Comparing Pics

I took some pics of P in the christening gown today since I didn't get any of just her on Sunday.

This is me on the left at (almost) 6 months old and P on the right at 8 months.  We sort of look alike except my head was longer and hers is chubby! 

Seriously, 8 Months?!

Could she be ANY cuter?  Doubt it.

Where has time gone?  Today my sweet baby turned 8 months old.  I honestly feel like it was just yesterday that I first saw her little face.  She has grown and changed SO much in the last 8 months it is amazing to me.  She has such a cute personality and is so laid back which is a huge change from the first few rough months where she was a bit on the fussy side (errr...a lot fussy).  She is such a diva, posing for pictures and definitely lets you know if she doesn't like something.  

Things she is doing now

She is SO close to crawling she gets up on her hands and knees and rocks back and forth.  She moves her legs forward but she hasn't quite got the hang of moving her arms forward and will just face plant.

She also does the plank position all the time.  She is going to be so strong if she keeps it up.

She is still toothless and I check every day to see if anything has popped through but nothing.  I'm not really sad since...

We are still breastfeeding!  She eats food twice a day.  In the morning she will eat 2oz of fruit with some oatmeal.  In the evening she eats 4oz of food (anything!  she loves to eat!) and then breastfeeds.  She breastfeeds about 4 times a day still.

She does NOT like solids very much.  She gags on puffs or anything like that.  It freaks me out but I keep trying because I know she has to learn to do it.

She is sleeping really well and usually sleeps from 7:30-5:30am.  FINALLLLLLLY!!!

She giggles and talks all day.  She is going to be a little talker just like mommy.

She is such a blessing.  I honestly can't imagine my life without her.  All the way home today I was just staring at her and thinking how lucky I am to be her mommy.  We are so, so, so lucky.

One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism

Our sweet baby girl was Christened on Sunday.  It was extra special since she was wearing the gown I wore 27 years ago and she was Christened in the same church that I was (and by the same pastor that married us).  

It was a really great service.  Afterwards, we all headed to my mom's house nearby for snacks, cake, and some presents for the girl!  Everyone got a long, there wasn't any drama and even Dustin said I was better about letting people hold and love on P (I am such a germ freak and over protective).  

Parents, Pastor, and godparents!

All the Grandparents except mine who had to make an early exit because my grandpa wasn't doing so well - he's been pretty sick :(

The day was even more special because two of the girls from my mom group that I have talked to since I found out I was expecting pretty much came to the party and we all met for the first time!  Our babies got to meet and play with each other although P didn't last very long after they arrived because she had such a busy day and was completely worn out.  

Overall it was a great day.

Seriously Thursday

Jumping on the blogging bandwagon this week and I'm going to partcipate in this Seriously Thursday thing :)

Seriously...What is with people taking offense to EVERYTHING.  What happened to the days when friends could talk like normal human beings?  And what happened to acting like an adult.  I'm not only an adult, I'm a mother.  And I act like both of those things.  Seriously, stop the drama.   You only make yourself look stupid.

Seriously...we have such a busy few weeks ahead of us.  Today I've been running around like a chicken with my head chopped off preparing for P's christening.  It's happening in Michigan at my old church (the same one I was christened in and the same pastor that married us) since we haven't become members at the one here yet.  I seriously, hate the drive back home.  

Seriously...wish my back would stop hurting.  I am SO annoyed with my primary care doctor.  In fact, I'm so annoyed/pissed off I refuse to go back there.  I've had back pain on and off since being pregnant.  I finally broke down and went to the doctor again (well my midwife sent me to PT while pregnant and it helped a lot) for it.  The stupid chick spent literally 2 minutes talking to me, told me she thinks its hilarious when people come in and say they threw out their back having sex (this was not my case at all by the way ha ha) and then prescribed me muscle relaxers telling me I may be drowsy and sleep through my baby crying.  UH.....I think asked if they were ok for nursing mothers and she said yep no problem.  I decided to double check with the lactation consultants just to be sure and I'm glad I did because they said that taking that medicine is a big fat NO GO.  I was so pissed off that the doctor didn't even bother to even check to make sure and just said it was fine.  To mess with me is one thing, to mess with P, sh*ts gonna hit the fan.  I obviously did not fill the prescription and got the name of a chiropractor from lactation anyway (the same one who came to our childbirth classes to talk).  She was able to get me right in and after one session I already am feeling some relief.  So SERIOUSLY....can I find a more homeopathic doctor like P's pediatrician for me!! I hate doctors that just throw pills at you.  Seriously, way to keep the drug companies in business!

