7 weeks

On Thursday, we saw our baby!  Half inch long, dated alittle older by two days-- due date is still July 26, 2012   Heart rate 140
It was amazing-- teeny tiny-- didn't see any movement other than the heart--- everything looks great! 
Praise God!

14 months

Whenever little Rudy sees a picture of Santa-- she says 'Ho Ho Ho'!

Went to see the Lights before Christmas at the Toledo Zoo with Zoe on Wednesday night (12/7)  Within 5 minutes, the little one had said 'Oh WOW' just while walking up the ramp!  She LOVED it!  The blue tree was amazing.

She is loving this holiday season!  From Frosty the Snowman on tv to ribbons and music and especially christmas lights (no matter how fancy-- they always get a WOW!)

We went to Splash Bay over the weekend 12/10-12/11   Leah loved walking and splashing in the water and messing with the sprayers.  Zoe took her down the slide.  She was freezing though, shivering and blue lips!

Eating out isn't the most fun thing with her lately-- fusses if doesn't get what she wants the second and getting a bit loud and extremely messy.  Gone are the days of eating out I'm afraid-- same for hotel rooms!  Baby girl wouldn't go to sleep--- but we're thinking that may be because she is cutting TWO molars-- top and bottom on her left side.  No diaper rash this time-- just crabbiness.  Poor Rudy.

Gives REAL kisses-- puckers her lips and makes a MMMAAA! sound

Cut three molars this month and one bottom tooth!  Top and bottom molars on left and bottom right.  Busy girl!!

Loves to sing and do motions for Itsy Bitsy Spider and Baby Bumblebee Song.

Had the most AMAZING Christmas as a family at Pokagon State Park in Indiana.  It was magical and Rudy loved every bit of it.  Sooo happy!  Loved opening gifts and eating at the buffets!

Baby girl got MRSA-- so scary, but thank the Lord she pulled through with no major complications!

Loves books and her ipad.

Touches and hugs us without being told to--- this has got to be the best:)  Kisses too!

Sweeps, mops and vaccums whenever given the chance!

Still 4-5 4-6 oz bottles a day and is going to bed around 7:30/8.

Her hair is finally starting to grow!  She has a little tail in the back and I can put her bangs in a purdy!  She even keeps it there for a few before ripping it out, chewing on it, then trying to get it back in her hair:)

November 17, 2011 - 4 weeks!

Yes-- that's right!  I am 4 weeks pregnant!!  We totally thought we were-- and on the 17th, I had the day off because Heather's daughter was sick, so I took a test that I had bought the week before.  Positive!!  The faintest line, but still positive!  I was due to start my period on the 16th, and today it is the 21st and still no period!
WE ARE HAVING ANOTHER BABY!!
Can you believe it?!  We are so excited!
I have my first appointment with Dr. Owen on December 1 and will schedule an ultrasound the following week at St. Charles Hospital.  I cannot wait to see this little Ferdy and hold in my arms!!!
We are truly blessed by God!

13 months

She spins around and holds out her little arm while doing so
She is starting to use a spork
Loves egg drop soup!
Says over 14 words!
Recognizes her sister in pictures and says 'sis' and 'sissy'
21 lbs and 13 oz, 29.5 inches
Drags her step stool around and rides it like a car-- she stands on it and gleems!
Dances to any type of song-- sung or heard-- she even gets low! haha

12 months

Loves saying ut-oh!
Running around outside, picking up leaves, sticks-- holds them all in one hand:)
Constantly has handfuls of woodchips in her hands at the park-- even climbs the stairs with her hands full:)
Pulls herself through the rails at the park-- goes down slide and climbs of stairs at park
Picks up everything and gives it to you if you ask for it
puts EVERYTHING in her mouth
climbs up steps
gabby girl-- says ball, mine, 'no' while shaking her head, dog, bottle, mama, daddy, larry, sissy, points to doll's or peepoles eye and says 'eye'
hugs and cuddles
does not need swaddled anymore
goes to bed around 7:30/8
only one nap a day 1-2 hours
talks in her sleep:)
takes everything off the microwave cart and then puts it back
takes everything out of her toy box or her diaper bag and puts it back in
loves her Larry stuffed animal
plays with the dogs and hugs Andre

51 weeks

Rudy said 'dog' when at the park and I looked and there was a black dog.  Then she said 'dogs' and I looked and there were two little dogs being walked!  Is this possible?!

