P.S.: I will be updating this post as I get more photos of her with everyone.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Time with Family and Friends
Now that we are moving soon, we are making an effort to spend extra time with family and friends. It has been so nice to see our extended family and friends that we don't see very much anymore since having the baby. I realized that I have tons of photos of Isabelle, just not very many of her with others. I've tried to remedy this by making sure to take pictures of her with the people that love this sweet girl. Enjoy!
P.S.: I will be updating this post as I get more photos of her with everyone.
My dad and Belle's Taa ("Taa" is Cambodian for grandfather). He was trying to get her to use a crayon and color this past Friday night. Dad was the same way with me growing up, always teaching and I'm grateful!
He brings Isabelle three storybooks every time he comes to visit and reads them to her. She is going to have a massive library.
My grandmother, me, and Belle. She is my stepdad's mother and I grew up living next door for many years in my childhood.
Isabelle checking Grandma out
Belle with her great-grandmother
P.S.: I will be updating this post as I get more photos of her with everyone.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
7 Months Old
Dear Belle,
I can't believe you are seven months old today! It seems like you just turned six months old yesterday, so I'm caught a little off guard that another month has already passed. I would say the biggest change with you this month are that you are finally teething! Earlier this week mommy felt your bottom front left tooth poke through. You don't seem to be in any pain, but you are chewing on everything like your pacifier, Sophie the giraffe, and fingers. Belle, you have become a pro at rolling over, and now whenever I put you on your belly you simply roll over which can make it difficult to do tummy time. We're not sure when you will crawl because it doesn't seem to interest you at the moment. Daddy has worked with you on sitting up this week, and you even sat up during your bath tonight with little help. We have a feeling you will be sitting up by next month for sure. Sweet girl you love to talk, babble, and even screech! We love to hear your voice so keep it up. Your newest trick is that you can now put your own pacifier in your mouth. One day, mommy was carrying you around and you even tried to put it in my mouth! Maybe I was talking to much and you wanted me to be quiet ;-)
Here are a few things I want to remember:
-You now wear size 3 diapers and 6 to 12 month clothes depending on the brand. Now that you are eating baby food, mom's learned not to spend a lot of money on clothes because they get stained so easily!
-You are eating more and more food every day, but you still are kind of a picky eater. If you don't want to eat something you let us know and fuss until we give you something you do like. I'm going to have to try and sneak some different foods in somehow. We tried puffs the other day, but you aren't quite ready for "solid" foods. You did have your first taste of watermelon and strawberries the other day and loved them!
-You take 5 to 6 six ounce bottles of Infamil baby formula a day and eat twice the amount of baby food than you did last month. We usually give you one container of vegetables and half a container of fruit at lunch and dinner. Some mornings you feel like eating oatmeal or cereal, and other mornings you just prefer a bottle.
-Isabelle, you will drink from your sippy cup when you are thirsty, but if you aren't it doesn't interest you. We still haven't gotten you to hold the cup on your own yet.
-You are still sleeping through the night. We put you to sleep from 8:00 to 8:30 p.m. and you wake up between 5:00 and 6:00 a.m.
-You naps vary during the day, but we have a feeling you are getting plenty of rest at Grandma's!
-You are a happy baby and love attention! We are happy to give it to you because we know this stage won't last long. Sweet girl, you are growing up too fast. Mommy and Daddy are trying to soak up every moment because you will be a toddler in a few short months. *Tear*
Representin' for Daddy's work. Don't you think that this face should be on a commercial?
Belle sitting up like a big girl in the bathtub tonight.
She was trying so hard to sit up on her own during the 7 month photo!
This girl loves her pacifier.
Teething, wonder how long it will take?
