December 18, 2017 by Stephanie

Daphne-7 Months

Weight: She is 15 lbs. At her check up, she was in the 7% for weight, 25 inches tall (10%), 42.5 inches head circumference (50%). Our peds said that she is doing well enough with growing that we don’t have to keep coming back in with extra checkups. I feel that she is gaining weight when I hold her, but I don’t feel like the scale reflects it!

Health: Besides a diaper rash (which I think comes with the territory with solid food poop), she has been healthy this month.

Diet: We started supplementing soon after she turned 6 months. One thing I told myself this time around was that I was not going to work myself to death to exclusively breastfeed. I don’t want to get to a point where I am a slave to pumping to make enough. So during the week, she gets one formula bottle. For the most part on the weekends, we get by with just breastmilk. Sometimes when we are out and about, I will take a small formula bottle to get through our outing. I am feeling pretty good about this whole thing because at this time with George we were almost completely weaned off and only down to one nursing feeding a day and no pumps. The no-stress/no-pressure approach has been working for us! She has also really gotten into solid food this month. She eats oatmeal at lunch, and then dinner is where we explore with whatever we happen to be eating that day. She has tried all kinds of new things: broccoli, mashed potatoes, fries, apples, eggs, cous cous, peaches, peas, meatloaf, and salmon. Her favorites are broccoli, meatloaf, and mashed potatoes. We are doing mostly a baby led weaning approach, but we have done some purees.

Clothes: She just went up to 3-6 month clothes. She is in a size 2 diaper, and size 1 shoe.

Sleeping: We have hit a hiccup with her sleeping. Our peds wants us to transition her out of the magic sleep suit because she has been full mobile now with rolling over for awhile. She is afraid Daphne doesn’t have the mobility and range she needs while sleeping. Plus, her flat spot is coming back again. So we are trying to transition her to the Halo Sleepsack at nap times right now. Her nap times have been cut in half, and she fights going to sleep really hard in that thing. She rolls over in that thing a lot more, and I am panicked that she is going to die with her face in the sheet so it is hard to do anything while she is attempting sleep. I have been looking at the Zipadee-Zip to help, but the sizing is throwing me off. We are still using the magic suit at night, and she is still sleeping through the night (8pm-6:30am). She won’t sleep in past 6:30.

Likes: Eating. Me. Chewing on her sleeve to go to sleep or chewing on her burp cloths. Any teething toy and George’s mega blocks. Tom’s voice. Puppy Dog Pals theme song. George. Her own feet.

Dislikes: She still hates a dirty diaper, but even more so now that her poops have changed with the food intake.

Milestones: She started CRAWLING! She is getting faster and faster. She will finally let Tom pick her up without crying for me. While she was sitting up on her own last month, I wanted to note that the pediatrician was surprised at how well she was doing with that.

Nicknames: Sister Friend, Girlfriend, Chunker Cheeks, Daphie, and Daph. Most of the time it is still Sister.

Quirks: She does this thing with her hand where her palm is stretched out all the time. See below. It takes a lot to get her to belly laugh, but when she does it is such a good deep laugh. She has started using a pacy more, which is beneficial. However she only likes the one they sent her home with from the hospital. She wont even use the same brand in a different color.

We parents are: doing pretty good and getting into the holiday spirit! I cannot believe Christmas is a week away! Tom has been on day shift which I always love because it is just more time at home all together. I also got a promotion at work. My boss got a huge promotion to another part of the institution, so I was named Interim Director of my department until we do a search. It has been kind of a whirlwind of a month with the added duties and the new learning curve. It’s definitely a great opportunity to advocate more for students.

George is: the perfect big brother. He thinks Sister is his best friend, and is always telling her how much he loves her. He likes to get her toys for her, and if she is crying he tries consoling her with her pacy. He also helps me sing to her at night and “tuck” her into bed. It is seriously the sweetest little thing.

