.

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Weight & Height - We assume she is about 14-15 lbs this month and probably 24" tall since we didn't have a doctors visit this month. She's looking less and less like our tiny baby. She is still in size 2 diapers but I'm debating moving her up a size soon after some nasty blow outs. 3 month clothing is now getting too small on her so she is in mostly 3-6 month.

Sleep - Grace slept her first full night (8 hours) for the first time this last week!!!! I forgot how good a full nights rest feels. In fact, I think my body thinks I overslept because I'm not used to getting that many consecutive hours! Grace had been sleeping around 4-6 hour stretches most nights, so I'm hoping she'll soon master the full 8! This month we started a more set nighttime routine that has seemed to help. We go on a bedtime walk around 7:30 then back for bath and lotion and a book or feeding before bedtime. She has grown a real love for the bath and gets so excited to stand up to the side of the tub. (don't worry, I'm still hanging onto her). It's really helped her to learn that it's time for bed and she'll wind down pretty quickly. She still naps about 4-5 times a day but they range anywhere from 40 mins to 2 hour. I'm pretty happy with where our sleep schedule is right now and that's all that matters. I think there are a lot of pressures and expectations out there to have your baby sleeping 12 hours by 12 weeks (example) and I just don't believe that every baby needs the same schedule or that moms need to feel the pressure of setting anything other than what suits them and their family at the time.

Eat - Grace is still just drinking 4 oz bottles every couple of hours. We started baby food this past month and she loves it! She has gotten much better and the texture and knowing what to do when the spoon gets in her mouth. She even opens and wiggles around ready before I even have a chance to scoop up the next bite! I try to feed her solids in the evening around dinnertime and it seems to help her be able to sleep longer at night! She looks so big sitting in her high chair and knows exactly what it means when I place her in there. If some of the food spills on the plate of the high chair and she starts to get distracted by it, all I have to say is "Good Job" and she'll immediately throw her head up and smile at me. I guess I say that too her so much that she's just excited to hear it!

Recent Milestones - We're having a hard time with tummy time now because she's officially learned to roll over. From front to back and back to front. She will roll over and then immediately look up at me and smile because she's just so proud of herself. We can no longer leave her on the bed or couch for even a second because she would just roll right off. She somehow moves herself in a circle when she is doing tummy time so she ends up facing the opposite way that we laid her. She's still a chunky little think however I feel like she may lose it soon because she's constantly trying to lean forward working her little ab muscles! ;) When I lay her down to change her diaper she will be lifting her head and trying to lift her body to sit up the entire time. She holds her legs up in the air for diaper changes and then just gets distracted with trying to eat her toes. She now reaches and leans for who she wants and is even growing out of her stranger danger phase! She still laughs a lot, especially at mom! Her love for being outside has only increased this month since we purchased a swing for the backyard. One for her and a big one for mom and dad! It makes me so happy that she loves being outside because it's a good motivator for me to get out and be active! We go for about two stroller rides a day when possible. We got called back to primary to teach CTR 7-8 and Grace loves primary!! We also learned how to make it through all of sacrament meeting by sitting on a side bench so that she can lay down or stand up to the bench and visit with the people behind us. It's been a long time since I was able to attend all three meetings of church and not just in the hallway!

Special Moments –

Dislikes -I think it's finally okay to take hating her car seat off the "dislike" list!! She has been doing much better now that she is old enough to really be entertained by toys and her mirror. Sure there will be certain car rides or days that she just doesn't want to be in there, but I now don't have to plan my days around activities that will result in the least amount of time in the car! She does dislike her bottle taking to long to be made or being left in her swing or seat while I get things done. The only way she'll allow it is if I bring her close to watch me.

Mommy Update: Mom is officially a working woman again. Still from home but last week I got about 12 hours logged. I am still doing social media for my old dental office and I recently picked up one of my old jobs working as a personal assistant for a lady I used to work for. I just do random errands and tasks that grace can go with me on so it hasn't been too challenging to jump back into. Last Sunday I was called to be an activities day Leader, so that's something I'll have to learn to do with a baby. I think she'll love having the girls over each month!

** Goals for next month **

1. Have more fun outings with the family!

2. Keep up with our bedtime routine.

3 . Leaving Grace to go on a DATE!!

Monthly Photo Dump

(click to enlarge)

Saturday, April 28, 2018

Spring Photo Shoot

A good friend of ours is an amazing photographer and asked to do a spring photo shoot with Grace! Can't say no to that!! I swear Megan is a baby whisperer because these photos were taken right during Grace's naptime and she was ornery!! However, from these photos, you could never tell! I am in love with how they turned and will forever cherish them! Thanks again, Meg!

Gracie Mae - 4 Months - 3/6/18

Megan Poulton Photography - find her on Instagram or Facebook.

Friday, April 6, 2018

MONTH FOUR

This past month has been a game changer. Grace is no longer a newborn and everything she learns and does now reminds me daily how fast time flies! She has learned and grown so much this month. As sad as I am to see my newborn disappear, I am so excited and eager to see the fun happy baby girl she is growing into! She's honestly my little best girlfriend and my love for her grows each day!

