A Week of Spoiling

We had a fun week with Grammy and Grandad visiting. The girls soaked up all the extra attention and TLC, and I had several opportunities to run errands, go to the dentist, etc all. by. myself. It's amazing how much I can accomplish in two hours when I am without little people! Highlights of the week included lots of time outside on the playset, coloring/crafts with Grammy, a special day out with Grandad (who took Jillian out on a spree I'm not sure we can ever top--Chipotle lunch, library, Oxbow Zoo, PetSmart, Quarry Hill Nature Center, and Flapdoodles Ice Cream!), the delivery and maiden voyage of Matt's beloved new riding mower, and even a night out for Mom and Dad.

We loved every second...especially all the snuggles!

9 Months

This adorable baby is now 3/4 of a year old..............

To say that I find Adrienne charming is a gross understatement. This kid has some serious personality, and she knows how to use it. The new scrunchy-faced smile she is flashing in the above photo gets me every time, and gives me flashbacks of a 9 month old Jillian

They are definitely sisters, don't ya think? 

Adrienne is a busy girl these days. She is an extremely fast crawler, and is becoming more adept at cruising. It's cute to see her confidence grow as she pulls to stand next to new objects. The stairs are a favorite attraction these days, and she even made it all the way to the top (16 steps) by herself at bath time this week (with me glued to her for safety, of course).

Adrienne has nearly outgrown her infant car seat, and it's only a matter of weeks at most before we bid it farewell and put her in a "big girl" convertible seat. It's kind of a chore to lug her into a store in the seat these days, so she has begun getting a new view of shopping aisles as she sits directly in the cart.

Adrienne continues to be a good eater, and is most passionate about avocado, sweet potatoes, and yogurt. She finger feeds herself puffs, mum-mum crackers, yogurt melts, diced banana, and small pieces of baby bel cheese. She loves to chomp on bigger pieces of food through the safe mesh feeder, specifically apples, carrot sticks, and even asparagus! I have real hopes for an adventurous eater here!

Adrienne drinks water from a sippy cup like a pro these days, and devours the occasional bottle when I am away. On most days she nurses about 5 times in a 24 hr period, though I am trying to replace one of those feedings with an afternoon snack.  She has 5 teeth (3 on top, 2 on bottom) and several more waiting to pop through at any time. It makes my mouth hurt just to look at her swollen gums. Though she rarely bites me now, the mere presence of so many teeth is starting to decrease my enthusiasm toward nursing her.

And then there is the subject of sleep. We have made big progress in the last month, thanks to a little bit of tough love here and there. Often, Adrienne will go to sleep between 7-7:30, and wake somewhere between 4-5:30 to eat before falling back asleep until around 7. I can deal with this, as it is much improved over her 10 p.m. and 2ish a.m. feedings of before. Occasionally, I get lucky and she'll sleep  until 5:30 or 6, but this is not the norm. Yet. I am not giving up. When we are able to be home for naps, she naps well twice per day. Often she gets a short morning nap in her car seat, then a more substantial afternoon nap in her crib. I will never tire of looking at this precious, peaceful face as she settles in for a much-needed slumber--faithful duck lovie at her side.

Oh sweet baby, you are fast approaching toddler status. I am doing my best to savor every last fleeting moment of your infancy.

All Things Easter

'Tis the Easter season, and Jillian is very aware of all it brings. For one, she was excited to learn of a coloring contest sponsored by the local paper. She selected one of three pictures to color and submit (the other two she colored and requested to send them to two lucky homes--The Widmers and Great Grandma Helen). Of course, she thinks she is going to win the contest, and has informed me numerous times that she wants to buy roller skates with her winnings. We'll see how that plan works out for her. In any case, she did a pretty darn good job with her official submission. Very strategic use of color, in my opinion.

