Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! Happy 1st Christmas Andrina!

The three of us enjoyed a very quiet Christmas at home this year, celebrating not only Christmas but Andrina's first Christmas. To start the day off, I made pumpkin spice pancakes and scrambled eggs. Very yummy! Then Andrina got to open her presents from Tom and I and to finish off the day, we made Christmas dinner: ham, green bean casserole, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, and Hawaiian sweet rolls. Very, very yummy! Andrina needed to nap throughout the day and she played with her new toys, old toys, and was basically held and cuddled all day long (wait a minute, that's exactly like any other day...). We also got a little over an hour total of video throughout the day. I was getting anxious to start videoing earlier in the day and Andrina was down for her first nap of the day so I started the video of the dogs getting their new toys for Christmas. Towards the end of the day, Tom and I watched some holiday movies, namely A Muppet Christmas Carol, my personal favorite Christmas movie which I must have on every year. Andrina got to watch some of it while sitting on my lap. Although it was mainly on as a background as she was so cute cooing and babbling so the three of us were talking to each other as opposed to watching the movie. Here's some pictures:

With Daddy while opening presents

Playing with a new tiger toy from Auntie Reenie

Tummy time with new toys from Mommy and Daddy

From a few weeks ago, Andrina helping to pick out ornaments for the tree.

Andrina's ornaments and a family one for this year.

Playtime during dinner for baby.

Mommy and Baby on Christmas

Daddy and Baby while making dinner.

Christmas treats for Teenie...

...and Mina...

Lucy got the ham bone outside after dinner. There's no picture of that though... but trust me, she LOVED it!

...and new toys for the dogs too.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Happy 1st Christmas Andrina!

You were the best part of the day!

She did it again!

Andrina just rolled over from her back to her front again! She had gotten her onsie dirty with drool and spit-up so I took it off of her while she was lying down playing and when I got up to get a clean onsie, she had rolled over onto her stomach! I missed this roll over though, at least I got to see her do the first one! She was reaching for the MP3 player again, as she knocked it over while rolling over. She even rolled over onto her toys!

Back to Front Rollover

This afternoon Andrina completed her first back-to-front rollover! She was lying on her back playing (after having completed 25 straight minutes of tummy time and voiced that she had had enough of that) while her baby MP3 player was next to her playing music. Well, she wanted it after seeing it lighting up while playing and started reaching for it, which got her to roll over onto her stomach. Here's some pictures:

Way to go Andrina!

Another big milestone!

Daddy is a Playground

I just wanted to post some pictures of Tom playing with Andrina

Look at me Mom!

This is one way to get more tummy time!

"Walking"

Tummy to tummy

Hi Daddy!

Baby Airplane

Andrina looks like she's ready to take off!

Naked Baby!

I took this picture a little over a week ago but did not post it at that time. Well, I was adding new pictures that I had uploaded from my camera to my collection of screen savers and saw this one full size. Andrina is absolutely adorable in it! OMG, she is even cuter when this picture fills the entire screen! So I had to post it. She really could be a baby model...

Co-sleeping, nursing, attachment parenting

I am stubborn. When I want something I have a tendency to keep going for it until I get it (part of the reason I kept trying to breastfeed when it obviously was not working out, I kept trying for almost 3 weeks anyways). One of the things I really wanted to do with Andrina was co-sleep with her in our bed. We did it somewhat at first but it really didn't work out. Andrina would squirm around a lot and Tom and I could not really get any rest because we were worried about rolling over on her or the blanket getting pulled up over her face. So when we would put her to bed with us, we'd lay there so still, afraid to make the slightest movement and it would take so long for us to fall asleep. When I would finally fall asleep, I wouldn't get any good sleep because the slightest sound or movement from Andrina would wake me up and then I would not be able to get back to sleep. So we discovered that swaddling Andrina and putting her to sleep in her own crib was the best option for our family. We all sleep best like that.