The dogs are: going to be 7 this week! That is even more crazy than Daph being 7 months old! Grace has been a little off this month. I don’t know what her deal is, but she has been going potty at the front door a few nights while we are sleeping. Tom is a light sleeper, and she doesn’t even let him know she needs to go until after she has already done the deed. They are loving Daph eating in her high chair though. Crosby is pretty much always at her side.

Sweet Daph. You are such a joy to watch.

Here is George at this age.

November 18, 2017 by Stephanie

Daphne-6 Months

Weight: She is 14 lbs. We don’t go in for her check up until after Thanksgiving, so we’ll see what our doctor has to say about her weight. I am a little worried that she isn’t growing, although not for a lack of trying from all parties.

Health: She has been a happy and perfectly healthy baby this month!

Diet: We made it to 6 months of exclusively breastfeeding! After my experience with George, I never thought I would make it this long. She has been on a nursing strike this past week, but I was determined to make it work for 6 months. I really need to write about it because it has been a completely different experience this time. I nurse her once in the morning and once in the evening. She has three bottles during the day to coordinate with the three times I am pumping at work. Since she is a really good sleeper, I do pump one more time before I go to bed. This helps because she is eating 5oz bottles during the day, and I am only pumping 3 oz at a time. So this extra pump plus our stash in the freezer is making up the difference. On the weekends, I exclusively breastfeed her, and I still will pump at least once a day if not twice. In the past two weeks, we did start introducing solid food with her. We have done avocados, carrots, bananas, bread and sweet potatoes. She seems indifferent about the process most of the time. However, she is very grabby whenever she sees your food, plate, or cup in your hands.

Clothes: She is still in 3 month clothes. She is in a size 2 diaper (which we found a brand that she doesn’t blow through). She is wearing a size 1 shoe.

Sleeping: This girl is a sleeping champ. She loves her rest. She takes two naps a day. Her bedtime is 8pm. On the weekdays, she will sleep until I wake her up at 6:30am. On the weekends, she doesn’t wake up until around 7:30/8 am. Bless you child. We do have to have her in the magic sleepsuit otherwise she is all over the place. She does not nap in your arms at all. It’s a miracle that she snoozes at all when I have her in the baby wrap carrier. She does cry a little bit at night when we put her down, but she is usually asleep within minutes.

Likes: She started using a pacy again this month. I think this is mostly because she uses it as a teether, but it has been helpful. She does not use it to sleep. She likes Tom’s voice. She loves me the most to hold her. She loves to chew on cloth; her favorite teether is a cloth giraffe. She adores Crosby. She is still obsessed with football.

Dislikes: She still hates a dirty diaper. She hates to be still. She is always rolling around, and I am pretty sure she may be crawling soon.

Milestones: She has her first two bottom teeth. We saw a little extra fussiness right before they broke through, but the teething wasn’t too bad this first go at it. She had her first road trip this month with a trip to Iowa, and we are currently coming back from a trip from Texas. She also had her first Halloween, and she went as Amelia Earhart. She has figured out how to manipulate things with her hands, and she sits up super well.

Nicknames: Sister Friend, Daphie, Daph. Most of the time it is still Sister.

Quirks: When she is nursing she likes to scratch, whether it is me or the cloth on the chair we are sitting in. She is extremely aware of her surroundings. She is super smiley, but it is not predictable so it can be hard to catch on camera.

We parents are: doing alright. It has been a busy month with Tom on evening shift, and with our trips. I am constantly feeling like I am behind at work, but hopefully things will slow down with the breaks coming up. We have also had some serious student issue this semester that I have been in the thick of which can be difficult on my work time but also mentally to deal with. I have pretty much neglected working out, and I am really feeling it. Hopefully after this week of traveling, I can get back into it.

George is: seriously the best. He is so sweet to Daphie. He wants to hold her all the time, but he loves to fall back with her while doing so. He also loves to pick out books for her to read, and he wants to play with her except she can’t play with his cars.

The dogs are: good. Crosby is kind of a nut right now with his barking. Daph is starting to notice them more and more though and reaches out to them. And of course they are already circling around her for scraps of food or extra spit up.