Seriously...I thought it was summer where the heck are all my 80-90 degree days?!?!  Bring it ON summer!!  I hate the rain, the gloom, and the cold.  You can keep your humidity though.

Father's Day

This weekend was pretty low key, like most weekends around here.  Saturday we met our friends and their kids and went to prairiefest.  They had delicious carnival food, and I had a funnel cake!  They had a carnival and booths set up selling stuff, a petting zoo, all sorts of crap.  I was amazed at how many bow and tutu booths there were.  I wish I would have set up shop because the tutus were all horrible looking.  Not to be conceited but mine are so much better made (with such cute waistbands) and CHEAPER than the crap these ladies were selling!  Just saying....

Anyway, after prairiefest we went to dinner at this really nice golf course.  P was such a good girl the whole time and enjoyed seeing all the people.  At dinner, I gave her pieces of turkey and she really liked it.  I bought some turkey to make her some baby food yesterday.  I think she will really enjoy it.

On Father's Day we didn't really do much.  I have already given Dustin his presents the day before.  P and I got him a bunch of random stuff.  Some t-shirts, a new pair of sanuk sandals (my favorites that I get everyone addicted to), a new wallet, and a bracelet (they actually used the bracelet I bought him on their site! check it out).  We didn't do much, we went to church (we finally found a church we like here), and grabbed some Jimmy John's after and went home and relaxed!  P was so good in church and didn't even fuss at all.  A few times she was 'talking' but she wasn't loud and it was mostly while everyone was singing or music was playing.  She LOVES music.

I am having serious issues with my back again.  I did while I was pregnant for awhile and had to do physical therapy for a few months.  It's back to that.  I can barely walk, lift p, or sleep.  I finally broke down and called the Dr. today.  I always feel like a hypochondriac going to the dr. but I can't live like this.  ouch.

I forgot to mention that we bought p a little music table and she LOVES it.

Dustin's Fathers Day Card

I use shutterfly allll the time.  I have been making photobooks of P since the day she was born and already have 5 of them!  I decided to use them to make a father's day card from P to her daddy since they offered a code for 5 free cards!  They turned out pretty cute :)

Picture In Portrait 5x7 folded card

Send custom cards from Shutterfly for St. Patrick's Day.

View the entire collection of cards.

The Smith's Visit!

We were so excited this week to have the Smith family visiting!  Danielle and I have known each other since I was about 17ish.  We found out we were pregnant about a week apart and P was born on Rylee's due date.  I was so excited to see them and meet Rylee.

Meeting for the first time!

Their first day here we just relaxed and hung out.  We took them to dinner at an authentic Chicago restaurant, Portillo's.  It was yummy.  The next day Dustin had an appointment so he couldn't join us but Danielle, Jeremy, me and the girls headed into Chicago to visit Shedd Aquarium.  It was SO busy and we were a little annoyed that since one of the dolphins gave birth they shut down the whole section of the aquarium so we weren't able to see the best part, the dolphins, beluga whales, and sea lions!!  It was pretty fun though and P seemed to really enjoy the fish.  I knew she would.  She loves her Grandpa's fish tank.

 Grumpy P

Loving the fish!

After Shedd we decided to take a water taxi ride over to Navy Pier.  It wasn't how I really remembered it but it was ok.  We ate some delicious food at Bubba Gumps and walked around.  After that we were SO hot (it was 96 degrees!) we took the girls to this fountain across the street to play and cool off.  P is such a water baby.  She loves it.

 My new buddy!

 Me and the girls!

 Me and mini me on the boat!

 Playing in the fountain.

Sitting on the park bench :)

The next day the boys were heading to Wisconsin to go bass fishing.  Us girls got up and went to breakfast.  We went to the pool for a little bit but it was so busy and so hot and they wouldn't let us take the blow up toys in for the babies so it was pointless.  We came home and just made bows and tutus and hung out.  That night we ordered Chicago deep dish pizza for dinner so Danielle could try it!