-
I can't believe you are seven months old today! It seems like you just turned six months old yesterday, so I'm caught a little off guard that another month has already passed. I would say the biggest change with you this month are that you are finally teething! Earlier this week mommy felt your bottom front left tooth poke through. You don't seem to be in any pain, but you are chewing on everything like your pacifier, Sophie the giraffe, and fingers. Belle, you have become a pro at rolling over, and now whenever I put you on your belly you simply roll over which can make it difficult to do tummy time. We're not sure when you will crawl because it doesn't seem to interest you at the moment. Daddy has worked with you on sitting up this week, and you even sat up during your bath tonight with little help. We have a feeling you will be sitting up by next month for sure. Sweet girl you love to talk, babble, and even screech! We love to hear your voice so keep it up. Your newest trick is that you can now put your own pacifier in your mouth. One day, mommy was carrying you around and you even tried to put it in my mouth! Maybe I was talking to much and you wanted me to be quiet ;-)
Here are a few things I want to remember:
-You now wear size 3 diapers and 6 to 12 month clothes depending on the brand. Now that you are eating baby food, mom's learned not to spend a lot of money on clothes because they get stained so easily!
-You are eating more and more food every day, but you still are kind of a picky eater. If you don't want to eat something you let us know and fuss until we give you something you do like. I'm going to have to try and sneak some different foods in somehow. We tried puffs the other day, but you aren't quite ready for "solid" foods. You did have your first taste of watermelon and strawberries the other day and loved them!
-You take 5 to 6 six ounce bottles of Infamil baby formula a day and eat twice the amount of baby food than you did last month. We usually give you one container of vegetables and half a container of fruit at lunch and dinner. Some mornings you feel like eating oatmeal or cereal, and other mornings you just prefer a bottle.
-Isabelle, you will drink from your sippy cup when you are thirsty, but if you aren't it doesn't interest you. We still haven't gotten you to hold the cup on your own yet.
-You are still sleeping through the night. We put you to sleep from 8:00 to 8:30 p.m. and you wake up between 5:00 and 6:00 a.m.
-You naps vary during the day, but we have a feeling you are getting plenty of rest at Grandma's!
-You are a happy baby and love attention! We are happy to give it to you because we know this stage won't last long. Sweet girl, you are growing up too fast. Mommy and Daddy are trying to soak up every moment because you will be a toddler in a few short months. *Tear*
Teething, wonder how long it will take?
-
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Before I Forget
Here's another random, before I forget post:
-Last Saturday morning we were still getting ready so we brought Belle into our room and laid her on the bed. We always place her head on a pillow like a "big girl" in the middle of the bed, and talk to her while we get dressed. The next thing I know, Sean says laughing, "Look at her!" All I see is a pillow with tiny feet sticking out from underneath. Now that she's older she decided that it would be fun to slide off the pillow, wiggle around, and end up with her entire body under the pillow. Oh, by the way, she thought it was hilarious. We ended up making a game of it and everytime we would lift the pillow off of her she would laugh and smile. I'm pretty sure this was her first attempt at playing hide-and-seek!
These photos aren't from the first time she played hide-and-seek, but it gives you an idea of her new favorite game:
-I bought her this jumper that hangs from a door thinking that she would love it because she loves to jump when we hold her and let her stand up in our laps. She doesn't know what to do when we put her in it and whines until we take her out. (Update: We have tried to put her in it more and she kind of enjoys it now, just not for long.)
-Sean discovered the other day that Belle loves to bounce on the bed. He laid her down and started making the bed bounce enough to were she would lift up in the air a bit. She thinks it is the best thing ever, and now I'm pretty sure she is a daredevil!
-This child is addicted to being outside, even in 100+ degree heat. So we oblige and take her on walks every evening. It works like clockwork, we put her in the stroller and she is asleep within 15 minutes.
-We figured out that babies get tired of eating the same thing, so now I'm trying to find new things to feed her. We can tell when she doesn't like something because she won't open her mouth and turns her head away. Green beans, no. Sweet peas, no Even fruits that are a bit tart, no. A delicious baked sweet potato, no. If she does like something she will open her mouth wide and makes noises like she wants more. For about a week I was feeding her oatmeal with mushed up banana for breakfast. She loved it and couldn't get enough. Then a few days ago I would try to feed it to her and she refused to eat it. So I switched things up a bit and gave her rice cereal and she gobbled it up. Apparently, this child needs variety! The hardest thing is trying to find foods that don't have too much texture because she doesn't have any teeth yet. I tried to feed her Baby Mum-Mums, but all she did was chew on it and would not swallow. At Kid's Day Out they said she ate puffs, but I have my doubts. I'm going to have to brainstorm a bit because I want her to be able to eat anything we eat pretty soon.