These past 6 months have gone so fast, but at the same time I feel like I have known her my whole life.

This next month will be big I have a feeling, so I can’t wait to see how she reacts to life.

Here is George at six months.

October 18, 2017 by Stephanie

Daphne-5 Months

Weight: She is at 13 lbs. She is not really gaining weight. At her 4 month check up, our pediatrician said that she went from the 37th percentile at 2 months to now being in the 5th percentile for weight. She is good on all her other measurements, it’s just her weight. We had to go back in for a recheck, and she gained enough weight that we don’t have to go back until her normal 6 months, but not enough that she is still concerned and basically said we need to feed her more.

Health: She had her first cold this past month. Everyone in the house got it so that was fun.

Diet: She is doing a really good job eating even if the scale says she isn’t gaining weight. She is eating 4-5 oz three times a day while I am at work. I nurse her once in the morning and once before she goes to bed. She will sometimes eat a 2 oz bottle around our dinner time, but it honestly depends on the day. Oh she is still on just breastmilk. I don’t know how much longer that will be, I have been getting in my freezer stash to meet her demands. I am still pumping once before I go to bed too, but I am just not making enough to meet what she eats while I am away. I do not react to fenugreek which is the main ingredient in most lactation supplements. I was spending a lot on lactation cookies, but it wasn’t really doing anything for me either. I have tried all kinds of things-oats, gatorade, flaxseed in my smoothies, drinking gallons of water, and more. So if there are any other tricks people have without having to bend over backwards to make my supply higher, I am all ears. We did give her some rice cereal, but she didn’t seem super fond of it, so it hasn’t been consistent.

Clothes: She is sitting just fine in 3 month clothes. She can still fit into some 0-3, and we haven’t even gotten out 3-6 month stuff out yet. She is wearing size 2 diapers and size 1 shoe.

Sleeping: We are so blessed. She is still sleeping through the night (8pm-6:30/7am). She takes two naps during the day. Girl needs her beauty rest. We did start using the Magic Sleep Suit, and I have to say I am a fan. Especially since she is a huge fan of being on her tummy, this suit is giving me the piece of mind that she won’t suffocate. She was sleeping through the night before we used this suit, but I think this is helping her feel swaddled without being swaddled since she loved that so much.

Likes: She has a stuffed octopus that she loves! She love chewing on cloth. Either her bib or her hands are in her mouth at all times. She thinks it is super funny when I do squats while holding her. She is all about tummy time. She likes to eat, so I am not sure how she isn’t gaining weight. She is so happy when you wake her up. I get the biggest smiles out of her in the morning! She love music and football. She is one of those babies who can be screaming and if you put on football she calms down immediately. It’s great. She also loves Tom’s voice. he can get some pretty great smiles out of her. Daddy’s girl in the making.

Dislikes: She does not like a dirty diaper, or diaper changes in general. She hates being on her back. She rolls over within seconds of putting her on her back. She also doesn’t like being held like she is laying down either.

Milestones: She is rolling all the way around. She is a pro at getting from her back to her belly. It’s funny though that she typically only goes to her left, which is what we originally were having issues with her torticollus. She can sit up on her own. She can’t get to the seated position on her own, but once there she is good. She is a lot more engaged in things. She loves to watch and take things in. She has started noticing the dogs more and more lately too.

Nicknames: Sister Friend, Girlfriend, Sweet Cheeks, DC, Daphie, and Daph. Most of the time it is still Sister. My mom calls her Princess Buttercup.

Quirks: This girl has so many blowouts. We have tried 3 different brands, and there isn’t one that she hasn’t made a huge mess out of. Pampers is the absolute worst for her, which is funny because it was our favorite with George. I have had to throw a few clothes away because I just don’t have the energy to try to save them from her blowouts. She also has a sixth sense when I am in the building. When we are out and about she cannot stand to be with anyone else but me.

