New Year's Resolution

In 2012...

Tim and I are going to try and go on an envelope budget system. He isn't completely on board yet, as I haven't quite read up on it, YET, but I am being positive we may be able to save money this way.

I am also vowing to menu plan each week instead of eating out all the time.

That is all.

End of 2011

Today is New Year's Day and I realized on my last day of break, I badly need to update the blog. It's been a while (I think a month and a half) and boy has quite a lot changed in the past month and half!

We put an offer in on a house at the beginning of November and quickly tried to soar through the short sale process with much luck and help from our lender and Realtor we were able to close on December 8th! We were thrilled, to say the least. We now live in lovely Frederick County and are very happy with our new home, our fabulous yard, and the changes we've begun to make to the home.

Claire turned 4 months over my blogging hiatus and man has she changed! Here are her 4 month stats:





Weight: 12 lbs 0 ounces
Height: 24.75 inches
Milestones:
Loves to stand with support,
sits with support,
talks up a storm (loud and noisy),
loves her exersaucer and jumparoo, although it's hard for her to touch the ground,
puts everything in her mouth,
chews nonstop on mine or daddy's hand,
loves daycare with Miss N,
but also loves when mommy picks her up!

Claire is a bundle of happiness and smiles. She really only cries now when she is hungry, tired, or dirty. She is such a fun little baby.

We spent Christmas up in Buffalo this year and it will probably be a Christmas Tim's mom will always remember as all her kids were home including her baby granddaughter, C!

We had a really nice time and enjoyed seeing the entire family. We were so thankful that Uncle Donny gave us Sabres tickets for Christmas and we got to see them crush the Caps.

Once we got home and actually we were really surprised by how well Claire did in the car ride both up and back from Buffalo! She slept nearly the entire car ride on the way up (we left a 5 pm and arrived around midnight). She got up once to eat at 9:15 pm. On the way back we left early in the morning at about 7:30 am. She talked to herself for about 30 minutes before passing out. She slept until about 10:45 when I fed her and then screamed for 15 minutes before falling back asleep until about 2 where we had to stop again to feed! She really was a very good girl!

Wednesday we did Christmas with my family! It was a nice evening with a great dinner and Claire got soooo many gifts. She actually loves them too! She's been trying to sit by herself now while playing with some of her toys.





Because she's been getting up 3-4 times a night since I went back to work I finally came to the tough decision of giving Claire some rice cereal. My mom kept telling me to try it and I really wanted to try and exclusively breastfeed for 6 months like the AAP recommends, but honestly after her 4 month appointment Dr. S said I could start it whenever I felt she was ready. Given the fact she is always putting things in her mouth, she can sit supported, and she seemed way more hungry, eating 3-4 times in the middle of the night, I caved. Yesterday we fed her some rice cereal (completely watered down) and she LOVED it after the initial what the heck is this face! Today she kept opening her mouth and pulling my hand towards her mouth for the spoon to enter:) I now know we made a good decision.

I will probably wait until 6 months before I start any other solids (at least that's my thought for now).

3 Month Check Up

Although C is not officially 3 months old
until tomorrow we went to the doctor's for a weight check today. Last month she gained the minimum advised amount of weight at 13 oz from month 1 to 2. This month she gained 18 oz which is much much better! :) We aren't going to do any medicine to curb the spit up, yet since she's still gaining in the range and it's always a happy spit up. We are thinking she may have a mild intolerance to the milk protein (that does not mean she'll be allergic to milk!).



On the eve of my first day back to work, I am a mix of emotions. I am excited to be back at work and have a routine that is predictable, but I am going to miss the early morning smiles with my girl, the fighting naps during the day and preferring being in mamas arms, and I certainly will be sad that our time during the day will be cut in half due to me working. Clearly we cannot afford this lifestyle with one income (we tried it for four weeks while I wasn't getting paid and it was ugly - Tim has three extra jobs on top of his full time teaching position). Maybe one day I'll be able to stay home with C and future kiddos...that for now is just a dream!
Dear Sweet Claire,
I love you so very much and have enjoyed my 13 weeks at home with you. You have grown up before my eyes, so much and I adore the time we've spent together so far. I know it will be different with mommy at work, but you will have so much fun at daycare with "friends" and Miss N. She, I know, will take such great care of you! I cannot wait until the school bell rings at 2:10 because soon after that sound I will be rushing to see my pretty girl's sweet face. Please behave and don't forget mama loves you so very much!
Love,
Mom
Our little girl got to see Grandma again and meet Aunt Jeanie! She was quite the cutie pie who showed off her skills: talking all night long with grandma!

11.11.11 and 12 weeks 1 day

Little Sweet Claire is 12 weeks (yesterday) and has quite the personality. Also yesterday we found out the bank accepted our offer on paper and we are moving onto getting an inspection this weekend.

Last night she slept for a record, from 9 pm to 6 am. She did manage to get up briefly at 2 am where I popped in the paci and she passed back out. I of course had to wake at 4:45 am to wonder what the heck happened to my sweet girl and obviously pump a little. She woke up happy and lovey which is always so nice to see!