But I never got over wanting her to sleep with us in our bed. Sometimes I try to bring her to bed with us. Many times after putting her to bed for the night and going to bed myself, I miss her and I want her with me. It's purely selfish. Andrina is able to sleep on her own just fine. It's Mommy who wants Baby. Well, I did it again last night. I wanted my baby with me. So I brought her to bed with us and we "slept" until 4:30 a.m. Of course, it took me over an hour to fall asleep because I was afraid to move. At 4:30 Tom got up with her to feed her and asked me if I wanted her back in bed with me. I said no. At that point I was too tired and actually relieved that she would be safely in her crib and I could feel comfortable really being able to fall asleep. I would be free to toss and turn and move my blanket and pillow around however I needed to to be comfortable.

So co-sleeping has not worked out. Breastfeeding has not worked out. And my ideal situation of sleeping with my baby next to me and her being able to nurse whenever she wanted to did not work out either. Obviously. But I know that there will be times I'll still want Andrina next to me at night and I'll break down and bring her to bed with me. Thankfully I am able to be with her all day like I wanted to. I am so fortunate that I don't have to work outside the home and I can be with her all day long. Even though we don't technically practice "attachment parenting", my baby and I are completely attached to each other.

5 Months Old

Happy 5 Month Birthday Andrina!

In about a month Andrina will be eating solid foods so I decided that she should now be with us at the table as much as possible when we eat our meals (we usually try to schedule our meals while Andrina is napping so we have more time to actively play with and cuddle her). Tonight she joined us at the dinner table in her high chair for the first time (propped up with a blanket). She was content to sit there with us for about 10 minutes, then she began to fuss so I held her in my lap while I finished my dinner. She was content and watched me eat (we may be closer to starting solid foods than I originally thought). Here's some pictures of her in her high chair for the first time:

"I Think The Tree Needs More Lights"

Said Tom when we finally got all the lights up on it tonight. I don't know, I think it's got enough lights on it already? What do you guys think? By the way, all that glow in the picture, that's all emanating from the Christmas tree lights, nothing else!

This Could Be An Applebee's Ad

Andrina and I got to visit April and Anne yesterday. It was a really nice visit. We took the girls to toddler story time at the library. Andrina smiled and laughed while being held and sung to while I also did the "wheels on bus" and the "if you're happy and you know it" body motions with her. Andrina was doing so well during story time, so well behaved and noticeably enjoying the songs and books that you almost could not tell that she was so much younger than the other kids there. And Anne kept getting books to look at and she kept giving me Andrina's bottle to give to her. Awww!

Speaking of Anne, my little niece is a great kid. I know she means the world to April like Andrina does to me. And April is so proud of her. The more time I get to spend with Anne, the more I can see her like April does. She listens so well for a toddler and is a happy and bright kid. They are both great. Both so cute and sweet. Both are developing wonderfully too. It was so nice to see Anne again and see her interacting with Andrina more. I have to include a story about Anne, even if she's not my daughter:

All day long, Andrina had been drooling like a baby does (and maybe those teeth might be on their way...). And I had been wiping her mouth gently with a burp cloth every time I noticed her drooling. Well, the 4 of us were back at April's house and I was sitting down, holding Andrina on my lap facing outwards when I felt something wet hit my hand. Of couse I knew it was baby drool and I reached for the burp cloth and there was little Anne, standing right in front of Andrina, holding the burp cloth, and right away she used it to wipe Andrina's mouth! It was so cute and so sweet! April and I were amazed! I'm so happy we both got to see that. This was a new behavior for Anne. Anne must have noticed me wiping Andrina's mouth at the library when her little cousin drooled and she imitated it. It goes to show you that kids always notice what is going on around them.

Here's some pictures of Anne kissing her cousin Andrina, or "Baby" as Anne calls her. Anne happened to have her balloon from lunch with her too. These are such sweet pictures, they could be an ad for Applebee's.

