Going eight months and proud of it!

Eight has been great! Everyone says I am getting so big! No official Dr. appt's this month... we will have to wait for next month to find out the stat's!

I am officially crawling, pulling myself up on everything and even cruising some of the furniture. Mommy & Daddy have put a few gates up as well as did something called "babyproof"... it seems that since I am getting around a bit more, they are afraid I will get into trouble or hurt myself.

I am eating Stage 3 foods... I have pretty much tried eating EVERYTHING I am allowed at this time... Not so found of the chicken, ham or turkey baby food's and sweet potatoes & green beans make my belly hurt so Mommy does not give me those. I love Italian Icee's! I am eating more and more things with my fingers too: bananas, puffs, peas, carrots, watermelon, cookies, mashed potatoes, egg yolks & a cupcake for Daddy's birthday.... This month I get to try cheerios, yogurt, pancakes and granola bars! I am drinking all the time out of my sippy cup and can use a straw now too. I still take 4 bottles a day but mostly at nap times.

Sleeping... well I am still not taking all my naps but Mommy does not seem to be freaking out as much anymore. She tries to get me to sleep in my crib when we are at home... I just get so alone and don't want to be without Mommy. Sometimes I stand in my crib for a while crying and then she comes back in and sits and rocks with me... I can then fall asleep in mommy's arms! (Kayla is learning at bedtime that crying won't get her anywhere... she paces her crib somewhat like a dog cirlces and then lays down when they find a comfy spot)... I am no longer sleeping in my sleep sack, but Mommy & Daddy won't let me sleep with a blanket yet... so its back to the footie PJ's.

I am talking and talking more each day! I say Dadadada, I even say Mamama - but Dadadadada comes out ALOT more. There is alot of rambling and I know Mommy & Daddy wonder what I am saying... since I talk SO much. I love playing games and reading books! And MICKEY MOUSE is my new best friend!!! No joke, I can watch Mickey all day everyday... although Mommy does not let me watch tv too much! I can wave bye bye or hello... whichever works for ya! I am always very social when we go out and my smile seems to make other people happy!

The big number this month is 23 pounds! I am growing and growing each day! Wearing 12 month clothes too... Mommy has been shopping up a storm since all the summer clothes given to me are 9 months!

Here are some pictures from this month!

Pulling herself up on yet something else!

We go to the zoo almost every other week...

she loves looking around at the animals and all the other kids.

Taking a dip in her pool at Grandma's while daddy mows the lawn!

Finding her way into the kitchen right

after we installed one of the new gates.

Kayla & Emme at Katie's 1st Communion

Our little couch potato...ugh!

Playing on the floor at Grandma's

Ready to go shopping for our summer vacation house!

An afternoon of play - dumping over the toy bin!

Yummy cupcake from Daddy's birthday

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Just chilling out!

I will save you Mickey! - Testing out the new baby bathtub we got for her...

Playing ball with her cousin Grace.

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Monthly Pooh Photo Shoot

HOLY CRAP! As you can see to the right sidebar, we take monthly photo's of Kayla with her Pooh Bear to track her size... kudos to the Metcalfe's for the idea!

Today when we were trying to take pictures - for the perfect one of course - Miss Kayla wanted to do everything BUT sit with Pooh... Thinking she is "over" this?

Wiggles & Giggles

I went to this place called Wiggles &Giggles a long time ago with Mommy and some of our playgroup friends. But since it was such a poopy day outside today, Mommy & Daddy decided to take me again... sicnce I am moving around a little better they thought that I might have a bunch of fun... we did - check out our photos & video (separate post).

Taking a crawling break...

Weeeeee........

She really loved some of the equipment!

Someone would rather walk than crawl!

Stopping for a photo!

Requesting to do the slide all by herself!

Italian Ice is SOOO Yummy!

One day at the zoo, it was super hot so Mommy got a treat for us to share! Yummo to Cherry Italian Icee!

Crawling to a park near you!

Although its a work in progress... she is such a determined little thing sometimes. You tempt her and she goes after it! Nothing holds her back... Along with the fact that, like most women, she likes shiny things... these drawer pulls are very much up her alley right now!

First the crib... now the couch!