Today we had wonderful visitors: Sada and Lizzybaby. They came to hang with Claire and we headed to lunch at Ship's together. It's always so nice to have visitors.

Sadly next week I go back to work...in 7 days....next Friday. I am sad to say I am going back to work and looking forward to it, but I really am ready. I feel like a bad mom for saying it. I loveeeee being home with Claire, but I also am getting a little stir crazy and totally excited to interact with old people. I also know Claire will be in GREAT hands with our day care provider!

So the countdown begins...7 days.... :(

It's November and I have the cutest little 10.5 week old!

Dinner's in the oven! (This just in...Tim called this meal, Restaurant Quality! I think James would be super proud of this meal. I am always excited when I make dinner and even more excited when I make it and it tastes so yummy!)

Our offer is being sent to the bank today to see if they accept it - fingers and toes crossed.

Andddd

My baby girl has some pretty cute to spook pictures I need to upload from my mom's camera. Until then - here are a few from our pumpkin patch visit from a couple weeks ago! She was a doll face!




Short post, but today's been quite a busy day.






On a side note, I badly need to fill out C's baby book for Month 1 and Month 2, still. How pathetic. I think my goal tomorrow is to get the pens I want to use at Target and do that. We are also meeting with Miss N, our childcare provider, tomorrow. C is very excited, mommy is too, because surprisingly she's excited to head back to work...not that I want to leave Sweet C, but I am not cut out to be a stay at home mommy, yet at least (I honestly am shocked I am saying this)!

Double Digits, Dang!

10 Weeks Today!

Claire is getting so big, but she isn't gaining a ton of weight so we keep watching her spit up because it's become more of a problem lately. I am now giving up milk and trying to stay away from acidic things like tomatoes (spaghetti sauce, ugh!!). She really has quite the personality. She absolutely loves when I stick my tongue out and make noises. She loves to smile and she lovesssssssssss to be held. Oops. Everyone told me you can't spoil a baby until over 4 months. I think since my sweet daughter is slightly advanced (kidding - it's been a running joke in the family) she may be at that 4 month stage already (again kidding). But seriously I think she's spoiled already and knows exactly HOW to get what she wants (usually Mommy). She's really good at it too, but she is really bad at hiding the fact she just wants Mommy, as she quiets down immediately in my arms.

Today to celebrate her 10 week birthday (again kidding - we don't do that) I decided to make her nap in her crib all day AND IT'S WORKING! Usually she sleeps in her swing during the day with it moving and music then I tip toe around (most of the time) to ensure a sleeping baby. Anyways I started this morning with her nap at 7:45am and it lasted until about 9:00, then I put her back down at 10 and that lasted until 11 and again she went down at noon. She woke briefly for her pacifier and I replaced it and she's still out, but it's only been 30 minutes, so I am holding my breath.

So we entered a photo contest for a free cloth diaper. Isn't this just the cutest diaper and the cutest little baby?!?!



Yesterday we were at Mim's and PopPop's meeting Daddy before he went to tutor. It was nice for them to see how fussy she can be. Boy was she a fussy pants yesterday. Clearly I think she has been bothered by the reflux she may have. So check it out when Mim's was chitchatting with our girl...she was very happy before and after!





And that ladies and gentleman is a milkfall!

STTN, what what!

Two Months Old...wow! I cannot believe how quickly two months flew by. We are now in October with the leaves changing all sorts of pretty colors and our beautiful baby girl just slept through the night for the longest time yet. Last night we went out to Mimi & PopPop's to eat dinner with Grandma RoRo and Claire was living up to her most current nickname "Nosey Rosey" and just couldn't take a nap there. We headed home around 8:45 and Claire fell asleep in the car. Once home started our bedtime routine of bath, lotion, nurse, sleep. She took until about 10:10 to really be out in her crib, but it all paid off (as I was rocking her for a while with the dogs barking sporadically) because she slept until 6:45 am! WHAT! Yes you read that right almost 9 hours of consecutive sleep. I woke up at 3 am and 5:45 am wondering what the heck happened to my little girl. On top of the fact that my boobs (sorry for TMI) felt like they were about to pop.

So a recap to the week...

Claire went to the girls' soccer game verse River Hill on Monday (and slept 7 hours straight that night!).
Claire turned 2 months on Tuesday.
Claire went to her 2 month check up on Wednesday and got her shots (she slept about two 4 hour increments).
Claire slept through the night again this time the longest stretch ever (8 hrs and 45 minutes).

As for her check up Claire is doing wonderfully. She is a little peanut and not gaining a ton of weight so we are going to keep an eye on it and get in for a weight check at 3 months, but Dr. S was SHOCKED, literally couldn't stop talking about how well Claire was holding her head up. She kept saying babies shouldn't be that strong until 4 months. :o) She's so advanced!

Weight check in: 9 lbs 13 oz (up 13 oz in one month - low end of normal)
Height check in: 22.75 inches (she's getting longggg)

She is in the 24 percentile for weight and 65 percentile for height. Our little peanut.


And here's a preview of C's first birthday present for 8/18/12...it's a handmade Waldorf inspired doll from Canada named June. I love her!