think is a good start to crawling.  I’m thinking that by next month you will be mobile.  We need to get going on baby proofing!

You absolutely love being outside.  Whether it be in the yard or out for walk.  I can put you in your bumbo and garden away and you’ll be happily pulling at the grass, watching the dogs, or just watching what I am doing.  If you’re having a particularly bad day, I can take you outside and you will stop crying instantly.

You had your first trip to the zoo this month and your first ride on the carousel. Daddy was so excited…get ready to go with him a lot!

You also celebrated your first Easter and dyed your first Easter egg. We went on an egghunt together.  So far, that has been the best holiday with you! 

Things you love:

Eating

Cuddling

Your pups

Anything that is not a toy (my wallet and hair especially)

Walks

Your Ergo

Jumping

Your mommy and daddy (but that goes without saying)

Things you hate:

Napping

Sleep in general

Being left alone for 0.3 seconds

One of the funniest things you have started to do when you’re mad is turning really red and putting your firsts up in the air and yelling.  All I can do is laugh.

You are my angel, my star, my darling! Mommy loves you!  Happy SEVEN months!

Pinch Me! Elise is 6 Months Old!

Goose, you are 6 months old!!!  It feels like you have been with us forever but at the same time I cannot believe it has been 6 months since you have been born!

It just keeps getting more fun with you.  Even though I miss your cuddling, sleepy days, I love being able to play with you and make you laugh.  You make me laugh and smile more than I thought possible.  Your personality is really shining through and I think you are a good mix of both your dad and I.  I can tell you are going to be a talker around us (you’re a little shy around other family members) and you definitely like things your way.  You definitely love your parents and the life we have given you.

Look at those beautiful blue eyes!

You finally have rolled over both ways.  I think you think you don’t know how to do it because it happens spontaneously and you get this surprised look on your face.  You are sitting pretty well on your own but still sway a bunch so we keep the Boppy behind you.  You’re starting to react to your toys, which is really fun to watch.  You shake rattles, hug and kiss stuffed animals, and reach for your favorite toys.  You have also found your feet and love them!

Bath time is still your favorite time of day.  You have taken up splashing and water is starting to get everywhere.  I have a feeling that once you are sitting up better we will have to move you to the big bathtub. 

I have started running with you in the jogging stroller and boy is it hard.  You don’t seem to mind it much but get a little annoyed with bumps and if it is longer than 20-30 minutes.  You have to be well rested and fed to enjoy things like that. 

This is one of my favorite pictures.  It tells my story...

You grab everything that is in your reach.  You love your door bouncer.  You have just started really enjoying eating.  You love your pups.  You love being read to and looking at the books.  You love being sung to and talked to.  You love mornings.  You love the Ergo (and so do I… I wouldn’t be able to get any shopping done without it)! You love being close to your parents.

Your first time at the park... you aren't too sure about the swings yet.  No tears though so that was good!

You do not like not getting what you want.  You do not like not being able to move from point a to point b.  You do not like when I walk away from you.  You HATE the carseat and “long” (more than 5 minutes) car rides. 

We got a camera this month and I have been having so much fun playing around with you as my favorite model. Here are some of my favorites...

You like life… what can I say?!  I love watching you grow and learn about yourself.  And, I love that you are mine!  

You are my angel, my darling, my star and my love will find you wherever you are!

Love, Mom