Baby J is 13 Months! How did that happen

Baby J has turned yet another month older.  Every day she amazes me.   She cracks me up on a continuous basis and it is so much fun to watch her do new things.   The past week has brought many activities.  While this was not technically her first 4th of July, it was the first one she got to celebrate (last year she was in the NICU)  She loved the fireworks.   The loud noise didn't even phase her.   I even let her have some ice cream that day.  

Even though she now has only one tooth, she still can eat pretty much anything.  I'm working on trying to get more of her nutrients through food and not through her formula.   She is still very attached to that.   I'm not to worried yet since she is not quite 12 months adjusted yet.   She is getting whole milk mixed with formula, the milk by itself was too much for her.   And we are using sippy cups mostly...today we switched to hard ones because she has broken all the other ones by chewing through them.  She was not enthusiastic about that.   She can drink from a straw, but not well enough to get all liquids through a straw sippy cup.  

Playing in the rain!

Happy 4th of July!

Baby J is saying Uh Oh a lot and it's so cute.  She almost always is "talking" and now making newer sounds.   She still loves books and swimming.   While she isn't walking completely on her own yet, we have gotten her to take 3 steps sometimes.  She just goes to fast.   She is standing and walking along things more than crawling now...so it won't be long.   Oh and she's started playing with the dog more...it's so cute.  It's hard to believe that summer will quickly pass us by.

WE have been busy hanging with friends, going to the zoo and swimming.   Today our zoo trip was the most fun as she has started to really notice and interact with animals.   It was a lot of fun, despite the humidity.  I'm so blessed to have her in my life, she is such a positive influence and I love every minute with her..

 

 

Baby J's 3rd state and some other firsts!

Traveling with baby J usually isn't a big deal.  The biggest problem she has given us is she gets louder as she eats more at restaurants---but it's always happy loudness.  However we have just returned from a quick trip to Denver.   During the trip she was so unhappy and fussy.   Part of it was that she was in a car seat for so many days and she does NOT like being tied down.   However as we reentered Kansas, we figured out the altitude probably played a big part in her fussiness.  She is also teething still, we are finally starting to possibly see a tooth coming in.    Baby J got to meet her first family on my dad's side- her Great Grandparents.  I'm glad she got the opportunity.  We also took her to the Denver zoo and that was fun.  Someday we will take her to the mountains....it's always a little frustrating to go to Denver and not get to go into the mountains...but there is no way we could have with the baby.  She also had her first mini train ride at the zoo.

 
While she still is not walking without assistance she is getting so much closer.  She almost did it several times over the week, especially when we put her on the grass.  Baby J is not a fan of the grass.  It's quite funny watching her on the grass.    That may be the key to getting her to walk.  HAHA.    Every once in a while she will take one step and then realize what she is doing and sit down and laugh.  Silly baby.

Baby J and I went to her NICU followup appointment the day before leaving for Denver.  She was 17lbs 11 oz (with clothes on).  They were so impressed with her and did their development testing.  She tested at 12.5months - normally preemies are given 2 years to catch up and she has done it in 1.  YEA!!!!    This doesn't mean we are completely clear, but so far she's doing well.   We still meet with early development about once a month to keep her observed since she automatically qualifies for it, just in case something comes up.    We will go back to the NICU in another six months.

This is baby J with a doll that is made up to the size
of her birth weight/length/head circumference

 
In the past couple of weeks Baby J also got to experience her first lake time.  She loved it and had a lot of fun.  Our friends had a double tube and she loved playing in that on the water.   Even got her not to drink the water.   She really loves the water.

We have also been trying a lot of new foods- including a bite of peanut butter and also milk.  Not sure yet, but the milk is not going so well.  She likes it, but she often spits up after it and her diapers have become kind of nasty.   Going to have to keep an eye on that.

I love having time with the baby J and am so sad the summer is half over almost.   I am going to go visit my first daycare option.   Daycare is way to expensive.  No matter where I choose it's going to cost a VERY large portion of my income.  :-(    Hopefully this one might work as it's close to work and not quite as high as other ones.  I would love an actual daycare knowing they usually come with a very strict curriculum and rules....but I can't afford those.    So keep us in your good thoughts that we will find a perfect and affordable fit for childcare and quickly so I don't spend the rest of the summer stressing.

Tomorrow will hopefully (if the weather is good) be baby J's first outdoor pool experience.  I love being able to give her first experiences and watching her learn new things.  

One Year Down!!