We parents are: doing ok. I will be honest this month has taken a toll on us for reasons I cannot share here. It has been emotionally draining but we are coming out stronger for it. Sorry to be vague, but some things are meant to be private. We have gotten a lot of family time this month though so that has been nice. We are mostly done with the house construction, so that is huge! We have a few minor things still to do, but we aren’t living with tools out every where anymore which is awesome.

George is: a great big brother. We have family story time before we go to bed, and George loves to pick out the books to read with Sister. He also asks for her to play with him in the morning. He is now staying home full time with my mom, and he is doing so good with that. He still misses his friends, but he is liking all the activities my mom has for him and he has been getting more time with Tom which he loves. He is super helpful with Daphne too. He gets burp cloths and diapers for me when I ask, and he always wants to help her if she is crying.

The dogs are: living the dream. They are hardly downstairs in their dog space because generally someone is always home now. So they really have nothing to complain about.

We love you Daphie Girl. Your smile is warming hearts all over!

September 18, 2017 by Stephanie

Daphne-4 Months

Daphie Girl is four months old today.

Weight: 13 lbs. Half of that is in her cheeks.

Health: She has been doing pretty great. We do not have to go to physical therapy anymore for torticollus. She has a slight bump on the right side of her head, which does mean she has to work harder to roll over. However the PT said that she is so strong and moving so well that they are confident that will subside as she grows. It is not noticeable to really anyone who doesn’t see her every day. We are still doing daily exercises with her to make sure that she doesn’t lean more on the right side and get lopsided. Overall she is doing really well with them.

Diet: I am really proud of myself. At this point with George, we had to start supplementing with formula because I just wasn’t making enough. I have been doing really great with keeping up with her demands so far. Since she sleeps through the night I also pump an extra time before I go to bed. That’s mostly so my boobs aren’t rocks in the morning, but it has been nice to stock up some with that extra pump (or fill in when I had a low pump).

Clothes: She is still in 0-3 month clothes. She is in a size 2 diaper.

Sleeping: This girl is such a good sleeper. She goes to bed at 8pm and does not wake up until I get her at 6:30 to feed her before I leave for work. On the weekends, she will make it almost 12 hours before stirring. She takes one long nap during the day (generally in the morning), and she will take cat naps in the afternoon. I think she sleeps so well because of being swaddled. She will whimper a bit at first being a baby burrito, but within a few minutes she is out like a light. We are still using a sleep sack swaddle, and I am dreading the day when she starts rolling from back to tummy. I have been looking at the magic sleep suits for this transition. Anyone use one? Thoughts?

Likes: Me-I am apparently the ultimate pacifier. Eating. Funny faces. Standing (assisted). She loves tummy time, which I know makes her very rare. Mornings-she is such a happy baby in the morning. She loves show tunes. I haven’t found a song yet that she doesn’t respond to with smiles when I sing to her. (That’s my girl!) She also likes to suck on her fingers. She likes her head to be rubbed, and she has even started rubbing her hair on her own.

Dislikes: Unless she is sleeping, she does not like laying down. She needs to be sitting up or standing to watch what is happening. She doesn’t even like to lay her head on your shoulder. She still hates a dirty diaper. She is not the biggest fan of swings.

Milestones: She sits up pretty well in the Bumbo. I think we need to get her bouncy activity center out because of how much she loves being in a standing position. She is rolling a lot more, and I am afraid that rolling both ways is going to be happening soon. Right now she just rolls from belly to back. She has started giggling too, which is fun to hear.

Nicknames: Sister Friend, Girlfriend, Sweet Cheeks, DC, Daphie, Daph, and Daphne June. Most of the time it is Sister or Daphie Girl. The other day, I was trying to calm her down, and I kept saying Daphie, and George would respond with Girl. It was super sweet.

Quirks: Anytime she is in the Z vibrating chair at home, she has a blowout. She enjoys the sh*t out of that chair. But honestly, she has pooped/peed on me more times in 4 months than George has in 3 years (including potty training). She has a real knack of starting that crap when you are changing her diaper.