She said 'a duck' when she saw her blanket with ducks all over them.

She talks up a storm!

For the first time on Monday morning, I was walking out of the house and it was raining really hard and a lightning bolt flashed and she opened her mouth so big, like in shock-- I had never seen her do that!!  Then at Heather's she did it again as she was looking outside saying goodbye to me-- twice in one morning, it was soo cute to see her do it!

She grabbed my cell phone this morning and it flipped open.  It was turned the wrong way, but that little stinker started tapping her thumbs on the key pad!  Like she was texting!  She was walking around smiling and 'texting'.  It was hilarious!

50 weeks

Says 'ball' very clearly now-- also 'bear' and 'eye' this week.  'Daddy' is clearer as well.  On Wednesday she even said 'sissy' when she saw Zoe's picture on the fridge.  It was precious!  She said it again when she saw her!

Cut her seventh tooth this week-- bottom left.  This caused her a great deal of pain, a HORRIBLE diaper rash, one of the worst 'rash' ones she's had and oh soo not happy.   Very restless at night-- waking up at 2am.  She's been real picky about her food and eventually ended up only eating cheese and puffs.  I called the dr and they still think it may be molars and because of the diaper rash.  That very night she cut her tooth... those drs do seem to know alot!  They said not to be concerned about her eating since they look back the last 30 days to see if its been a 'balanced diet'.  Crazy.  But gave me relief that she wasn't malnourished or anything.

She is napping a full two hours for Heather everyday.  Sometimes more!  She is going to bed earlier-- at least 8.  Sometimes before.  She is getting to be that 'tired' baby you always here about!!  It only took a year!! :)  She likes to cuddle when she's tired and then she fights it-- but someday I'll get some 'true' cuddling.

She is still pointing at everything and saying, uuuhhh?? It is cute.  If you tell her to go get her book, ball, woobie, bottle, she'll go and get it.  She'll pick up crumbs off the floor, act like she's going to give it to you, then, too slow-- puts it in her mouth.  She find this hilarious:)

I caught her petting Andre in the kitchen over the weekend.  I knew she was in there, but not Andre.  He was laying down-- he even kept his head down so I know he was comfortable with it and not anxious or annoyed.  Leah was sitting at his back, gently stroking his fur.  It was so sweet.  She is getting more attached to all the animals.  She is touching them more-- very causiously though.  Bella has been licking her feet and sometimes cheeks.  She doesn't quite like it.  She doesn't like them to be right on top of her.  All of us were outside and they were walking around her in the grass and she just wasn't having it.

I was going to grill burgers outside to I put her sneakers on and brought her walker outside.  She ran that thing up and down the driveway about 12 times!  She LOVED it.  She was cruising everywhere!  She even took it up on the mulch pile and laughed and laughed!

  

49 weeks

She truly, for the first time, said 'Mama' this morning!  She always said mama, but it wasn't for me.  It was more like... mamama mama mama mamamamamama... More babble.  This morning, it was 'Mama'.  I melted.

I took a half day on Friday and we spent the morning cuddling in Zoe's bed.  She is such a sweetie-- loves cuddling, laying on my chest, rubbing her woobie on me, trying to give me her plug (by shoving it in my mouth) and playing 'sleepy baby'.

She melts me in ways I never thought possible.  I cannot believe my baby girl is going to be one in a few more weeks.  I am so blessed.  To have a baby that is healthy and growing.  She is so strong-- stronger than most babies I see.  She can walk so steady and balanced.

If Dave points, she turns around and looks at what Dave pointed at-- even spins her head around to see.

Isn't eating well.  Doesn't want me to spoon feed her much and isn't eating much finger food.