More importantly, she has been learning about the Resurrection and the true meaning of Easter at preschool. Her knowledge developed over about a week's time, and began with a random tidbit of information one day as I was clipping her fingernails.
J: "Mom, Jesus died".
Me: "Yes, he did. Do you know what happened?"
J: "Well, there were some really bad guys. And that's all I know"

A few days later she started talking about angels out of the blue.
J: "Angels are really strong, Mom".
Me: "Oh really? How do you know that?"
J: "Well they moved that big rock"
Me: "What?"
J: "The angels were really big and strong, and they moved a heavy rock"

A couple days later:
J: "Mom, Jesus died for our......"
Me: "Yes?"
J: "That's it"

Then, finally, one night at dinner, it all came out as a story
J: "Mom, the mean people put Jesus somewhere. And he stayed there for 3 days. It's called a tomb. The angels moved that big heavy rock and Mary said 'Jesus is gone!'
Me: "Wow, Jillian, that's right. That's really good. Where did Jesus go?"
J: "When he got out of there, he was saved! Maybe he went back to his disciples, or his family....I don't know where he went, Mom".

Since that day she has also told me that "the mean guys did something to Jesus' hands and feet". This was also just after she came out of preschool with a popsicle stick cross craft. I asked her what she made, awaiting the obvious anticipated response. She promptly replied: "A letter T!" I guess she hasn't quite put ALL the pieces of the story together...but she is pretty darn close.

Dont' Be Fooled

Girls, I am going to let you in on a a little secret about your dad so listen up. If you haven't figured it out already, you will soon learn that he has a serious issue with the state of counter tops. In his perfect world, all counter tops would always be free and clear of any object, piece of paper, or toy. It drives him batty. In the same breath, I am here to remind you that he is oblivious to dirt or crumbs on said counter tops--they could be covered in spilled milk, yet free of paper piles, and he would be a happy man. I, on the other hand, am the opposite. I do not mind the occasional necessary piles (out of sight out of mind applies to me...I'd never get anything done if I didn't have some paper on that counter at times), yet am frantic about dirt, germs, spills, etc. We try to keep the banter about this issue to a minimum and on the lighthearted side. If you see me rolling my eyes, it's because I find it amusing that this is such a big deal for him, and honestly think there are much bigger things to focus on than the counter top. You get the idea. So, today, I paid your dad a little unexpected visit at work. He had an administrative afternoon, so was in his office instead of a reading room. I came to deliver coffee and look what I found...

Yes, this is the look of a man who has been caught in a lie, and is guilty of holding his wife to a double standard. Check out the top of that desk, girls--covered with piles, papers, and in a state of overall disorganization! The truth is out, dear! I am so glad to finally have a bit of ammunition the next time I hear that the stuff on the kitchen counter--stuff that is necessary to me in doing my "job"--is driving you crazy :)

Stairs

Adrienne decided to try her hand at climbing stairs today. This was really not my preference of an afternoon activity, but development doesn't often wait for a mom to be fully prepared...so here we go.
Attempt #1:

Attempt #2, a whopping 30 seconds later:

 We are in for a whole new type of fun around here.

Big

I spend a lot of time thinking about how big Adrienne is getting, because the rate of growth and change in the first year is so rapid. This week, however, I suddenly became aware of just how big Jillian is getting. It started as I was giving her a bath one night (a task usually reserved for Matt, but by request, I did the duty that night). When I asked her to lay down so I could rinse her hair, I noticed that she literally is nearly as long as the tub! I know the kid is tall, but at that moment, I was struck by just how tall. I felt a bit emotional thinking that it really was just yesterday when I was bathing her chubby little baby-self in the sink.

The next morning, she came downstairs in a rush of excitement to show me that she had picked out her clothes and completely dressed herself. This was a first of epic proportions--it is usually such a battle to get her dressed. I was so proud of her, and reveled in the fun of celebrating little moments that are such big accomplishments to a kid. That was always what I loved best about working as a peds OT. I did not have the heart to tell her that she had put her shirt on inside out (my fault for putting it in her drawer that way--one of my sloppy secrets is that I do not usually correct an inside out garment when folding and putting away. I am such a rebel!) and backwards.

Jillian definitely understands the concept of matching, so I was not surprised that she did that independently. After the excitement died down, I quietly led her to discover the tag on the front of her shirt, and she knew she needed to turn it around. Since that morning we have laid out her outfit each night before bed and she now proudly descends the stairs fully dressed the next day. Why didn't I think to do this before?!?!