I'm a little late in writing this post.   We have been keeping busy.   Baby J turned the big number 1 the other day!  How did that happen so quickly.    She has her one year visit on Monday so at that point I will know how big she has gotten, but I'm assuming she's 17lbs and some ounces.  Baby J stands on her own, is getting close to being able to climb anything, and can now walk with one hand assistance.  She can actually walk quite well in the pool, but hasn't braved the non pool surfaces.    The early childhood development person we meet with is really impressed with her and says she is doing well.  She has more consonants than she expected.   I lied the last post and haven't really gotten rid of the 3-6 month clothes.  LOL all her pictures from her birthday are in 3-6 month clothes.  We are starting to move up though.  oh and we still have no teeth.  :-(

It's amazing how fast life can change.  A year ago, I had no idea that in less than a week I would be a mom to a 27 week gestation preemie who was on the verge of death.   We have been so blessed, as since the day I met her, Baby J started to improve and really hasn't looked back.  As a reminder when I met Baby J, she was on the highest ventilator, had a collapsed lung, an open PDA, Grade 3 bilateral brain bleeds, anemic, and couldn't keep her blood gases correctly.  Since leaving the hospital the only thing we have dealt with is acid reflux and a couple rounds of mild bronchiolitis.   I'm pretty sure she does suffer from some outdoor allergies as well, but not enough to worry about it at this point.   

I know I've been really lucky too, because I FAIL as a preemie mom.   If you ever research preemies, everything and everyone says 'keep them inside and away from everyone", I have not been able to do that.  Within the first month of being home, Baby J had been to 2 family parties, on an out of state trip, and started to go with me to be around a bunch of high school students.  We rarely are home for an entire day.  Hopefully that will help her combat illness in the fall.  I love being a mom, and I feel like Baby J and I were meant to be together.  She is a happy little girl almost all the time, loves laughing and playing.   We have been having a lot of fun this summer.   We went on a trip to see her cousins and a hot air balloon festival.  We have also spent several evenings at the pool (indoor).  Baby J loves to swim.  She has even tried going between two people and is doing much better on keeping her mouth closed.  She loves walking around in the pool.  We also had her bday party where she smashed her cake completely and made a huge mess.  She showed interest in all her presents and let people pass her around.   I know 1st birthday parties are weird and don't seem like a big deal, but for us it was.  She has lived a year and that is a big deal and I'm so thankful to friends and family that could make it out. 

I was going to write this blog with a bunch of deep thoughts and insight, but I'm having to much with baby to take the time to do that at this point.  I love having the summer (though don't love the heat) to spend time with her.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us in so many ways over the last year.   I'm so very blessed with Baby J.

PS if you are really bored, here is a picture video I made for her birthday.

We've made it!

It is officially summer time (though the weather doesn't seem to think so).   I have completed successfully not only my first year at my new job, but my first year working full time and being a mom.!!    A year has passed and so much has happened.  A new job, a new place to live, and a beautiful little baby (who will be one in two weeks!!!!!)  
Overall I am so happy with my new job.  There were some bumps throughout the year, but hopefully they will not be there next year.   And honestly I'm not usually one to brag or highlight anything I've done, but I'm quite proud of myself.   After school started, I moved and welcomed home a tiny little baby girl.  Life has not slowed down and while there were a couple breakdowns over the course of the year- mostly work related- I survived and baby girl is doing well.


Thankfully I have an awesome family who helped out on during the evening conflicts I couldn't get out of or take baby girl too.   I'm so thankful for my brother, my aunt, and my parents.   And I'm really thankful that my mother was able to watch Baby J this year so that she didn't have to be in a daycare.  While we still got sick some, it was never severe and overall she was pretty darn healthy.  Also Baby J has come so far and I know a large part of that was getting individual care instead of being thrown into a daycare.  I'm all for daycare and preschool, but I also know as a newborn and small baby there isn't the one on one interaction all the time that they probably need.  Sadly I will be looking for daycare in the fall (so feel free to send cheap fabulous suggestions my way) because my mother is taking care of some health issues and can not watch her.



I'm looking forward to this summer and getting to spend time with Baby J.   We've already been so busy this past month---I think she's been to a zoo like 3 times in the past few weeks.   Thanks everyone for your continued support and good thoughts.  

Update on Baby J- Still no teeth, but she is teething like crazy...driving us all crazy.  She loves music and tries to sing---often sings herself to sleep.  She has started to stand on her own---especially when she's not paying attention to the fact that she is doing it.  She loves to walk with support and is requiring less support each day.  It won't be long.   She has
definitely found her voice and most days it's only one volume----loud.   Overall still a happy little girl who gets into everything.  At her doctors appointment 2 weeks ago she weighed 15lbs 11 oz, so she is probably around 16lbs...maybe a little more.    I have officially removed all 3-6 month clothing---not because she can't fit in any of it--but because it's time to move up...haha. Actually she still fits in a few things that are 3-6month.  She is still very much in 6 month clothing and 9 month is kind of big on her.   She also loves swimming- we have been several times and water is fun for her.  