No Midnight Scream

Good news: Andrina slept all night through without waking up screaming. Actually, she went 14 hours without eating. 11 hours of that she was asleep. She had her last bottle at 6 pm, then refused a bottle at 8 pm before I was about to bathe her. She would not drink any of it. I tried again after her bath but she did not want any of it again. Tom and I figured she'd wake up in the middle of the night to eat since she last ate at 6:00 but she didn't. She woke up at 8am to eat! Amazing. She's still as happy as ever too.

Midnight Scream

Andrina has been sleeping through the night for about a week now. So Tom and I were really scared and surprised when she woke up last night at midnight, screaming! I'd never heard her cry and scream like that before. I went to her immediately and she would not stop screaming! Changed her diaper, which was barely wet, took her temperature, which was a perfect 98.6, rocked her, and cuddled her. She'd quiet down as if everything was ok for a minute then start screaming again. So we got the bottle ready and Tom fed her. That was what she wanted. Plain and simple. Food. Now. Instant gratification. That was all weird because even when she was a newborn and woke up to be fed, she did not scream like that. I hope that was a one time thing. I guess she had a bad dream (can babies really have bad dreams?) and that combined with wedging herself into the narrow ways of the crib must have really freaked her out. Thankfully this morning she was back to her usual happy baby self. She only cried out a little, like ususal when she woke up, and was talking to herself when I got her out of her crib. All seems well, I even got her usual bright smile when I said good morning to her (side note, isn't that just the best thing when you're baby is so happy to see you?). We'll have to see how it goes tonight. I hope you sleep better tonight My Love.

Ouch! You Really Are a Strong Baby!

I was just snapping up the crotch on Andrina's onsie after a diaper change when she grabbed my left forearm (which was closer to her head than my other forearm). She does this all the time and I think it's adorable how she wraps both her arms around my forearm. And I usually tell her, "yes, I belong to you" since it's like she claiming me. Well, this time she grabbed my arm, and before I knew it since I was busy getting her clothes back on, she grabbed hold of my skin in both her hands really tight, twisted my skin as she dug her fingernails into my flesh! Ouch it hurt! I was not expecting that one! Ever since she starting kicking non-stop in the womb I've been telling her how strong she is. And she proved it once again. Speaking of in the womb, I remember how I was about 6 months pregnant and Tom and I were playing the "Daddy's hands on Mommy's belly hoping to feel her kick game" when she kicked right where Tom's hand was. She kicked so hard she kicked his hand right off of my belly. Tom's surprised exclamation was, "holy shit"! He he he. That was funny!

"Now That's a Beautiful Baby!"

Andrina and I went with Tom to his doctor's visit today so I could do one very important thing: show off my baby. I had been there with him a few times before while I was pregnant so logic dictates that they now have to see the "product" of my pregnancy (not that this does anything for their lives but for me it does). Of course everyone said she was beautiful; the doctor, the nurses, all the receptionists. But it was in the waiting room where I was really suprised. I was walking through holding Andrina over my shoulder and when we passed this one older lady I heard her loudly say, "now that's a beautiful baby!". So I turned around to say thank you and there were 3 women sitting there all going "aww" about Andrina (maybe they were talking about babies or sharing pictures before we got into the waiting room, who knows). I'd never heard a stranger compliment her like that before with such matter-of-fact conviction!

Yes Andrina, you really are a beautiful baby.

Not that we had to hear it to know it though!

And you're such a cute little sweetie too!

Wern't These Jammies Supposed To Be Too Big?