In other growing-up-too-fast news, she has started clearing the table each night after dinner. She beams as she carries each dish, glass, condiment, etc over to me at the sink one at a time. It takes forever, but keeps her occupied during that often chaotic time. I wonder how long it will take for her to stop answering, "Sure, Mom" when I request her help?? I will just enjoy it while I can.

I also so enjoyed her pride of independence in the grocery store last week. I must admit I dread the times I can oblige her request to push a kids cart through the store, mostly because it requires so much effort on my part to keep her from crashing into everything and everyone, and I still have to maneuver Adrienne in the stroller. We made it through without any major catastrophes and then Jillian promptly started unloading the cart herself, chatting away with the checker as she did so. If she was tall enough to reach the keypad, she probably could have completed the debit card transaction to pay!

Probably my favorite aspect of this sudden realization of big-girlness is listening to her spontaneously profess her affections for those she loves. Sometimes she just looks at me and says, "Mom, I love you" or "Mom, I want to be just like you". She also pays compliments frequently and it is cute to watch her wheels turn as she thinks of what she wants to say..."Mom, I love your...ummm, your...shirt", or "Nice pants, Dad". Other times I hear, "Mom, I miss my Grammy" or "I sure love my sister".  Those moments almost make me forget the times I hear, "You are a mean mommy". Almost.

We had her school conference last week and the first line of the teacher's report read: "Jillian is very articulate". That sums Jillian up in one accurate word. The kid truly can communicate her needs, feelings, likes/dislikes, and emotions so well that it is hard for me to remember that she is only 3. But--sometimes "only 3" just seems so big.......
I sure do love you, Jilly Bean.

No Sneeze, Please

Adrienne is suddenly petrified of a sneeze. She melts into a puddle of fear, complete with real tears, pouty lip, and frantic cry when anyone near her does so. It is heartbreaking, cute, and funny all at the same time. If I could ever predict a sneeze coming on, I'd capture it on video because it is just so dramatic. I've been told I was so scared of my Grandad's nose blowing as a young child that I would start to cry the second he reached for his handkerchief in his back pocket, and that Grammy would get after him for doing it in my presence. I guess she is her mother's daughter in that regard. So, consider yourself warned: hold your sneeze, please!

Let's Swing

We are having some amazing weather this week, which has allowed Jillian to enjoy playing on the play set out back. Matt decided Adrienne should be included in the fun, so he bought a baby swing for her. He put it up this evening, and she loved every second of her first ride on a swing.

I could not get enough of her infectious grin as she soaked up this new form of fun. Absolute baby bliss.

Emerging Companions

I am starting to get glimpses of just how much fun it will be to watch these two girls grow into true companions. Jillian often asks to play with Adrienne, adding that she promises to "play nicely", and Adrienne clearly LOVES any attention Jillian throws her way. I had a couple of joyful moments over the weekend where I thought to myself, "this is what my mom must have experienced with us girls". I try to remember sweet moments like these on the days when our house is full of chaos and crankiness.

First, Adrienne has now officially graduated to the "big girl bathtub" and on most days, takes a bath with Jillian. This delights them both, and really makes for an easy transition upstairs at night. Adrienne literally squeals with joy as she frantically crawls toward the tub--apparently her excitement over a big girl bath outweighs her dislike for crawling bare-kneed on the tile floor. This girl loves to splash! I love how Jillian persists in asking Adrienne a question, despite the lack of answer. She is certainly not afraid to fill any silence with her voice.

Jillian asked to feed Adrienne lunch yesterday, and the two had a great time with the activity. I could tell that Jillian felt so helpful and proud to be entrusted with the task, and Adrienne ate up her yogurt in no time. It was extra messy...but also extra fun!