Happy 11 Months Baby J

It's hard to believe that Baby J is now 11 months old.  This past month has been extremely busy with my first musical at my new job and that was an experience and a half doing it with a clingy baby.  Thankfully my family really helped out during show week and I'm so lucky she can come to rehearsals with me.    I have no idea how big Baby J is, but am guessing right around 16 - 17lbs.  She hasn't grown a whole lot in the past month physically.   She still wears some 3-6 month clothing - though we are definitely getting closer to removing all of those.   6 month clothing is a little big for the most part, but we did move up to size 3 diapers this month!

Baby J has changed so much in the last month.  She's still a very happy girl most of the time and can now make her way around pretty much anything.  She can crawl really well, sits up on her own from laying down, and pulls her self up constantly.  In fact she would much rather stand and has even started to really let go more often now.  She falls still, but she is trying.   She loves to 'walk' when you hold her hands.   We have started to eat more real - non baby- food, even though we have no teeth STILL.  That poor child has been teething since December and nothing has come through.


She loves the water also.  We have been swimming several times in the past couple weeks and she really enjoys the water.  She splashes everything and is learning to lay on her back.   She can stand by the stairs and loves to hold onto the railing and go backwards- often letting go on purpose.  The water doesn't bother her at all.  Actually she is not scared of anything.

The other thing we have done a lot lately is go to the zoo.  We have been to the Sedgwick County zoo and today visited Tangyinika zoo.   She stays awake for it all.  Today she got to pet several animals.  Even the alpacas and goats who get in her face don't bother her.  She thinks they are funny.   Today she fed birds, a giraffe, turtles, giunia pigs, goats and alpacas.

Baby J laughs all the time now.  Especially when she thinks she is getting away with something.  She also laughs at the dogs a lot.  I'm not sure why but she has found Herbie extremely funny lately.   She also likes to 'sing', 'talk' (she is getting a lot more sounds), and read books.   She is a busy little girl and plays all day and would much rather be on the floor than being confined to anything.    This month she even starred in a 'film' for Shakespeare in the Park and is set to be the face of the new Hospital care line fundraiser pic.

My house is a disaster, my life is crazy busy, and I feel like I don't get much sleep, but I wouldn't change it for the world.  I'm so lucky to have Baby J and she is such a smart, adorable, fun little girl.   I love watching her grow and learn new things.  I can't wait till we get to actually spend quality time together this summer.

On May 11- she weighed in at 16lb 10oz!!

Baby J- 10 Months

I kind of missed this the other day.  But Baby J is 10 months.  Loves pulling up and standing on things and is totally a momma's girl.   She's starting to walk while holding her hands and will be probably running very soon.   :-)   Not much has changed in the last few days so mostly just some pics to celebrate 10 months.


PS if you are feeling like it go Like her photo in Rhea Lana's cutest baby contest here
It's open till the 13th.   Plus there are lots of cute photos to look at.

slept through  most of the theatre show we went too

 

Thankfully she slept through most of rehearsal on Friday!

Getting a breathing treatment.  she does so well with it

Yummy show!

Baby J- She's moving fast!

sleeping at rehearsal

It's amazing how fast a little baby can grow.  Just a couple months ago I was starting to really worry as we didn't seem to be moving forward in development and now Baby J is moving right along.  Yesterday she got her last Synagis shot and Baby J weighed 15 lbs 9oz.   Sadly she was barely over the weight for one shot and had to get two shots.  She didn't even notice the poke, but once the liquid went in it hurt her some..she got over it quickly.

Just in the past couple weeks so much has changed.  This week she started crawling on her knees.   While she was moving anywhere she wanted she wasn't doing a typical crawl...she was kind of like an inchworm.   She'd pull her knees up but then go flat to move.  Now she crawls and is getting very fast.  She has also started to pull her self up on everything and tries to let go.   While she can't stand on her own, she sure tries.  She loves standing.   And has no fear.  She rolled off the couch for the first time and it didn't even phase her.   Now her favorite thing to do is to stand and try to walk. If someone holds her hands she is starting to walk with support.   And all this in the past few days.  It's been crazy.

Baby J is also starting to eat a few solid foods.  She LOVES baby puffs and would much rather have that.  She does ok with some stage 3 food that we have tried and she enjoys real green beans.   So far that is about the only real food she does pretty good with, though she did eat a chip the other day (oh I guess she does eat crackers).   It's amazing how much she can do with that mouth and without any teeth---they still haven't come in.   We are also practicing more often using a sippy cup.  So far we have only found one she can sort of use...but at least she sometimes will hold it.
Overall still a very happy baby, slowing starting to add a variety of noises and sounds.  She's not a big fan of being at rehearsals, but we are almost done...two more weeks.  Part of that is because she thinks sleep is overrated.  Baby J would much rather be allowed on the floor and not contained in anything.   She's such a good baby.  I can't wait till summer when I can spend time with her more.