Sorry for the random post, but I want to jot these things down before I forget!
Here are some of my favorite photos from her six month photo shoot:
Yes, we are wearing matching dresses, and yes I love it! For some reason, Sean refused to match us ;-)
-Last Saturday morning we were still getting ready so we brought Belle into our room and laid her on the bed. We always place her head on a pillow like a "big girl" in the middle of the bed, and talk to her while we get dressed. The next thing I know, Sean says laughing, "Look at her!" All I see is a pillow with tiny feet sticking out from underneath. Now that she's older she decided that it would be fun to slide off the pillow, wiggle around, and end up with her entire body under the pillow. Oh, by the way, she thought it was hilarious. We ended up making a game of it and everytime we would lift the pillow off of her she would laugh and smile. I'm pretty sure this was her first attempt at playing hide-and-seek!
These photos aren't from the first time she played hide-and-seek, but it gives you an idea of her new favorite game:
-I bought her this jumper that hangs from a door thinking that she would love it because she loves to jump when we hold her and let her stand up in our laps. She doesn't know what to do when we put her in it and whines until we take her out. (Update: We have tried to put her in it more and she kind of enjoys it now, just not for long.)
-Sean discovered the other day that Belle loves to bounce on the bed. He laid her down and started making the bed bounce enough to were she would lift up in the air a bit. She thinks it is the best thing ever, and now I'm pretty sure she is a daredevil!
-This child is addicted to being outside, even in 100+ degree heat. So we oblige and take her on walks every evening. It works like clockwork, we put her in the stroller and she is asleep within 15 minutes.
-We figured out that babies get tired of eating the same thing, so now I'm trying to find new things to feed her. We can tell when she doesn't like something because she won't open her mouth and turns her head away. Green beans, no. Sweet peas, no Even fruits that are a bit tart, no. A delicious baked sweet potato, no. If she does like something she will open her mouth wide and makes noises like she wants more. For about a week I was feeding her oatmeal with mushed up banana for breakfast. She loved it and couldn't get enough. Then a few days ago I would try to feed it to her and she refused to eat it. So I switched things up a bit and gave her rice cereal and she gobbled it up. Apparently, this child needs variety! The hardest thing is trying to find foods that don't have too much texture because she doesn't have any teeth yet. I tried to feed her Baby Mum-Mums, but all she did was chew on it and would not swallow. At Kid's Day Out they said she ate puffs, but I have my doubts. I'm going to have to brainstorm a bit because I want her to be able to eat anything we eat pretty soon.
Sorry for the random post, but I want to jot these things down before I forget!
Here are some of my favorite photos from her six month photo shoot:
Monday, June 25, 2012
Daily Routine
Hello,
This may be a super boring post to most people, but I wanted to document what our lives are like with a baby before I forget. My friends with kids call it "baby amnesia," as soon as you pass a really tough stage you immediately forget it because if you remembered all the sleepless nights, crying fits, and running around like a chicken with your head cut off, you probably would not have another child. I will say that life is so much better now that Isabelle is sleeping most of the night, but it is very busy most days. Sean has been out of town for work alot so I have been doing it by myself about half of the time. When he gets home I am so relieved to have a helping hand! Here is a typical weekday for us:
4:30-5:00 a.m. Wake up and try to get ready for work as fast as possible. Isabelle will wake up anywhere between 4:30 to 6:00 a.m. most days so I try and get ready before she wakes up.
5:30-7:00 a.m. The baby wakes up, change her diaper and clothes, play with her a bit, feed her, and pack up her bottles and diaper bag. I also need to eat breakfast and straighten up the house a little bit before we head out the door. Sometimes she will eat and then fall back asleep. This catnap sometimes helps me get everything together for the day.