Adrienne must understand some beauty benefit of yogurt, as she didn't seem to mind this face mask

The Answers

Jillian has all the answers these days, and typically answers her own questions. She re-asks most any question many times, and just waits for you to change your original answer in the slightest so that she can then correct you. It is of no use for me to try and correct any incorrect assumptions, so mostly I just go along with her assertions. A good friend of mine recently sent me an article about raising strong willed children and one of its many valid points was "you don't have to attend every argument your child invites you to".  I am doing my best to decline unnecessary invitations. In that light, Jillian went to school with her shoes on the wrong feet last week (and they were still on incorrectly when I picked her up), and frequently can be found wearing summer clothing (while complaining she is cold) around the house. Her hair is usually undone, and outfits are unmatched (from my point of view). As best I have always tried to offer choices, sometimes it is painfully clear just how natural it is for me to assert control over everything. It is subconscious for this type A personality of mine. I am trying to lighten up and let her explore her desires so long as they do not cause her to hurt herself or someone else (i.e. we had to put a stop to her attempt to enlist Adrienne in the dance party she was having with Matt last week, as she picked her up around her middle and promptly flipped her over and dropped her on her face. Thankfully, though quite sensitive, Adrienne is pretty robust!)
Anyhow, the point of this post is really to share a sampling of what I've heard come out of Jillian's mouth in the last few days. Sometimes I get a little off-topic as I process my experiences as a mom...I cannot keep up with this kid.

-I am already receiving fashion advice from her, and got an unsolicited opinion when I walked into the kitchen last week: "Mom, your slippers do not match those pajamas". I wasn't aware they were supposed to...

-"Here Mom, I drew you a picture of a Little By Pony". Me: "Oh, you mean a My Little Pony?" J: "No, Mom, that's not right.  It is called a Little By Pony!"

-J: "Mom, what's a weddin'?"
Me: "It's when two people get married"
J: "Oh, well I'm too short to get married".
Her dad hopes she uses that line of reasoning for at least the next 25 years.

Me: "What was your Bible story about today?"
J: (in an exasperated tone) "Oh, it was about blind again"
Me: "Huh? You mean someone who was blind? Who was blind?"
J: "It's a real tricky name, Mom".
Later I looked up the info on her newsletter and saw that the story was about Bartimaeus, the blind man Jesus healed...a tricky name, indeed!

Lastly, my favorite phrase of late is one Jillian uses when she is done doing something or doesn't like it--"Mom, I'm real tired about that". Add in her now ever-present hand gestures, and you have a recipe for a three year old who acts and talks like a teenager.  I'm not sure whether I should laugh or cry.

Oh, and did I mention she can also belt out pop music? Here is her cover of Adele's "Set Fire to the Rain", sung casually and spontaneously while coloring after dinner.

Moving Right Along

Adrienne continues to move right along, in the literal sense. It was a pretty big day of accomplishments for her. To begin, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and spontaneously waved at her sweet reflection. Later, when I got her up from her nap, I scooped her up and enthusiastically said, "hi" (which really sounded more like "hi-ee"). She grinned, waved, and said "ha-ahhh" in clear attempt to imitate me. That is melt-your-heart adorableness right there.
We spent some time playing downstairs before supper, and I looked over to see Adrienne cruising. Definitely another first. She had pulled up on Jillian's toddler trampoline and was casually taking some steps to move toward the front of the equipment. I was too late with the camera to catch that one. I did, however, catch this little shenanigan just before bath time. I can always count on Matt to scoot these girls right along, developmentally. Maybe he should have been the OT!

11.75

That is how many hours my wonderful baby slept last night! Sort of. She cried around her usual 10:30 time for about 15 minutes while I lay in bed reminding myself that she did not need to eat, and that I have done nothing but reinforce this wake up time by hurriedly rushing to her. I take full responsibility for always doing what is easiest and what will prevent Jillian from waking unnecessarily. She made a few peeps soft peeps around 2:15, and again at 4--nothing that required attention or made me think she was truly awake and starving. At 5:30, I heard one whimper and prepared to get up since she was surely hungry and had already accomplished the "sleeping all night" goal I had at that point. Plus, as I am used to feeding her twice in the night, I was about to burst. I drifted back to sleep and woke when Jillian came downstairs at 6:30. Adrienne didn't wake until 6:45, which was just shy of 12 hours after I put her to bed. This stirs up a whole crazy level of excitement in my sleep deprived world, and strengthens my resolve to persist until this becomes her norm. It is time, sweet Adrienne, it is time!
 A well-rested baby is a happy baby who magically appears even cuter to her mother than she did the night before!