Ok so when I first saw Kayla standing in the crib I thought "this is ok, she is safe and surrounded by cushion!"... Until I walked in to find her standing by the couch! There is NO WHERE for her to pull herself up - or so I thought. Since the below picture was taken, she has only done it like 3 more times but you get the point!

Kayla takes a STAND!

Big news folks... Instead of napping during naptime, Miss Kayla thought it would be much more fun to learn something NEW. I walked in to find her standing by the side of the crib smiling so big as if she just won the Tour De France.... We see this smile often when she is so proud of herself. I decided to setup the camera and left the room to see if she would do it again (of course this was for Daddy to see also).

Jersey Shore watch out!

Brian decided to take off on his birthday this year (it only took me about 10 yrs of asking for this and Kayla asks ONCE... whatever! LOL)... Since it was going to be an ideal beach day (for April in NJ) we decided to take Kayla to the beach for the day... Daddy dipped her toes in the cold Atlantic Ocean and then read books to her on the blanket. She was interested in the sand but when we put her on it, she ran her hands thru it gave a yucky look and turned to crawl back onto the blanket! She enjoyed laying in the sun and watching the waves. She loved the bumpy stroller ride of the boardwalk... and of course everyone oohhing and ahhing giving her the attentionshe SO loves! We are really looking forward to taking her there this summer for our 1st Family Vacation!

The End of the Swing Era....

Our little turkey is now too big and strong for our coveted swing.   This was one of the top 5 gifts we received at the Baby Shower and its proved to be probably the most useful (next to the bottle warmer!).   Kayla LOVES her swing and has gotten so used to falling asleep in it that she rarely napped in the crib - especially the past two months with all her congestion.  In the past few weeks, we realized that we REALLY needed to transition her out of the swing and while our "drop dead" date was to be May 1st... the other day I walked in to find her "hanging" from the mobile... all the while being strapped in!  She looked at me and laughed... This photo below was taken shortly after that laugh... After the picture, Kayla played on the floor of her bedroom while I disassembled and packed up the swing!  So far, napping in the crib has not been a very big success ... Thank GOD we always put her in the crib for nighttime bedtime!  This is truly the end of an era!

Lucky Number SEVEN!

Seven is a pretty big number these days... 

* One of Daddy's favorite's, Mickey Mantle's number

* The number of digits it takes to use the phone and call DADADADA (I love the phone!)

*There are seven wonders of the ancient world.

* There are seven continents in the world

*There are seven colors of the rainbow

* There are seven days in a week

*A ladybug commonly has seven spots!

* Seven is also the number of stars in the constellation, Big Dipper

* Most important... I am seven months now!

Even though we did not do many exciting things this month because me & Mommy were very sick, I still have lots of news!  This month I really started getting around. As you can see by mommy's recent post, I can get up on all fours now... Actually I think I do the "downward dog" quite well.  I am crawling backwards - I keep trying to go forwards but I guess my arms & legs are not working together the way that they should.  I am sitting up completely on my own and love sitting in my Toy Story chair.  Although I can't quite understand why when I try to stand up and fall forward... another work in progress I assume. I can get from the sitting position to laying on my back, then I roll over and crawl backwards. I can pivot my body too so I guess in the end IF I really wanted to get somewhere, I could!  I love walking around in my walkers - we have one in the kitchen and one in the garage for outside. My friend Maddie let me borrow her yellow sports car... I love it!  I think Mommy got a little nervous about me moving around one day and now all the sudden there is this BIG gate at the top of my stairs... I hope she does not plan on putting those all over the house... I am working on the crawling and sitting up from laying down but otherwise I think I am developing quite nicely!

I am still eating all my foods - 3 meals a day consisting of cereals, grains & rices, fruits, veggies and chicken!  I take 5 bottles a day and either 2-3 naps each day. Mommy has this schedule down pretty good... when it works, it works and sometimes when we have busy days, I get pooped!  The good thing is that I am learning how to sleep thru the night (with the exception of my one baba).  I started eating these things called "puffs", mommy & daddy say that these will help me learn how to chew foods that they eat so I can join in on their fun!  I still only have these two front bottom teeth but boy are they sharp and strong!  I am also starting to pick up small pieces of fruit and eating them and I got to try a "cookie" for the first time - I think my parents almost had a heart attack though when they realized half the cookie was GONE!