I remember seeing these jammies that Doreen gave me at my baby shower. The tags said they were 3 to 6 month size but looking at them I thought they were huge! They looked so big! I thought that they were mislabeled and they were really for a 1 year old baby, not one 3 to 6 months old. Well, I put Andrina to bed last night wearing one of them and of course, it fit (even if it is a little roomy). I remember how tiny she was when she was born. I was holding her and looking at these "huge" jammies and I thought to myself that she'd never fit into them. Well of course I was wrong. Of course she grew to fit into them. But it seems amazing that she has grown so much in such a short amount of time. Yes I understand all about growth and development of babies from a biological and psychological perspective. But for me personally, emotionally, it is difficult to process even when the evidence is staring me in the face and there is no denying it. Like most moms, I'm sure, I get sad at times when I think of Andrina growing up. She is this wonderful, beautiful, perfect baby and it breaks my heart to think that it won't last forever. My only consolation is that she is so healthy and beautiful and with continued love and encouragement she will be capable of achieving whatever goals she sets for herself. And for me, as I take pride in all her accomplishments now, that will only continue. So maybe that is how I will cope with her growing up on me.

New Discovery

Andrina has discovered her little feet! And she's super cute doing it too!

Getting Better?

Andrina's congestion does not seem as be as it was a few days ago. She does not seem to be sneezing as much as before either. I hope she is getting better. Tom and I are feeling a little bit better ourselves. I hope we are all getting over this cold. Soon.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Yesterday we celebrated Thanksgiving at our house with my parents, sisters and my sister April's husband and daughter. Here's some pictures of Andrina's first Thanksgiving:

Andrina with Grandpa

Andrina with Mommy
I am so very thankful for my happy, healthy, and beautiful baby daughter.

Andrina with her cousin Anne and their Grandma and Grandpa (and there's Auntie April in the background too!)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!

Colds

Our whole household has a cold-including baby Andrina. Our beautiful little baby sneezed on both Tom and myself a few days ago and now we are feeling those nasty effects of having a cold. Andrina has a cold too (obviously) but she seems to be doing so much better than we are. We are all congested but Tom and I are the most cranky and out-of-sorts from it. Andrina is still as happy as ever, the only difference is she is a little bit more sleepy than usual. I'm glad she does not seem too distressed by it.

I personally am feeling miserable. Colds suck. I'm tired of sneezing and not being able to breathe. "Achoo".

Decisions, Decisions

I can't decide which of these pictures I like best:

So Beautiful

I just had to post these pictures. Andrina is sooooooooo beautiful! OMG, she is just the most gorgeous little baby ever! I am sooooooooooooooo in love with her! How could anyone not be in love with her? And she has the sweetest, happiest personality too AND she's so easy to care for! I really won the ultimate baby lottery with her!

Andrina being able to tolerate and enjoy tummy time now!

Getting ready for bed after her bath tonight.

Goodnight My Love. I can't wait to do it all again tomorrow!

-Mommy

Front to Back Rollover

Andrina completed her first front-to-back rollover today. Yea, Mommy is so proud of you! I just wish I had the video camera running. Also, since yesterday, she is doing so much better with tummy time. Andrina is finally beginning to tolerate it and will let us prop her up on her forearms and she will pull herself up on them too and push her chest off of the floor.

4 Months Old!

Andrina is 4 months old today! Happy Birthday My Sweet Wonderful Baby! Your stats are:
12 lbs 9 ozs and 24 inches long! I love you!

Bed Time

I wanted to post this a few days ago but I had a difficult time uploading the pictures into my computer. Here's Andrina all ready for bed, Mommy too! Please pardon my very ugly jammies, although they are perfect for those times when she spits up on me!

Terrible Toys

It was on the news again last night, more toy recalls. I have to officially say that I am sickened by all of the dangerous toys that have made their way into American homes. I am so angry at "Corporate America" and our elected officials who have their heads so far up the corporations butts that they can't get out with out a proctologist! I cannot believe that this was allowed to happen. The safety of our nation's children and babies is not as important as profits made by cheaply manufacturing toys in another country where their safety regulations are substandard.

Personally, I have looked at all of Andrina's toys and all of them were made in China. This is really disgusting to me that they may be dangerous, even if they were not recalled. It is even scarier to me now since my baby recently "discovered" her hands and will soon start putting everything in her mouth. It's time to start buying American made toys. However, this sounds simple but with the cheap manufacturing costs in other countries and the tax breaks the corporations get to not make their products in the USA, it may be difficult to find high-quality, reasonably priced, American made toys.