The next day Danielle and I wanted to go to the water park but the boys didn't want to and suggested the zoo.  I knew that was a bad idea from the get go considering it going to be about 98 degrees out.  But we packed up and went anyway and it was MISERABLE.  The babies were sweaty and hot and we were sweaty and hot and we walked all over the place and still didn't even see everything.  I'd like to go back there another day when we can actually enjoy it.  We all just wanted to leave.  The only cool part was the dolphin show.  I was so surprised but how much P liked it.  She was watching it and rocking back and forth.

 Cooling off at the zoo splash pad!

We are dumb.

This morning we went to breakfast and I tried to give P some avocado and she just spit it out.  Daddy gave her the tiniest piece of pancake and she freaked out.  She freaked all of us out as well.  She started coughing and gagging and I started freaking out thinking she was choking on it.   I was trying to grab her up out of the high chair and couldn't get her.  So I am yelling at Dustin to help me grab her up.  She then puked all over and it was over...except she then spit out the tiny piece of pancake...seriously P?  I don't think she was actually choking because I don't think it was even big enough to choke her.  Every time we give her anything that isn't pureed she gags and shudders like it is the worst thing she's ever tasted.  I guess we will stick to pureed foods for now.  It was so scary when it was happening but looking back it was so silly.  She's a mess.

The Smith's are now on their way home and we will miss them!  I hope we get to visit them soon.  Maybe when it's not 100 degrees every day in Florida.

Oh and check out all of P's new diva poses with her hand under her chin.  She is TOO much.

My favorite time of day

Every evening after dinner, bath, and a book, P and I sit and rock and she nurses.  The sun is going down and her room has the most perfect relaxing light coming in.  I wish in these moments that time would just stand still.  

Memorial Day

Memorial Day we spent celebrating at Dustin's brother's house.  It was so beautiful out.  I just wanted to be outside all day!  P wouldn't nap there of course until I laid down with her and took a nap myself.  Maybe she just doesn't like being alone in unfamiliar places.  Who knows.  After our nap we played outside in her pool and just laid around in the yard.  She didn't take her afternoon nap but her and I laid on a blanket outside and she just relaxed and watched everyone play games in the yard.  

Everyone loves P and I am so glad for that but sometimes it is overwhelming to me.  I have become such a germaphobe.  Everyone always wants to touch her and hug her and kiss her.  I don't mind a kiss or a hug but sometimes it gets to be too much and makes me want to just grab her and give her a bath.  I want to kiss her and hug her all day, but I am her mom and I get to do that!  She came out of me.  She eats from me.  I can kiss her all I want!  

We matched!

Yesterday P and I packed up and went to Joliet to pick up daddy's wedding ring that was getting dipped so it will be shiny again. I finally talked to them about my wedding and anniversary bands that are supposed to be the same exact band but since they were made at two separate times the jeweler didn't make them identical.  I asked the jeweler in Virginia about it and she just kind of blew me off.  I finally talked to the girl here and she said they could send it back to the main jeweler in Chicago to make me two identical matching bands.  FINALLY.  Although it will take like 4 weeks to be completed and I will be ringless until then, it will be worth it.  Nothing like getting a bunch of dirty looks from old ladies after they notice my naked ring finger though.  Oh well!

After leaving the jeweler we headed to Uncle Tom's house!  I love, love, love going there!  It was so nice out and Aunt Loretta and I pushed P all over the place in her stroller.  We went to see the koi and the horses and the cats.  P loved every minute of it.  Especially the horses.  I hope she has a love for them someday like I do.  I love talking to Aunt Loretta and she makes me feel so happy and confident with my decisions as a mother.  I was telling her how I feel that people are always standing over my shoulder (LITERALLY) watching my every move with P and how people blatantly ignore me when I tell them something because apparently they they know best.  Or how I hear people discussing P's growth or questioning all my decisions I make for my daughter.  It is so frustrating.  Aunt Lolly just eased my mind and told me that we as mothers just need to find what works for us and what we feel is right and just ignore everyone else.  She told me that I am doing an awesome job and not to worry!  I needed to hear that because I feel like everything I have done since the day I told anyone I was pregnant has been critiqued, questioned, and scrutinized.  I know I am making the best choices and I don't make any choices without the help of Dustin either. 

As mothers, we will all make mistakes.  A friend wrote awhile back on her blog about something her mother in law told her.    She told her that she would be a better mother than her own and that some day her sweet daughter would become a better mother than she was.  We all need to learn from our mistakes so that we don't teach our little ones to make the same ones.