Baby Love - Eight Months

My Sweet Charlotte-

You are EIGHT months old!

You are both giggly and serious all at the same time.  You are very curious and nosy!

Your cousin, D, spent the night!  It was a fun sleepover!!

We tried on your Easter dress and had pictures made with bunnies and chicks!  

What are your stats?
You weigh approximately 16lbs and are about 28" long.

What are you eating?
You are drinking four bottles a day - three 6 oz bottles every four hours and then one 8 oz bottle before bedtime.  This month we added some baby food meals to your diet:  Chicken Noodle, Mac n Cheese, Turkey and Rice, etc.  You are eating cereal or fruit for breakfast and then a 4 oz serving of veggies or protein for lunch/dinner.

When do you eat and sleep?
Our routine still hasn't varied much.  You wake up around 7:00 am - eat every four hours - go to bed around 9:30-10:00pm.

What do your routines look like?
Routines don't change much around here.  We have added in some high chair time for your cereal and dinner.  You also have been taking a longer afternoon nap.

What size clothes and diapers are you wearing?
Little girl, you haven't changed from last month!  Still wearing size 2 diapers, 6-9m pajamas.  Your other clothes vary by brand!

What are some things you love?
You love being in the floor with your toys.  You really love your Momma.  You love Sophie the Giraffe.  You love your new Big Girl carseat!

What are some things you don't love?
You don't like having a stuffy nose.  You don't like laying still to have your diaper or clothes changed.  You don't like laying correctly in your swing.  {We had to add shoulder straps to keep you from laying forward...}

What can you do?
You can pick things up with your pointer finger and thumb.  You say "Ahhh" and "Mmmm" when eating.  You can say "Hi" (but this is pretty sporadic...).  You can crawl backwards.  You can go from a sitting position to laying down and back to sitting.  You can take your paci out of your mouth and put it back in.  Sometimes you will hold your own bottle.  You can also push yourself up on your hands and feet.

What are we looking forward to in the next month?

Before you turn NINE months, you will:
*Have your first Easter.
*Start crawling forward.
*Say "Momma" and "Daddy"

{Wishful thinking on the last two...}

Baby Love - Seven Months

My Sweet Charlotte,

You are SEVEN months old!

You are a sweet girl.  You love your tongue more than any other baby I know.

What are your stats?
You weigh approximately 15lbs and you are about 27" long.

What are you eating?
You drink four bottles a day - three 6 oz bottles every four hours and then one 8oz bottle before bedtime.  Your list of baby foods is growing -- green beans, carrots, green peas, sweet potatoes, squash, peaches, pears, avocado, bananas, and applesauce.  Your least favorite is green beans and your favorite is a tie between squash and sweet potatoes.  You eat one 2oz serving of baby food every day for lunch.

When do you eat and sleep?
Our routine still hasn't varied much.  You wake up around 7:00am - eat every four hours - go to bed around 9:30-10:00pm.

What do your routines look like?
In the morning, you take your bottle then play for about an hour.  Then, you take a nice long nap in your swing.  You have baby food and a bottle at lunch time.  We get dressed.  Then, it's time to play some more.  You are sitting up very well.  You are also practicing your scooting!  You take a little nap.  Then you have a dinner time bottle.  You play with Daddy.  We squeeze a short nap in before bath time.  Then it's nighttime bottle and bed!

What size clothes and diapers are you wearing?
You are still wearing Size 2 diapers.  You moved up into size 6-9m pajamas.  Other clothes depend on brand and style.  You can still wear some 0-3 onesies.  But you can also wear 12m in other brands.

What are some things you love?
You love your Momma and Daddy.  You love being nosy.  You love for people to talk to you.

What are some things you don't love?
You don't like it when Daddy touches your nose or ears.  You don't like eating these days.  You don't like sitting still.

What can you do?
You can reach for people to pick you up.  You can give hugs.  You can say "Mmmm" after a bite.  You can put yourself to sleep at night.  {Momma hasn't talked about this very much to her friends.  About two weeks ago, Daddy suggested just laying you in your crib awake after your bedtime bottle.  So, Momma tried it.  I laid you down and gave you a paci and lovey.  You snuggled right up and went to sleep.  You have done this every night for two weeks now.  We are proud of you!}

What are we looking forward to in the next month?

Before you turn EIGHT months, you will:
* Have your first slumber party with Delaney.  Keegan is having tubes, so Delaney is spending the night with us.
*Have your first night alone with Daddy.  Momma is going to Branson on a Girl's Getaway.
*Have a girl's night with Momma while Daddy is at Men's Retreat.

Baby Love - Six Months

My Sweet Charlotte,

You are SIX months old!

This month, we stayed inside a LOT because, Baby, it's cold outside!  But, I did finally take you outside to get your picture in the snow.  It wasn't your first snow, but your first snow picture.  And, I didn't even let you touch it.