Under the Table and Scheming? A bit of a twist on the title for any Dave Matthews fans.

Turning Wheels

Sometimes I'm not quite sure how Jillian's train of thought rolls from one topic to the next, but roll it does. The wheels are always turning in our house for sure. In the short span of a few minutes, she initiated conversation around the following subjects:

"Mom, let's buy a train. I want to ride a locomotive!" (what??)
"Is this shirt for Secret Patches Day?" (took me a second to realize that she was talking about St Patrick's Day--ha!)
"My favorite thing at the Big Mall is where you ride the animals. You know, the Miracle Round." (ah yes, the Merry-Go-Round)

Speaking of things that roll, Adrienne made a discovery the other day that kept her engaged for quite some time.

8 Months Old

My little bitty baby is now two-thirds of a year old. Adrienne is really changing quickly, and seems like such a big girl these days. Her daddy recently taught her how to show us just how big she is.

If you re-watch that clip, you can also observe two of Adrienne's trademarks: the "shy face" (where she dips her head down and sheepishly grins), and her ear piercing squeal. She really has turned on the personality this month, and we love her curiosity, determination, and social nature.

Just a few facts to record about our 8 month old....

Adrienne can't seem to get her act together in the night sleep department. Either that, or her mother can't bear to do what must be done. It is never fun to be the bad guy, and it seems Adrienne isn't going to learn to sleep all night unless I become more intentional about teaching her to do so. She is consistently up at least twice per night to eat, despite markedly upping her intake of solids.

Speaking of eating, the little lady enjoys a good feast. About a week before we left for Hawaii, she had a yucky cold and suddenly stopped eating solids. Since we've returned, she can't seem to eat enough of them. In fact today she ate a bowl of oat cereal with a jar of mango-pear mixed in for breakfast, a large jar of sweet potatoes and a whole container of yo-baby yogurt for lunch, and a large container of broccoli-apple puree and a half a container of carrot-apple puree for dinner. New foods she has tried this month include: pureed blueberries, broccoli, pumpkin, spinach, yogurt, avocado, and mango. She also enjoys finger feeding with puffs and diced bananas, and does well drinking water from a sippy cup. I can't remember the last time she's had a bottle, and at this late point in her first year, I'm not inclined to get her started.

Adrienne is driven to move. The girl is busy, and reminds me so much of Jillian at this age in her curious exploration. The childcare worker at Bible study summed her up pretty well in her comment to me this morning: "Adrienne is the only baby here who can keep the baby swing moving all by herself, long after we've turned it off!" I am not surprised. She can crawl incredibly fast, and is usually headed in the direction you prefer she avoid. She is masterful at finding cords, outlets you thought you covered, and the tiniest dangerous object somehow left on the floor. Changing her diaper is next to impossible, as she just sits straight up (as if she was doing a true sit up) and dives forward to grab whatever she can find on the changing table. To say she is a wiggle worm is a gross understatement. The kid is persistent and requires nearly all of my strength to get her changed. Adrienne now pulls to stand frequently--on laundry baskets, the dishwasher door, the baby gate, her activity table, and when she is really desperate, she attempts (unsuccessfully, so far) to pull up on my pant leg. Earlier this week, I walked into her room when she woke from her nap and saw this

Interestingly, I got a similar shot of Jillian doing this very thing during the exact same week of development (and in the same sleep sack even!)

The deja vu I experience with these girls is crazy sometimes. If nothing else, they are pretty consistent! Matt promptly lowered the crib to the toddler setting, so Adrienne appears safe. For now.

I am sure we are in for even bigger developmental changes this month as she tests her new abilities and pushes the limits of safe exploration in the house--all while certainly wearing her big, toothy, charming, adorable grin.

I could eat this baby up. Seriously.