7:00-7:20 a.m. Drive the baby over to my mother-in-law's house. We made a decision to move a mile within the grandparents so we could have help. (This will all change with the big move in a few months, yikes!) She babysits Isabelle during the day, and is kind enough to take her to Kid's Day Out and pick her up for us twice a week. On those days that the baby goes to KDO, she comes home super tired because she doesn't nap well over there. On the days she stays with grandma all day, she usually is well-rested and stays up a little later.
7:20-8:00 a.m. Commute 30ish minutes to work.
Work from 8:00 to 5:00p.m. I usually try to run any errands that I need done (i.e. post office, Target, etc.) during my lunch break. Fortunately, my work has flexible hours so if I'm running late in the morning I can just work a little later in the afternoon.
5:00-5:30 p.m. Commute 30ish minutes home
5:30-6:00 p.m. Pick up the baby, gather all her things, and hear about how she did during the day.
6:00-7:00 p.m. Get home, unpack all the baby stuff, change into comfy clothes, try to find something for dinner. I used to love to cook, but most nights we just find what we can to eat or get take out. We do try to cook on the weekends. I can't wait to have time to cook again, I miss it!
7:00-8:30 p.m. Give the baby a bath, play with her, do tummy time, feed her, try to take a quick walk around the block with the stroller, and get her ready for bed.
8:30-9:00 p.m. Rock the baby to sleep (my favorite time of day, so peaceful)
9:00-10:00 p.m. Wash her bottles, prepare her bottles and baby food for the next day, re-pack her diaper bag. Check mail, do laundry if needed, pay bills if needed, take a shower, get ready for bed.
10:00-10:30 p.m. Fall into bed and pass out before I do it all over again the next day!
There you have it, a day in the life of a working mom!
This may be a super boring post to most people, but I wanted to document what our lives are like with a baby before I forget. My friends with kids call it "baby amnesia," as soon as you pass a really tough stage you immediately forget it because if you remembered all the sleepless nights, crying fits, and running around like a chicken with your head cut off, you probably would not have another child. I will say that life is so much better now that Isabelle is sleeping most of the night, but it is very busy most days. Sean has been out of town for work alot so I have been doing it by myself about half of the time. When he gets home I am so relieved to have a helping hand! Here is a typical weekday for us:
4:30-5:00 a.m. Wake up and try to get ready for work as fast as possible. Isabelle will wake up anywhere between 4:30 to 6:00 a.m. most days so I try and get ready before she wakes up.
5:30-7:00 a.m. The baby wakes up, change her diaper and clothes, play with her a bit, feed her, and pack up her bottles and diaper bag. I also need to eat breakfast and straighten up the house a little bit before we head out the door. Sometimes she will eat and then fall back asleep. This catnap sometimes helps me get everything together for the day.
7:00-7:20 a.m. Drive the baby over to my mother-in-law's house. We made a decision to move a mile within the grandparents so we could have help. (This will all change with the big move in a few months, yikes!) She babysits Isabelle during the day, and is kind enough to take her to Kid's Day Out and pick her up for us twice a week. On those days that the baby goes to KDO, she comes home super tired because she doesn't nap well over there. On the days she stays with grandma all day, she usually is well-rested and stays up a little later.
7:20-8:00 a.m. Commute 30ish minutes to work.
Work from 8:00 to 5:00p.m. I usually try to run any errands that I need done (i.e. post office, Target, etc.) during my lunch break. Fortunately, my work has flexible hours so if I'm running late in the morning I can just work a little later in the afternoon.
5:00-5:30 p.m. Commute 30ish minutes home
5:30-6:00 p.m. Pick up the baby, gather all her things, and hear about how she did during the day.
6:00-7:00 p.m. Get home, unpack all the baby stuff, change into comfy clothes, try to find something for dinner. I used to love to cook, but most nights we just find what we can to eat or get take out. We do try to cook on the weekends. I can't wait to have time to cook again, I miss it!
7:00-8:30 p.m. Give the baby a bath, play with her, do tummy time, feed her, try to take a quick walk around the block with the stroller, and get her ready for bed.