What are your stats and what does the doctor say?

You weigh 14 lbs 10 oz and you are 26 inches long.  Dr. Chris said you are in the 20th %tile for weight and the 60th %tile for height.  He was very impressed with your motor skills and said everything looks good nutritionally; you are just skinny.

What are you eating?

You are still eating Enfamil ProSoBee.  You are eating four bottles a day -- three 6 oz bottles every four hours and then one 8 oz bottle before bedtime.  We tried baby foods - green beans, carrots, green peas, sweet potatoes, squash, peaches, pears, and avocado.  The peaches were awful.  Your belly hurt for days!!  You are doing much better eating from a spoon.  You like your food very, very thick -- like guacamole-thick!  We mix half an ounce of baby food with rice cereal so that it is a thick enough consistency for you.

When do you eat and sleep? 

You like your routine!  You wake up around 7:30am - eat every four hours - go to bed around 9:30-10:00pm.

What do your routines look like?

In the morning, you take your bottle and then play in your new jumper-roo for about an hour.  Then you take a nice long nap in your swing.  You have baby food and a bottle at lunch time.  We play on the floor with your toys.  You practice sitting up and trying to scoot.  Then, we play some more and take another nap!  Eat. Play. Sleep. Repeat.

What size clothes and diapers are you wearing?

You are wearing 3-6 months clothes.  You are wearing Size 2 diapers.

What are some things you love?

You love YOUR TONGUE.  You love to MOVE and WIGGLE.  You love SITTING UP!  You love your Cabbage Patch Cuties.

What are some things you don't love?

You don't like going to sleep at night because you are afraid you will miss something.  You don't like it when you can't see your Momma.

What can you do?

You can pass toys from one hand to the other.  You can SIT UP.   You can play PEEK-A-BOO!  You can hold a sippy cup.  You have started to reach for people when they pick you up.

What are we looking forward to in the next month?

Before you turn seven months: 

* You will practice using your sippy cup and holding your bottle.
*You will practice your scooting skills.
*You will get your 6 month immunizations.

Day to Day

Everyone wants me to blog more.  But, I really feel like I don't have much to say.  Here is a day-to-day with the Shores Girls for you.

7:30ish am - Charlotte wakes up very happy in the mornings.  She gets a diaper change and a breakfast bottle.

8:00 am - After the bottle, we snuggle for a little bit.

8:15 am - She gets tired of the snuggling pretty quick.  So, we get in the floor and play with toys like Luna the Lion.  Luna is a Charlotte's first Cabbage Patch baby.  Mimi and Pops bought her, but Delaney helped pick her out.  Delaney definitely had an ulterior motive.  Delaney told me "I buy this for Baby Charlotte.  And Mimi.  Charlotte not play with Baby Fee Fee."  {Delaney received a Cabbage Patch baby named Fee Fee for Christmas from Pops and Mimi.  Baby Fee Fee stays at Pops and Mimi's house.  Mimi made the mistake of telling Delaney that Charlotte played with Baby Fee Fee one day.  Well...that was not going to work.  Delaney decided Charlotte needed a baby of her own.}

9:30ish - Charlotte starts to get a little fussy.  We do a quick diaper change and she takes a nap in her swing.  Swing + paci + lovey = Successful nap.  I generally have about 1.5 - 2 hours to get things done.  I try to do some housework and shower during this nap.

11:30 - When Charlotte wakes up from her morning nap, it's lunch time!  She is doing much better with baby food.  She likes it REALLY thick.  I have to add rice cereal to everything.  She has had carrots, green beans, squash, green peas, and peaches.  I think squash has been her favorite so far.  She also loves Mum Mums.  They are baby rice cakes that we like to call Surf Boards.  She isn't a fan of Puffs yet.  She gags when they are in her mouth.

12:00 - After baby food lunch, we play for a little bit.  Charlotte loves her jumperoo, but she is trying so hard to crawl.  So, she prefers being in the floor for now.  She loves her Flower Chime Garden, Sing n' Learn Puppy, Luna the Lion, "Bubbles" the Seahorse, her vtech Lady Bug, and of course Sophie the Giraffe.  She has really started using her hands with accuracy in the last couple of weeks.

12:30 -  Charlotte thinks "Baby Food Lunch" is really just an appetizer.  She prefers her bottle.  She gets a lunch bottle after the baby food has settled on her belly.

1:00 -  After lunch, Charlotte gets dressed up.  {Some days we stay in our pajamas...not going to lie}  She still is not a fan of being dressed and undressed.  I think its just the having to lay still that gets her.

Afternoons - Our afternoons very depending on the day.  On Mondays, we go grocery shopping at Wal-Mart and stop by the butcher on the way home.  Charlotte is very good at napping during all this commotion.  Some times (usually Fridays) we go shopping or run errands.  Some days, we have appointments.  Then, sometimes we just stay home.  Charlotte gets a nap in though...no matter what.