She started dancing alot more whenever she hears music!

She can put on my shoes and walk around in them!  It was insane watching her do it!  She LOVES shoes-- she insists that she wear shoes everywhere in the house, Heather's outside.  It is too much.

Lifts her hands up to be picked up.  Is madly in love with her sister.

Sleeping through night, but a few days waking up at 2am

Falls asleep on her own now-- was eating strawberries and was so groggy at Heather's.  Kept fighting to stay awake so she could finish:)

We walked to the park this week-- it was in the 80s and a nice cool breeze-- just lovely.  She walked through the tunnel, walked, cautiously at first, but then made it without holding on the rail across the 'bridge' and went down the slide with me next to her.  We swung and it was so amazing!

48 weeks

Little monkey now points at everything she wants.  It is cute:)

Cutting her right tooth next to her front tooth.  That must be why she was so restless and diarrhea last week.

She was used to me coming in her room and 'picking her up' during the night because I felt so bad for her teething pain.  Unfortunately, she insists that happen EVERY night.  I spent friday and saturday night rubbing her little back and trying to comfort her without picking her up.  It took one night of crying it out, but by saturday night, she slept through the night.  She's been sleeping through the night ever since!  She isn't even waking up for a plug either-- solid through the night sleeping!  12.5 hours on Sunday!!!

Labor Day weekend with sister-- went to First Friday, got a yellow balloon and ice cream at O-Deer with Dad, sis and Deb.  Walked to library in stroller and played for a bit with the train set and walked to Toth.

On Monday, went to mom and dad's-- sooo cold!  We were going to go to the beach, but the weather went form 100 to 60!

She did cut both teeth next to her front teeth this week-- she's been using them to chomp cucumbers (LOVES) and her veggie and cheese puffs.  This girl loves her food!  Except she doesn't want me spoon feeding her this week!  Heather either!  Miss Independent!

She is starting to climb up on everything.  Trunks, sinks, tables-- she does pull-ups even!  She is soo strong!

She has been fascinated with her tongue this week too.  She is moving her mouth in the shape of an 0 and touching and rolling her tongue all around-- it is silly and so cute!

47 weeks

Teething has been quite the experience!  She has not been sleeping this past week-- so restless!  She is also having diarrhea and diaper rash-- Dr thinks she is cutting her molars-- so far we have not felt them.

Two weeks ago she had a runny nose and crabby with her front teeth so I'm not too sure it is teething, but I guess the dr knows since she isn't vomiting or have a fever.

Rudy loves tofu!

This week she pretends to sleep-- makes a game out of it.  She'll lie face down and 'pretend to sleep' and then we say, Awww.. sleeping baby!  And she'll jump up and squeel!  She does this like 15 times!

She is also playing peek-a-boo herself-- puts her wooby or basket over her head and plays:)

'hippopotamus tusks' (what we call her top two teeth:)

She now says 'ball' and 'Ron-Ray' for Andre:)

46 weeks

We had our first Beach Vacation this week!  We went to Beulah Beach in Vermillion, Ohio to stay in our church's cottage.

Leah was running all around the cabin!  There was so stopping her!  She was EVERYWHERE!

She's a water baby-- loved swimming in the lake with big waves and loved scrunching her toes into the sand.  She couldn't get enough of the sand.  Playing with it AND eating it!  It was a battle keeping flat rocks and heaps of sand out of her mouth!  She loved the waves and the sun-- it was perfect!

Eating us out of house and home!  She is eating ham, eggs, cheese, watermelon!  Such a good eater and sleeper!

45 weeks

Leah is cutting her top two teeth!  Her top left came first and then the right!  It was a few miserable days for her, but she pulled through.  Diaper rash, runny nose, fussy-- a few restless nights.  Now she is grinding away at her new teeth-- it is the most horrible sound!!

 Leah is running all around the house-- She is walking about 80% of the time!

 Loves food-- spaghetti was a huge hit this week!