8:30-9:00 p.m. Rock the baby to sleep (my favorite time of day, so peaceful)
9:00-10:00 p.m. Wash her bottles, prepare her bottles and baby food for the next day, re-pack her diaper bag. Check mail, do laundry if needed, pay bills if needed, take a shower, get ready for bed.
10:00-10:30 p.m. Fall into bed and pass out before I do it all over again the next day!
There you have it, a day in the life of a working mom!
Diva aka Princess
The little one is doing well, she is growing up and has a little personality! Sean calls her a "diva" but I would like to refer to her as a "princess." For example, we went to church yesterday and put her in the nursery while we attended the service. She has been going to Kid's Day Out for a few weeks without major problems so we figured the nursery would be fine. (Side note: At KDO, the workers said that one day her and a little baby boy stared at each other for a long time. I texted Sean that she had a boyfriend and he said for a split second that he was a little upset, until he realized she is just a baby! I have a feeling he is going to be one protective papa when she gets older :-) About halfway through the service, her number popped up on the screen and I had to go get her. The lady said she did everything she could to soothe her, but nothing was working. As soon as I picked her up she stopped crying and gave me the look of, "Save me!" I took her into the service with me and she was happy as could be. After church was over, Sean took her back into the nursery to get her diaper bag and he said as soon as she saw the room and looked around she started whining again. It was like she was saying to him in a panic, "Don't leave me here again!" The entire rest of the day, Belle was in a good mood and happy to have the undivided attention of her parents. She loves to be the center of attention! Oh goodness, I wonder how she'll take it when a little brother/sister comes in the picture. There are definitely worse things in life than having a baby that loves you so much that she can't stand to be away from you. I have to say, the feeling is mutual. Have a great week everyone!
P.S.: Here is a sneak peek from Isabelle's six month photo shoot, can't you tell she loves attention.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
6 Months Old
Isabelle turned six months old on 6/12/12 and I can't believe she is this old already! We are enjoying this age so much because she interacts with us now. I love being able to make her smile, laugh, and show her new things. Here's a little update on what our baby has been up to this month:
-Belle, at your six-month check up you weighed 15 pounds 3.5 ounces (34%), 25 inches long (24%), and your head circumference is 16 inches (7%). You are a growing, happy girl!
-You finally started sleeping through the night consistently. We worked hard sleep training you, and now we can get some rest! You sleep in your crib in a sleep sack. We put you to sleep between 8:30-9pm and you wake up anytime between 5-7am. You also wake up so happy! I love waking up to you babbling on the baby monitor, and when I go to your room to get you out of bed you smile and kick :)
-We started feeding you baby food and you love eating. So far we have tried squash, sweet potatoes, bananas, avocado, green beans, carrots and pears. Belle loved all the foods except for avocado. When I fed it to her she literally gagged. She eats 6-7 6 oz. bottles a day, a serving of baby food at lunch and a second serving of baby food before she goes to bed. The doctor recommended that we give Belle a sippy cup of water when she eats so she can learn to drink from it. I can't believe we are already to the point of training her to not use a bottle.
-You still love going outside! Your favorite place to be is in the Baby Bjorn or in your stroller. You also love taking baths, but you have outgrown your infant tub. You aren't quite sitting up yet, so we have to hold you up for now in the tub. Just the other night you splashed and played like I have never seen before and we don't mind the mess at all.
-We can tell you want to crawl because when we do tummy time you get frustrated that you can't move where you want to go. You can crawl on your belly in a circle, but can't quite propel yourself forward yet. You have rolled from your stomach to your back, but not from your back to your stomach yet. Belle, sweetie, you finally found your toes this month! It is so cute seeing you do your "gymnastics".
-You have also found your voice! Belle loves to babble, blow bubbles, yell, and even whisper. We love hearing her sweet voice and it never gets old. Daddy is the best at getting you to laugh, but every now and then I can make her smile, melt my heart.
Mommy and Daddy love you so much, Belle! We are soaking in every moment we can with her. Praise God for a healthy, happy daughter.
Daddy makes this girl laugh alot!
