04.29.2013

Big developments today: Moving toy shaker from one hand to the other, shaking it, eating your own pear for first time (or I guess gnawing on it... You maybe got a few chunks), and playing with the keyboard (will you be a computer nerd like your father ;)

04.28.2013

I've said it before, but I will say it again... We loooove Saturdays! Having Daddy home is our favorite! The weather continues to be amazing and Dad just wanted to be outside today. We loaded up the stroller and headed towards Mt. Tabor for some playing in the grass and a picnic!

04.27.2013

You have recently started rolling when you stir in your sleep. It wakes you all the way, of course. Sometimes I actually have to hold you to keep you on your back and to help you lull yourself back to sleep.

04.26.2013

Tonight you were teething the most I've seen yet. It makes me think you will have a tooth pop through soon, but when!?

04.25.2013

At our Alma mama group the other mamas were amazed at how you are an almost crawler. Babies shouldn't be compared because all babies do things in their own time, but some of the mamas were definitely looking at the way you turn and move compared to their own little ones... Soon you will be moving!

04.24.2013

Today included a session of Craniosacral, a walk across bridge with dad (in which you took your first nap of the day), and nap in the park (because the guy was at the house getting it earthquake ready and it was sooo loud!) We are loving this beautiful weather!!

04.23.2013

Last night was a really difficult night. You were up every 45 minutes to hour. You also woke up for over an hour in the middle of the night. I think you were having some tummy issues, despite that, you were all smiles.

We are slowly making progress with food. And slowly I mean like waiting for your birthday slow! Soon you'll be eating with us at dinner time and testing new foods! And while that's exciting, it's also a bit sad watching time pass and you grow.

This is the photo we used to send Uncle Bric birthday wishes. It's a favorite now!!

04.22.2013

Oh how you love P! This morning we got to hang out with them for a bit after they woke up. You do not take your eyes off your cousins, and you especially love when P tries to make you smile!

04.21.2013

Last night you were up a lot. Mama was a bit unsure what was going on at certain points in the night... So when we woke up in the morning, she convinced Dad to take you while she tried to snooze a bit longer. You went on a walk with him to get coffee and to the park. I am so excited for you to spend time alone with your father. When you're big enough, you'll be begging him to take you to the playground.

04.20.2013

We love the weekends! Today we did lots of weekend things... We slept in, well in a way. You get up early, but you go back to sleep about an hour after you get up, so mama just laid back down to sleep when you did. We then went to get coffee. We hung out around the house being bums. Mama cleaned a little. You went on a walk with Daddy while Mama took a shower and started a sewing project. We cuddled and played. Your cousin, P, came over for a while too! P came over after you'd fallen asleep, but despite my best efforts, I wasn't able to put you to bed... I tried, but by the time I made it to the living room to turn on the video monitor you had rolled over and gotten ahold of the camera. When I turned it on I expected to see my sweet sleeping baby but instead I saw my sweet awake baby handling the camera! It made me giggle!!

04.19.2013

You are starting to move more! The past day or two you've been working those arms to turn your body and go to completely different places!! I think you'll be crawling in our near future!! You'll love being able to move on your own. While we can't wait to see you do this, we are still very happy with an immobile baby - so feel free to take your time. Master sitting and enjoy the time you can just sitting and playing sweetly before you jump right into crawling!!

04.18.2013

This is the hairdo you sported today. Last night was bath night. Some bath nights... Well most bath nights end with a mad dash to get your pajamas on before you fall apart completely, which leaves less time for styling your hair!

And your tongue. You've been sticking it out like this when you smile sometimes and it is. So. Cute!!

Phoenix hung out with us this afternoon and evening because your sweet cousin Z came down with a fever and had to go to the ER again. You enjoyed having him over and watched him with a smile through most of dinner! We missed Z and wish she were feeling better!! And of course we missed your aunt and uncle too, but having P over was definitely fun and we must do it again soon!!!

04.17.2013

Your naps were a bit off today, especially your long afternoon nap. You ended up taking it earlier and for a shorter time. With a little sunshine and a whole afternoon ahead, I decided we would go to the nursery for plants for our porch. You were so funny because each plant I'd pick up you'd reach for from the Ergo.