44 weeks

Its almost as if a light switch as gone off in little roo's head this past week.  She is so bright and has figured out how to do almost anything you tell her to do!  'Can I have that blanket?'  'Don't eat that cord....'  'Come here, Leah!'  'Come in the dining room, time to eat dinner!' 'Where's your baby?'  'Feed her a bottle!'  'Mama wants to eat some too!'  She will crawl, walk, anyway to come to where you ask her to, she'll feed, clean, give, wipe, eat, kiss, and love on everything if you ask her to.   

She climbs and pulls and grabs and really intently looks at things now.  She used to just manically throw toys and enjoy the thud sound.  Now, she still loves the sound, just she'll carefully pick up one or two at a time, stare at them, really analyze them, then slam them down on the ground for the thud.  No more king kong.:) 

The other day she was looking down while sitting on Dave's lap and lifted her head, put her hands on both sides of his cheeks, pulled his head up to hers and gave him a kiss.  Out of nowhere!  She is getting so cuddly!  She will come up to you wanting to hug you and hug your leg.  Then after the hug she'll go on her merry way.  Sometime she will want picked up for more intense snuggles and then want back down to go play.  It is so sweet knowing that she wants to be with us.  She used to just sit where you sat her and she'd play until you just couldn't stand not holding her anymore.  Now, she wants the loving and I just love that.

She is TRULY walking everywhere, she can climb up onto the couch, she demands cuddles, food, pacifier, Zoe.  She goes anywhere she pleases.  The entire upstairs is her domain:)


She's eating almost only chunk food and is loving roasted carrots this week.  She ate an entire cup of yogurt in one sitting too!  Me, Dave and Rudy went to O-Deer Diner this week and she ate some vanilla ice cream with peanut butter-- she loved it.  She loved the straw that came with my water a bit more though:)  She was able to suck twice, but she'll eventually get the hang of it:)  She's her father's daughter by loving to suck and chew on all the ice though!

We've been taking alot of walks her in new pouch sling.  Yesterday the four of us took a walk to the library.  She seems very comfortable in it.  She'll hold my hands and will sometimes look up at my face and smile, but otherwise, she is very content to look around and be happy.  Tonight her and I will go to the Farmer's market if it is not raining and listen to some music.  We are really enjoying our summer walks and downtown functions.  We've gone to most Farmer's Markets with or without Zoe and last friday, all of us girls went with Grandma Deb to First Friday while Dave was at work.  We ate free slushies (L LOVED her bites:) and watched a clown and a flame throwing juggler.  It was so precious because even Leah clapped for him. 

43 weeks

For the first time,  Leah came up to me holding her woobie while I was sitting on the living room couch and laid her head down on my lap.  It melted my heart!  She is being very cuddly lately. 

She is walking more and more and is so excited about everything.  She learned that she can climb on just about everything, furniture included.  Is it wrong that I find this so stinking cute?!

She is sleeping well through the nights and is not as crabby as she was the week before.  Her eating has slowed down a bit but I have added a small snack to her afternoon pre-nap bottle.  That seems to be really helping her through the night.

I am loving our nightly showers.  Leah not so much.  By the time we get in it is already pushing 8, sometimes even after, and she is so so tired.  I am going to really need to start her bedtime routine much earlier. 

On Wednesday, we woke up after sleeping about 35 minutes and after letting her fuss for about 15 minutes, I ended up picking her up and taking her outside to swing on the swing.  It was lovely.  It was getting pretty dusk (9:15) and the locusts were churping away.  There was a cool breeze to break up the thick humid air and it was so lovely. She fell asleep on my chest within minutes. 

42 weeks

Leah has been sleeping through the night this entire week!   We've been trying ferbering and it has been working!  She's only fussed for about 2-8 minutes and that's all it takes for her to soothe herself to sleep for the night!

She's been eating like a piggie pie!!  She's clearing an entire cheese stick at lunch!  She loves the cheddar stick the best!

She's been climbing and pulling up onto anything and everything!  Calmed down a bit on the walking-- which is strange, but oh well.