Happy Half-Birthday Isabelle!
Hanging out in the Baby Bjorn, we love summer.
Sitting in her crib at Grandma's. Can't you tell she loves it there.
-Belle, at your six-month check up you weighed 15 pounds 3.5 ounces (34%), 25 inches long (24%), and your head circumference is 16 inches (7%). You are a growing, happy girl!
-You finally started sleeping through the night consistently. We worked hard sleep training you, and now we can get some rest! You sleep in your crib in a sleep sack. We put you to sleep between 8:30-9pm and you wake up anytime between 5-7am. You also wake up so happy! I love waking up to you babbling on the baby monitor, and when I go to your room to get you out of bed you smile and kick :)
-We started feeding you baby food and you love eating. So far we have tried squash, sweet potatoes, bananas, avocado, green beans, carrots and pears. Belle loved all the foods except for avocado. When I fed it to her she literally gagged. She eats 6-7 6 oz. bottles a day, a serving of baby food at lunch and a second serving of baby food before she goes to bed. The doctor recommended that we give Belle a sippy cup of water when she eats so she can learn to drink from it. I can't believe we are already to the point of training her to not use a bottle.
-You still love going outside! Your favorite place to be is in the Baby Bjorn or in your stroller. You also love taking baths, but you have outgrown your infant tub. You aren't quite sitting up yet, so we have to hold you up for now in the tub. Just the other night you splashed and played like I have never seen before and we don't mind the mess at all.
-We can tell you want to crawl because when we do tummy time you get frustrated that you can't move where you want to go. You can crawl on your belly in a circle, but can't quite propel yourself forward yet. You have rolled from your stomach to your back, but not from your back to your stomach yet. Belle, sweetie, you finally found your toes this month! It is so cute seeing you do your "gymnastics".
-You have also found your voice! Belle loves to babble, blow bubbles, yell, and even whisper. We love hearing her sweet voice and it never gets old. Daddy is the best at getting you to laugh, but every now and then I can make her smile, melt my heart.
Mommy and Daddy love you so much, Belle! We are soaking in every moment we can with her. Praise God for a healthy, happy daughter.
Life Lately
Here's a little update on our life lately. Sean has been training for months to open his own insurance agency and we are in the final stretch. We've also put our house for sale so we can move soon to our new town. We won't be near any family or friends, so that means Belle will have to go to daycare. I'm a little nervous about how she will do because right now she has only been cared for by us, Sean's mom, my mom, and occasionally my friend, Sarah. To prepare her for this big change, we decided to enroll her in Kids Day Out at a local church. It meets two days a week for only part of the day, and today was her first day. When we went to pick her up we knew she had not done well when we saw one of the workers holding her in the hallway asleep in her arms. Apparently she did really good up until the afternoon, then she fell asleep in the swing, woke up and didn't recognize where she was and screamed. They were afraid she would wake up the other babies so she had to taken out into the hall. Poor thing, hopefully, going to KDO twice a week for the summer will get her used to new people. Also, I left the baby for the first time ever this month. I went to South Fork, Colorado for my good friend, Leah's, wedding. It was one of the most beautiful weddings I have ever been to because the Rocky Mountains were in the background. The reception was so fun with drinks, dinner, and dancing! I was gone four days, and Sean did an amazing job keeping the baby by himself. We made sure she was sleeping through the night before I left and I think that made a big difference. I enjoyed being a bridesmaid in the wedding and seeing my friends, but I was ready to get home. I literally ran in the door and kissed Belle all over her face! I have a feeling that I won't be leaving her again anytime soon. Life has been a little crazy lately with me working full-time, Sean traveling for work, and raising a 6-month-old, but I wouldn't trade my life for anything in the world.
I love these girls: Me, Leah, and Sarah. We're attending our 10 year high school reunion together in July, time flies!
The newlyweds: Chace and Leah I am so glad Leah has found happiness, she deserves it.
My younger brother, Eric, graduated from high school in May. He gave a speech at graduation because he was in the top of his class and he did an amazing job. It is hard to believe he is all grown up!
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