Next stop... Chicken Parm!  (just kidding)

I wake up to start my day at about 6am ( I think mommy & daddy wish this was later but sometimes I can play in my crib for a little while so they can sleep in ... or they bring me to bed and let me watch cartoons!)... My day ends between 6-7pm depending on how the day went.  I am a very happy baby and LOVE to interact with people wherever I go. 

We have alot on the calendar for May - Communion's, Birthdays, Garage Sales, Trips to the Zoo... Stay tuned during the month for more updates!

OK mommy, my turn to take a picture of you!

She loves her cartoons in jammies!

Obsession with the remote does not even explain this!  She will soon be crawling over him!

Sitting patiently in her stroller waiting for her friend to go to the park!

Although she is not pulling herself up, she stands very well for about 2 minutes til she tips over :)

Kayla's rental sports car - Thanks Maddie!

Kayla's 1st "cookie"

Planning her 1st jail break!

Allergies, Ear Infections, Asthma.... UGH!

April was just full of excitement in our house. Kayla got her first ear infection and we hope its not the start of many to come. Mommy had some serious ear infection issues when she was little - leading up to tubes 3 times and then removal of the tonsils and adenoids.  Daddy had a few ear infections but never surgery.  We did not even know that it was an ear infection - not like the pulling on her ears and hard core fever... just lots of congestion and tons of loose poop (sorry).  So we took her in and it was diagnosed - her 1st antibiotic.  The Dr. told us to keep her sleeping in an elevated position so we decided that we wanted to watch her closely (being on the med's)... instead of letting her sleep in her swing or crib with the end propped up, she slept in bed with Mommy like a big girl... using a pillow and all!  Unfortunately this meant Daddy was on the couch or in the twin bed in Kayla's room - afterall, he brings home the bacon and needs his beauty sleep!  LOL  She did well the first few nights so we decided to do half nights in the swing and when we went to bed moved her to the crib. The end is propped up with a beach towel under the mattress but she moves so much that her feet end up elevated!  Sort of counter productive but she still wakes up for a bottle around 3am so she'll get repositioned anyway.  The antibiotic is all done but the severe congestion remains... we brought her back to the Dr. for a cough but they said it was all part of this "game"....  

Since Kayla got sick, I also ended up getting a little something...  mine turns out to be reactive airway disease brought on by allergies and asthma!  Fun stuff!  The allergist says that this is by far the worst allergy season in over 30 yrs. So I am bringing Kayla to see him at the end of this month so he can help her out too!  During the whole ordeal with my coughing fits - Brian was SOOOOO amazing!  Even working everyday, he let me sleep (with the wonderful aide of nyquil) and got up with Kayla every night for 10 days straight!  With no complaints (ok may one or two) but seriously he is our angel!  Kayla & I are very lucky to have someone to love us both so unconditionally!  He proved that he is a wonderful daddy and hubby.... now if I can only get those pantry shelves put up!  (just kidding babe!)

Here Daddy snapped a shot of Mommy & Kayla taking a snooze!

We had to change her diet to non-lactose formula, apples/bananas/rice & do steams baths twice a day... along with the medicine and tons of saline nose junk!

Up on all four's!

A new development this weekend and Brian was there to actually see it for the 1st time with me... Kayla found a way to go up on all 4's... hands and feet.  We wonder if crawling is the next logical step for her?

Playdate with Sofia

After many reschedule's we were finally able to get together with the Klock's. Kayla was so excited to play with Sofia that she really did not want any part of sleeping that night.  We had a bunch of fun though!

Summer Days in April

Just like any other day, Tracy & I thought we'd take the girls to the park and get in a nice little walk. Little did we know that in doing so we'd get SOAKED from sweating. GROSS!  We made it there and lasted about 40 minutes before Maddie had the great idea to go in her little baby pool!  All this is APRIL!  We hope this is not a forecast of a hot hot hot summer to come!

Waiting at the corner for Maddie

A few pushed on the swing, but it was just too hot!

Maddie inviting us to come swimming!

Kayla's 1st dip in the baby pool... a little aprehensive

"This water is a littl cold mommy!"

"So the grass stays outside the pool?"

Never fails...

She was so fascinated by the reflecting lights in the pool from the sun!

Bathing beauty...

All dry, cooled off and ready for more playtime!