We ended up spending a little time planting on the front porch, you hanging out in the Bumbo seat playing with your toys and toes and watching people pass by. The rest of the planting was done while you hung out with Daddy during the evening.

The photo today is from our evening naked baby music making play time on the bed before jammies get put on. This is one of my favorite times of the day and yours too! You laugh the most during this time!!

04.16.2013

We did lots of hanging out today. We seem to both be fighting the cold. You are also continuing to fight off some bad food... Last Thursday Mama took a homeopathic for a sore throat, not even thinking to check the label. Turns out there's lactose in it... We've been off dairy for months! Eek! I had also started testing chicken (but symptoms started before the chicken could have been completely to blame). Most likely, I am assuming it was the dairy. Poor you, your skin freaked out. You had the worst diaper rash you have ever had, crying and squirming at each diaper change. You got the baby version of diarrhea... For many days... All this made me realize what a good thing it is that I am doing this diet. Sometimes people are unaware of the causes for these two things and don't watch what goes into the baby's body. Seeing you miserable would just break my heart (does break my heart!) I am just so happy to be actively trying to figure out what does and doesn't work for you!

04.15.2013

Now Mama is starting to feel Daddy's sickness. Of course Mama has it so nice being able to stay home with you, but when it comes to being sick, Mama will learn all too quickly that the time of the sick days has passed!! This means today and the next few days will be spent taking it easy and napping with the baby! So lots of naps little one!!

P.S. Your Aunt Kendra and Aunt Jac love your smile in the top right photo. You've started doing that recently!! Hehe!

04.14.2013

Daddy was still feeling under the weather so it was another day of hanging out with the mama. We can't wait for him to feel better!!

04.13.2013

Your father and I sit around being amazed and in awe of you beautiful baby girl! We wonder if any other parents feel this way about their kids... You are truly beautiful and amazing and perfect to us!!! Our love for you grows exponentially each day!!

04.12.2013

Dear Baby Girl,

I am watching you sleep right this moment and a rush of emotion is overtaking me. You are more amazing than I'll ever be able to explain. You are more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. You are more loved than I ever thought possible. I want you to know that I do my very best to be in the moment with you and enjoy you to the fullest. I hope I can always be this way, and I hope I always remember to tell you just how special you are to me. I want you to never doubt that you are loved and that you are one of our favorite parts of our lives!

Love,
Your Mama

04.11.2013

Daddy is sick. Which means we are trying to take care of him while trying not to catch what he has (a nasty head cold). Mama has yet to be sick since you were born (& actually she hasn't been sick since right around the time she found out you were growing inside!)

We spent part of our day outside even though the weather seems to have turned chilly the past few days. You continue to keep you eyes on Zia and Phoenix as they run and play. Maybe you are dreaming of the days when you'll be able to run and play with them yourself.

04.10.2013

You and I have been enjoying walks everyday. Some days we enjoy multiple walks. Where do we walk you wonder? The library, the grocery store (either Freddy's or New Seasons), the park, to see neighborhood chickens, or just to wonder around!

04.09.2013

Hey little swinger! This afternoon we got out of the house for a bit with your Aunt Jac and cousins P and Z. We made our way to Laurelhurst Park playground. Mama has been wanting to try you in the swing, and today seemed like a perfect time! You are a bit small for the seat, but with a little extra cushion you cozied right in. You did seem to like it. I'm sure there will be PLENTY of swinging in your future!

Oh and that little tongue... Your new thing! You stick it out and smile. It's the most a-freaking-dorable thing EVER!

Tonight was our Baby CPR class. Mama was afraid of what it would be like because it was during baby witching hour. You did GREAT. You squirmed (of course!) and you practiced your screaming, but you were great. And now Mama and Daddy are trained if we ever need to be. We took the class in preparation for you to start eating. You are sooo wanting our food at dinner time. Pretty soon we'll be pulling up the high chair and dishing out some food for you. (& then we'll be cleaning you and the floor up after it goes everywhere!)

04.08.2013

Hello little cow! We sent this photo to Uncle Ben and told him we had a cow for sale! He replied saying he wasn't so sure he could afford this cow!!! Of course, we'd never sell you. Your our little cow to love and snuggle forever! (well till you are at least 21... then maybe we'll let you go!)