Our little roo has been quite the crabby pants this week too.  Overly cranky and tired and not eating as much as she normally does.  She's gone to be at 7:15 twice this week!  Crappy Patty that one :)

We went to the park this week, to Nick and Maria's for dinner-- her first take-out chinese, and hanging around the house.  I'm trying to get her room fully organized and her clothes re-sized.  She no longer fits most of the 6-9 month onesies:(  Baby girl is getting so big!!

41 weeks

Okay, so my sweet tiny little baby thought she would walk this week.  How would this have happened???? She's practically a newborn!!!!   Okay, she's not, but she's just a baby!!  And walking!!!  

She saved her first steps for me--- how is this possible?!  I came to the sitters to pick her up on Friday, July 15.  She was showing me her bouncy balls (the biggest and coolest thing in the world to her right now) and she took 2 steps!!!! towards me!!  Then, she did it AGAIN!!!  It was amazing--- my baby walking towards me!

She has officially said her first word this week too-- BIG WEEK!   She will stand up and say 'UP!'- at first it was like, waaaa?? is she really saying 'up'?? fluke??  really??  Yes, she is saying Up.  Along with 'mama' and 'dada' and 'buh, buh' for birds and/or Bubble Guppies.  But those don't count.

Up!

My sweet girlies

Foods she is loving this week are mozzarella cheese, ham and still strawberries and yogurt.  Added some chicken and veggie meals and she's loving them!  Such a good eater!

This week went took the little family to the farmers market downtown.  It was extremely hot!!  103!!  Heat index of 116!  Craziness.  We laid out a blanket in the shade and ate hotdogs and icecream from the cute new little diner.  There was a nice breeze and it was amazing.  Unfortunately, we get there a bit late and stands were closing up and Rudy had to be back by 8 for bedtime, so our time was cut pretty short.  Still not able to get everyone out the door on time!

So, she's a walking, talking, big people food eating, teeny tiny newborn.

40 weeks

SO much this week!

Leah's first vacation!  We went to Cleveland to the zoo with Great Aunt JoAnne and the Willoughby Airshow with Uncle Matt.  Leah's first overnight in a hotel.

She was amazing the entire trip.  Happy, sleepy!!, it was just perfect.  She was all smiles, napped in the stroller when reclined all the way back, and ate so well.  Will definitely be doing more with this little bug in the future.

On Sunday we took Leah to the YMCA/JCC outdoor pool.  This was her first time in an outdoor pool.  She was amazing there too!  We brought her newborn bath chair and she would just lay there, looking at everything, so calm and happy.  She ended up taking a long nap in her little lounge chair-- it was so sweet.  She's splash in the water and kept a death grip on her duckie:)  

She started doing 'SO BIG' at Heather's on July 11!!  Sooo cute!!  Those little t-rex arms shoot up to high-- it is too much!

When you ask Leah where are the birds, she looks and crawls over to Heather's window.  She also says 'bbbb' 'bbbb' when you say birds.  Also when you sing 'bubble guppies' (her FAVORITE show at Heather's-- H even has to record it so she can keep watching! she says 'bbbb' too!

The little bug is still tapping away at everything with her little thumb!  She even uses it as a fork!  She'll smash that thumb into chicken or puffs and when it sticks, put it in her mouth!  She taps at toys, taps at her arms, my arms, anything and everything!  btw-- she's loving those puffs, first banana, now sweet potato.  She gobbles them right up!  And tons of them too!  She'll munch on 50 of them at a time! (which is nice because it gives me a few more minutes in the kitchen while she's chowing down in her high chair!)

Last week she re-found her tongue, this week, she re-found her feet!  They have been quite the entertainment!  She also for the first time found her ears!  All of the ears, the flappy things on the side of your head-- she pulls them out and makes the funniest face!