My Not-So-Secret Love Affair

When I was pregnant, even before I was pregnant, I knew I would love my baby. When I was pregnant, I would rub my belly and imagine what my baby would be like. Would he or she be easy going? Have a difficult temperament and be often cranky, hard to soothe? Smart? Cute? Average? Be intellectual? Artistic? Athletic? Have medical problems? Every day I would rub my belly and talk to my baby. Let my baby know that no matter who he or she was, I would always love and care for him or her. That no matter what happened, I would be there and go through it with my little "bun".

When Andrina was born and placed on my chest, I wrapped my arms around her and all I could think and say was "my baby". My pregnancy seemed to last forever and I waited so long for her to arrive that when she did arrive, it almost did not seem real. Looking back on her birth, I think my saying "my baby" was my mind integrating all the anticipation that within a moment became a reality. "My baby" was finally here. She no longer was the potential to be a baby, she really was "my baby".

I gave birth to Andrina at 9:29 in the evening and I kept her with me until 1:00 am. At 1:00 I started to feel tired and decided it would be best to go to sleep and get some rest, so I reluctantly sent Andrina to the nursery to get a real sponge bath and to sleep and for me to sleep as well. Sleep did not happen for me. All I could think of was Andrina. Was she bathed yet? Did she want to nurse again? Was she warm and cozy? Was she crying? If she was crying, was she being cuddled and soothed? Was she asleep? What was she experiencing in her new environment? I gave up on sleep at 3am and pressed the call button for the nurse and asked for my baby. She said they would bring her to me soon. I only lasted 10 minutes before I got up and slowly made my way to the nursery. Sore, bruised, and bleeding, it seemed to take forever to get there. And of course, when I got there, a nurse was bringing Andrina out of the nursery to me. So I walked with them back to my room. Andrina woke up and I brought her into bed with me, nursed her as best as I could (she might have gotten a drop or two) and then snuggled up with her in my hospital bed. I just laid there as Andrina quietly went to sleep. I kept looking at her, holding her hands, kissing her, feeling her warmth and smelling her new baby smell. I was so happy that she was healthy and beautiful and looked forward to hearing from the pediatrician the next day to confirm what I already knew; that Andrina was healthy. And that she could go home soon. Around 4:30 am I finally began to fall asleep.

Today Andrina is 3 and 1/2 months old and, I'm not exaggerating, every time I look at her I get a rush. The sight of her automatically brings a smile to my face and many times, tears in my eyes. I knew I would love her. I didn't know just how all consuming that love would feel. Seeing her happy, seeing her smile and laugh, watching her play, grow and develop is truly the most amazing thing I have ever experienced. And I have not lived a boring life. Maybe a mostly quiet life (I hate drama) but I have been fortunate to see and experience much. But my love for my baby girl is so overwhelming that I wonder how I ever once survived without her. I love being her mom. I love holding her, cuddling her, kissing her, talking with her, playing with her, making her smile and laugh, watching her develop. I am completely, totally, utterly, and hopelessly in love with her.

1st Candy Stash!

Here's Andrina with all of the trick-or-treat candy she got tonight. All this from only 5 of our neighbors too! Of course she can't eat any of it but I thought it was a cute picture to take. She's also in her Halloween jammies; they have little ghosts all over them and they say "BOO" on each foot and the butt too. Aww! She's so cute! Time for bed soon, she's had a very busy day for a 3 and 1/2 month old baby.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Here's Andrina all dressed up in her little black kitty cat costume for Halloween!

Soooooooooooooooooooooooo cute!

Off to go on her first trick-or-treating now!

Another Day at the Pumpkin Patch

Yesterday we all went to the Pumpkin Patch with Andrina, so she got to go twice this year. Here's some pictures:

Happy Fall!

Happy Halloween!