You have been working so hard on getting this sitting thing going! Tonight you sat on bed by yourself for over a minute! It's so amazing watching you work to master this new skill. Each day you become a little better than you were the day before!

By the way, there was no reason in particular for you to be dressed like a cow. When we borrowed clothes from Eliza, this was one of the things we borrowed just because. I say since you decided to stand me up and the homemade costume I made you for last Halloween, I get to dress you like a cow in April for the heck of it! And if that isn't the cutest, I don't know WHAT is!

04.07.2013

Daddy went snowboarding today, so we had the whole day to hang out together. We had hoped to hang out with your cousins and aunt upstairs, but your Aunt Jac came down with a stomach bug! Instead, we hung out with lots of other family, virtually. We started the day with our weekly Schultz family google hangout. Then, Mama and Daddy's friends from New York text to see if we wanted to video chat, so we got to see Charlie and his mama, Christina for a while. It made Mama realize how much she missed them! It also made her wish we were closer so you and Charlie could play together! Finally, we hung out with your Nana and cousins, Tristan and Khloe. Khloe kept wanting to touch the screen and Tristan kept pointing out Nana and Tristan. Technology is the best! We get to hang out and see each other even though we are states away!

04.06.2013

Here you are bright eyed and bushy tailed! You decided to wake up with the sun this morning. It was before 7... you were sweet enough to play on your play mat (which you haven't been into lately) while Mama ate breakfast.

We love Saturdays. It means we get to see Daddy! We took him shopping for snowboarding stuff. Lucky guy!

04.05.2013

Sometimes you don't want to go to sleep, especially for that last nap. Today, you fought it and fought it. You were still awake when your father came home from work. This photo doesn't capture the truly funny part of it - the way you fell asleep - but it does show how zonked you are! He had to just carry you around against his chest with you facing out. You squirmed. You fought it. You made noises with your voice. And then, you passed out!

04.04.2013

Another evening of sitting on the stoop at sunset. This was the photo we took for you Aunt Trishia's birthday wish. Mama added a pirate ship to it and a pirate hat to your head to make it a little more silly.

Your schedule has started becoming more of a set(ish) thing. You nap about an hour after you wake up in the morning for about 30 minutes to an hour and a half (yah that varies a bit). Then about 2 hours after you wake up, around noon, you nap again. This nap is anywhere from an hour to 3 hours long depending on your other naps. Then you take a late afternoon nap for usually about 30 minutes to an hour. The evenings aren't as difficult lately too. You laugh and smile and coo and scream until about 7:30 or so. At about 7:45, we start to get you ready for bed (Daddy plays music for you on a little instrument we recently got second hand). You laugh and wiggle and are as happy as can be nudey benudey on the bed, until Mama starts to put your jammies on. At this point, Dad has to kick up the show to distract you or make you smile while Mama slips your limbs into your fuzzy footed jammies. You are usually asleep by 8:30 p.m.

04.03.2013

"Baby, Baby!"

Those are the words Zia says anytime she sees you. Heck, she says them even when she doesn't see you! It makes me wonder if she'll always call you the baby... I'm sure it'll fade out considering soon enough you'll grow to be about her size and your age difference won't be so obvious.

You have no idea how excited I am for you to grow up so close to your cousin Zia. You two will be built in best friends, we hope! And I'd say you adore her as much as she adores you!

04.02.2013

Today we took a LONG stroller ride. We walked all the way to the doctor's office to drop off a report on how you've been doing with our search for your food allergies (which sadly wasn't the best news, because yesterday we took a step back...) It was a LONG walk. Mama definitely got a workout!

You seemed to totally enjoy the ride though. You actually fell asleep right around the time this photo was taken as we snaked through the neighborhood on our way to New Seasons (which we go to almost daily because Mama wants to have the freshest produce and this food thing is kind of a one day at a time sort of thing).

04.01.2013

Your first April Fool's Day. We did nothing exciting or foolish, but I'm sure in years to come, we'll be playing tricks on each other! This evening Daddy played guitar for us on the porch. The weather has been so nice that we've been trying to take advantage of it as much as possible before the rain comes back.