Weight & Height - Grace is really changing from our little newborn to our solid baby girl! She is 13lbs 15oz and 23" tall. She is still in size 2 diapers and wearing 3-6 month clothing. She can hold her head up so well like she's always done but now even during tummy time. In fact, she even acts like she is already trying to crawl by scooting forward. She'll prop herself up on her elbows and almost rock forward. I hope she doesn't figure it out too soon! She's got rolls all over her thighs arms and neck. I'm having to constantly clean those neck rolls after she eats because sometimes the milk will run down her cheeks right into the rolls!

Sleep - Grace is sleeping 6 hour stretches most nights. She'll usually go down around 10 each night wake up around 5 and then sleep another 2-3 hours. She used to sleep in until 10 but just tossing and turning then being fussy all morning so I've started getting her up at 8ish for the day and it's been much better. She still naps about 4-5 times a day but they range anywhere from 40 mins to 2 hour. I'm working on laying her down for her naps in her dockatot or the swing and she is sleeping longer each time. We are working on getting her nursery finished, and her monitor set up so she can start napping in there. I don't have much to complain about when it comes to her naps/sleep routine. *Update, she seems to have possible hit the four-month regression period a little soon. She is all of a sudden taking shorter naps and waking up more frequently in the nighttime. She's only been sleeping like 2-3 hour stretches for the last three nights and I feel like I'm living with a newborn all over again! Ahhh! Send me all the info to correct this early on please!!

Eat - She is officially an all formula fed baby. We started out splitting her bottles with breastmilk and formula until we could phase the breastmilk out without upsetting her stomach. She never seemed to be bothered by it, which was my main concern. Knowing Grace can start eating solids at 4 months has got Ethan all excited! He has always been excited to give Grace baby food that he convinced me to let her try some of my mashed up banana. It went about as expected, her just looking very confused not knowing how to keep it in her mouth and Ethan just so excited to be giving it to her! She just got baby spoons for Easter and four-month appointment is this week so we'll be starting soon!

Recent Milestones -Grace is laughing and talking more and more every day! Some days she'll go to bed talking and wake up talking!! She can stand up just holding onto my fingers, in fact, it's one of her favorite activities! She has always had the strongest little legs. Her hand-eye coordination is improving. She finally seems old enough to be interested in reaching for toys and things, which seems to help her be more distracted while riding in her least favorite place; her car seat! She is almost reaching out to whoever she wants. She'll get excited and lift her arms a little waving them around and occasionally just starts really leaning towards them. We can't wait for her to be able to reach out to us all the way! Everything still goes to the mouth, her blanket, her toys and her favorite, our fingers! We can't decide if she's teething already or if they are just moving into place for the future

months of teething. She's slobbery all the time and is trying to blow bubbles with it. It's an adorably annoying habit! She is still experiencing some stranger danger but has definitely come a long way! In fact with some people, our guy friend, in particular, she flirts like crazy with. Cooing and smiling then getting embarrassed and hiding her face on my shoulder before going back in for more!! Tummy time is getting better. All of a sudden during this weeks tummy time she could just suddenly prop herself up on her arms and looked like a pro. She has also been getting better and better and rolling over onto her back! Which then leads to me having to flip her back onto her tummy to which she laughs like she thinks it's a game we are playing. In the morning she will now sit in her bumbo chair and play with a toy while I get ready for the day. It doesn't last longer than 10 minutes but I've pretty much mastered my daily routine of the new Mommy look of "I tried!". We are now attempting all three meetings at church to which I am learning that the church is still true in the hallway! Her afternoon nap usually happens right during sacrament and I've learned that once I get her to sleep, a loud speaker, a noisy kid, or the congregational hymns will wake her. Hense the need to be in the foyer.

Special Moments – The best moment of this month was definitely her baby blessing. Read more about it a post back. Another thing I've noticed this month is just how much she really loves her momma. I will often catch her just looking up smiling at me. She loves to just watch me talking or reading, I don't even have to be directing my attention to her. Although, she loves that too... a lot! She's also getting to be a bigger fan of dad this month! Mostly because he's been able to work from home quite a bit so she gets to see him a lot more. He's loved being here in the mornings when she wakes up and is usually the happiest!

Dislikes -Always number one on this list is her car seat! Now that she can grab certain toys and see herself in the mirror, she's been a little better about it. She loves when I reach back and hold her hand but It's just not as safe so I try not too. She actually got me out of a ticket one night by crying in her car seat so the officer took pity on me and just gave me a warning so I could get home! Thanks, baby girl!! That is probably the only positive side to her hating her car seat. We are attempting to go with Dad to drill this month and stay with Aunt Shay, so this could be the longest four hours in a car. Fingers crossed she'll do well with me sitting back there and that she'll sleep most of the way. She also very much dislikes it when I don't get the bottle to her quick enough for her early morning feedings!

Mommy Update: I'm getting more and more adjusted to life as a SAHM every day! We aim for our daily walks more for me than for her. Taking daily walks would be my number one recommendation to every new mom out here. I just need them. Night time walks have become a favorite right before bed! The weather is perfect and it allows grace to just sit and wind down before bed. I am getting back into my podcasts and noticing a big difference in myself already. Podcasts would have to be my second recommendation because of the motivation and outlook they give you. Grace isn't really on a set schedule, more of just the routine way I've always taken care of her. Sleep. Wake. Eat. Play. Repeat. I have been researching the importance of a more set schedule and have started to help keep her on a more set one this past week with good results so far. I may even start sleep training this month...we'll see!