We parents are: TIRED. With the start of school, my brain has been going non-stop, which is a little exhausting. I have been trying to get up early to work out, and I do that late pump at 10:30, so that cuts into my sleep time. Tom has been working constantly on the house when he isn’t at work, so he has been exhausted lately as well. We are slowly tearing away at the living room renovation. Tom has been working himself ragged on the project. We hope to be done by the beginning of October.

George is: THREE! He had his birthday this last month, which is always a good time. He is still doing so well with sister friend. (I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop…) He is still at the sitter for the time being, but Daphne is staying home with my mom now. He asks for her a lot on our way to the sitter or home, saying he misses her or we need to go get her. He has asked to hold her a couple times.

The dogs are: just loving life. They really are doing ok with the new baby and new house. No big complaints.

Here is George’s 4 month update. These kids are so different.

Sweet baby girl, you are starting to react more to us, and we are loving watching you grow.

August 26, 2017 by Stephanie

George Turns Three

To the boy that made me a momma,

I have loved watching you grow this year., and I can’t believe how much you have changed in just 365 days. I feel like I am taking this birthday harder than I have the last two. It seems as though this time you really have outgrown being my baby. Maybe it is how you talk and play. Maybe it is because we have another baby in the house. Maybe it’s just what happens.

I have loved seeing your personality really develop this year into a sweet charismatic little boy. You are so fun, and you make me laugh every day.

You are so passionate and determined when you play. Your obsession with trucks and trains has only grown over the year. And you want to rescue every animal in sight, which lets me know how caring your heart is.

I see bits of both your dad and I in you.

You are so cautious when you meet new people, but once you get to know them-hold on. You love so hard and are very attached to your people.

Your eyes light up when you are able to work on a project with your daddy. You are very hands on and see the world in a way to build it up again.

You have no time for nonsense, and you want to make the most out of every ounce of the day. You are non-stop from the moment you wake up until the moment you go back to bed.

This is the year you have learned to pray, and I look forward to hearing what your are thankful for every day. (My favorite is that you still say thanks for Henry (Honey) and Arlo even though you haven’t seen these friends in months.) Talking about faith and prayer with you has not only grown me closer to you, but also to God.

While you still have your moments of Mr. Indepedence (aka Defiance), you are getting so much better at helping and being a good listener.

We have seen you learn new things like becoming a puzzle master and heard your vocabulary grow everyday. You are so very smart, and I know big things are in store for you.

You remind me each day to pay attention to the little things and soak up the moments where you ask me to “hold you” or for just one more kiss. I love seeing you get excited when you see train tracks or the fire house to wave to the firemen and say goodnight to the trucks when they aren’t out. I love how you have made a walk to the mailbox as exhilarating as a trip to the moon.

I know some days I am not the most patient with you, but you have taught me more about forgiveness and enduring love when you still want to snuggle even though we may have spent the afternoon both in tantrums.

One of my greatest joys however was watching you become a big brother this year. You are so sweet to your sister, and I can already tell that you are going to have a great bond. I have been so proud of you and how easy you have taken on this new role.

Over the last three years, I have watched you become you. It’s bittersweet for sure. I have watched you go from being a NICU baby to now being taller than every kid your age. It was exciting to see you take your first steps, but now it’s heartbreaking at times to see you run to play on your own. I remember the excitement hearing you gurgle for the first time, now we get to have actual conversations with each other and at times I am so overwhelmed by emotions I almost burst into tears from hearing your little sentences. I miss how little you were, but I am thrilled to see you continue to grow. I know that ultimately my job is to send you out into the world to make it a better place.

I have wanted to be a mommy my whole life, and God knew what he was doing when He gave me you first so we could go on this journey together. You have taught me how to be a mommy, and I am so thankful for every second of playing trains and reading a million books with you.

I pray for your future and I pray for God to give me the strength I need to let you go and grow.

I am so happy to be your mommy, and I have cherished these last three years with you so much. And even thought it’s not just us anymore and we have said goodbye to you being a baby, you will always be my first born and the one who stole my heart as a mommy. So no matter what changes or how crazy this world gets, my favorite thing is watching you become you.