And speaking of music, you shared some of your musical talents tonight on video. It's quite adorable. Daddy holds you over the piano and you stomp out quite a tune! You seem to really enjoy it too!! I am hopeful that you might become a talented pianist and someday we can look back and watch you playing your first songs! (Of course, if piano doesn't interest you, or you don't want to keep your nails cut short like your mama didn't (just one of the reasons she stopped piano lessons) that's just fine too!!)

03.31.2013

Like I mentioned yesterday, this weekend was filled with firsts. It is crazy how many new things you experience and do each day. You are growing so fast (which is fun and sad at the same time ;). Today was your first Easter. The Easter Bunny left you a basket full of goodies. There was also a bunny that your mama made for you and a ton of stuff from Nana and Papa in there as well. We did an Easter egg hunt for your cousins in the backyard. The whole time, I kept dreaming about next year when you'd be toddling around finding eggs with P and Z too! It was another beautiful day, so we were outside as much as possible. In the park, we sat in the grass and wondered the paths. Later, we decided to go on a walk to Freddy's and put you in your stroller for the first time! You were joined by your cousin Zia in her stroller, which she sweetly claimed her love for the ride (a ride she had denied with a passion last fall before you were born during a trip to the zoo). Will you do the same someday?

03.30.2013

Your life is filled with so many firsts! It's like every day you've got at least one new first! This weekend is no different!! You had your first hike in Forest Park, your first time in a swing by yourself (don't worry it's in the backyard and there's plenty more times of swinging in your future!), your first Easter bunny basket, your first ride in the stroller.

The weather was so beautiful, we knew we had to be outside. Daddy suggested a hike in Forest Park while we were on our weekend coffee walk through Laurelhurst Park (oh how Mommy misses coffee!) You seemed to enjoy the hike. We stopped at one point in a little nook of tree seats to nurse you and potty you. You've been doing such an amazing job with pottying and you definitely won't be afraid to go in nature (I just hope you don't just drop down to pee in 'inappropriate' places once you are a bit older - which will probably happen anyway!) You fell asleep on our hike and slept through our lunch (which meant Mom and Dad were able to eat and enjoy each other's conversation without too much interruption - thanks sweet baby!) the drive, and a quick stop at the grocery store.

We spent as much of the rest of the day outside. Daddy took a nap, so you and I went to the backyard to sit in the grass. You loved it! You kept leaning over the side of your Bumbo picking grass. I even took your socks off so you could feel the grass with your toes. I cannot wait for your first summer when we can spend lots of time in the grass playing!

03.29.2013

Sad day today: Aunt Kendra and Uncle Ian flew back to New York City. We miss them already so much! They will be back in Portland in July for the Schultz family trip, which will be nice because you'll 8 months old then and hopefully crawling around doing all kinds of fun things!!

03.28.2013

We got a lot of Aunt Kendra time today! We woke up and went for a long walk with her all the way to Mt. Tabor, up to the top, back down and to New Seasons (where you got your mustache sticker) and home. Then you went upstairs with her while Mama showered (you've been spending lots of time with your aunt away from your mama which makes me smile because I know how lucky you are to have such amazing aunts (& uncles too, of course!))

We took her to the Crystal Springs Garden - which you had only ever been to in utero. You fell asleep part way through and since I wanted you to nap as long as possible, your Aunt Kendra and I found a bench to relax on until you woke... You gave us over an hour to sit and chat uninterrupted! And it was AMAZING! Mama needed that (thanks Sweet Pea!!)

Sounds like a lot for one day, but we weren't done! Your uncles and Daddy got off work early and we headed to the Gorge to hike Horsetail Falls. It was bad timing both there and back for you and our trip involved a few stops along the way. It is the most difficult thing having you so upset in the car seat. I really hope you grow out of that stage soon and will ride with a bit more ease on longer trips! The car is pretty much the only place you cry, because any other time you are upset, we are there to get you and we usually can before it escalates into full on crying! The hike was beautiful, but I think you were done being tied in. I pulled you out of the Ergo pretty early in the hike and your sweet daddy ended up carrying you the rest of the way up and back.