Our little frogger is getting a bit more clingy-- kind of reaching up and towards me when I put her down or hand her off-- she'll fuss and squirm toward me, but no real scream-fest, which is wonderful.  She's growing up and changing so fast, but I am glad the guilt isn't settling in and that she's making it easier on mama by not screaming when I leave Heather's.  When I go to pick her up, she'll crawl fast to me and reach up to be picked up-- it is so sweet:)  Then she'll either want to play with her people or go back to Heather for cuddles.  She truly loves Heather and that is such a blessing!

We're realized that her waking up at night may be due to the ac vent kicking on--- haven't proven this theory 100%, but it may be the case.  She's still waking at night, but not as many times-- once over 5 times!  I'll take it.  We are going to re-arrange the girls room around so she can be cool but not have any air hit her.  Maybe this weekend.

39 weeks

 Fourth of July Weekend

day trip to Maumee Bay Beach

   

Happy Forth of July!  Went to Mom and Dad's for cookout

Discovered how to feed herself her bottle!

Cleaning up baby after breakfast at Heather's

38 weeks

Baby girl is walking with her walker!  On Sunday June 27, Leah walked all around with her walker!  The day before she only barely took two steps, and the very next day, WALKING!!  So exciting!

Leah is so adorable!  While outside for a cookout, she would do anything to avoid being on the grass.  She started crawling towards my empty beer bottle (redneck, I know) but she would crawl without putting her knees on the grass and would tip-toe with her butt up in the air 'crawling' toward the bottle.  It was HILARIOUS!  She does not like grass-- she kept pulling it out of the ground and placing her feet on the edge of her blanket to ensure she wouldn't get on the grass--- she is too funny!

Leah is sitting in a squat position and standing up without pulling herself up on anything!  She is quite the strong little doodie!

She has been eating yogurt for the first time this week--- her face is so adorable as she starts eating it-- she makes a sour face but keep opening her mouth wide to eat it!  She loves it!

37 weeks

Dave picked up these little overalls at a garage sale-- 

he had a yellow one just like it when he was little!

This week we moved the bedroom tv into the living room and also got a free rocking recliner to rock Rudy to put in there.  Alot of functional changes just to make our life easier and less stressful.  We have babyproofed the entire upstairs except for her bookshelf in her and Zoe's room.  She has alot more freedom this week and is enjoying moving throughout the house to check everything out.  The animals are becoming more tolerant and Bella now kisses her whenever she sees her.  It is precious-- Leah doesn't move-- she just freezes and then closes her eyes when she licks her cheek.  Then grabs to rip her fur out:)

Baby girl's got clapping down pat!  Claps at any type of music, sung or on her shows, even if you start clapping, she does too!  It may be the cutest thing EVER!  She gets sooo excited and claps up a storm!

Happy Rudy standing to see Mama!

She is also STANDING this week!!  Stands up without pulling up on anything and sits back down without holding onto anything-- she does this cute little squat move to sit back down, it is soo adorable.  Her standing is sooo amazing!  Earlier in the week she stood for about 2 seconds, but now she is standing for ever 5 seconds!  Heather said she was standing for a long time holding a block and then realized she was truly standing, freaked out and sat down:)

She is getting slightly a bit more clingy the last few days.  When I was leaving Heather's she quietly wined, but then stopped when distracted.  It took a day or two to figure out it was me she wanted.  Now when she sees me or Dave when someone else is holding her, she reaches and fusses for us.  It is sweet in a way, but I'm not really into it.  Its sad seeing her so upset but in reading, this is completely normal since she is more aware of her surroundings and realizes, hey, mom's over there, I want here here.  She's behaving how all babies do, but I just think its so sad:(

Caught in the act!

The little roo feels that anything NOT hers to be the best thing to play with.  Cellphones, remotes, outlet covers, lamp cords-- she will move mountains to grab onto these things.  It is kind of funny how she'll be baby on the move and go across the floor, moving toys aside to grab the cords.  She does seem to know 'NO' because when we say it, she lets go or stops.  Then starts all over again, but I think she is slowly learning that when we say that it means we don't like it.  We are still in the redirect phase of discipline but soon enough she'll catch on:)

Oh my... last week of my baby being 8 months old.......  SO FAST...