4:00 - Time to stretch and play.

4:30ish - We have another bottle.  Girl's gotta eat.

5:00 -  Daddy gets home {roughly} around 6:00.  So, we start cooking him some dinner.  Charlotte likes to sit in her bumbo sometimes.  Other days, she sits in her walker in the kitchen.  She is a good helper.

5:45 -  Evenings are a little rough still.  Some days, she sits in her high chair while we eat dinner.  Some days, she goes to sleep before Daddy gets home and naps in her swing while we eat dinner.  Some days, nothing will suit her.  

Evenings -  So, we just go with the flow.  If she naps at dinner, then that's great!  She will sleep for an hour to an hour-and-a-half.  Then we play.  If she doesn't nap early, then she has dinner with us.  Then she plays with Daddy for a bit.  Then, she naps.

8:30 - 9:00 - (Depending on how her nap pattern went......) Charlotte gets a bath every evening.  She still loves it.  She has learned to splash a bit, but it is still a relaxing and soothing time for her.  After bath, she gets all lotioned up, hair brushed, and clean pajamas.  Then she gets a nighttime bottle.  She guzzles it down and then snuggles.  She usually goes right to sleep.  I hold her and rock her for a little bit.  Its a sweet time.

10:00ish - Charlotte sleeps in her crib and Momma and Daddy sleep in their room.

Baby Love - Five Months

My Sweet Charlotte,

You are FIVE months old!

This month, we celebrated Christmas several times at several places.  We had a couple of birthdays and a Happy New Year!

What are your stats and what does the doctor say?

You weigh {approximately} 14 pounds and you are about 26 inches long.

What are you eating?

You are still eating Enfamil ProSoBee.  You are eating 6 oz bottles every four hours during the day.  We tried baby foods - rice cereal, carrots, and green beans - but you are not a fan.  We will keep practicing though.

When do you eat and sleep? 

You like your routine!  You get a bath and your bedtime bottle between 9:30 and 10:00pm.  Sometimes, you sleep GREAT - like 7-8 hours straight.  Then, other times, you wake up at 4:00 am for a bottle.

What do your routines look like?

In the morning, you take your bottle and then play in your new jumper-roo for about an hour.  Then you take a nice long nap in your swing.  You have cereal and a bottle at lunch time.  We play on the floor with the new toys you got for Christmas.  Then, we play some more and take another nap!  Eat. Play. Sleep. Repeat.

What size clothes and diapers are you wearing?

You are wearing 3-6 months clothes.  You are wearing Size 2 diapers.

What are some things you love?

You love YOUR TONGUE.  You love to MOVE and WIGGLE.  You love your new Jumper-roo!  You love all your new toys that you got for Christmas.

What are some things you don't love?

You don't like eating from a spoon.  You don't like going to sleep at night because you are afraid you will miss something.

What can you do?

You can reach for your toys.  You can make kissy faces.  You can roll over back to front.

Who has visited and watched you?

Great Aunt Tammy and Savannah kept you while I went to the eye doctor.  Miss Tammi and Ellie also watched you twice while I went to appointments!

What are we looking forward to in the next month?

Before you turn six months: 

* You will try to start sitting up.

 * You will get to practice, practice, practice with eating from a spoon.

Baby Love - Four Months

 My Sweet Charlotte Faye,

You are FOUR MONTHS OLD!

This month you spent the night away from Momma and Daddy, you celebrated Thanksgiving, you decorated the Christmas tree, and you had your first snow!

What are your stats and what does the doctor say?

We go to see Dr. Chris for your four month check up next week.  Unofficially, you weigh 13 pounds and you are 25 inches long.

What are you eating?

You are still eating Enfamil ProSoBee.  You are eating 5 oz bottles every three - four hours.  Now that you are four months, you get to start baby foods!  We tried Rice Cereal and you seemed to enjoy it.

When do you eat and sleep? 

We have been sticking to our routine.  You get a bath and your bedtime bottle between 9:30 and 10:00pm.  You were doing SO GOOD sleeping through the night…but I think you must miss Momma.  You have been getting up around 3:00am again for a little snack and snuggle time.

What do your routines look like?

In the morning, you take your bottle and then play on your Kick n’ Play Piano Gym and in your WonderBug for about an hour.  Then you take a nice long nap in your swing.  You have cereal and a bottle at lunch time.  Play some more and take another nap!  Eat. Play. Sleep. Repeat.

What size clothes and diapers are you wearing?

You are wearing 0-3 months and 3 month clothes.  Your legs are really long enough for 3-6 month pants, but you still need 0-3 month onesies.  You are wearing Size 1 diapers.

What are some things you love?

You love YOUR TONGUE.  You love standing up on someone’s lap.  You love your Kick n' Play Piano Gym, your WonderBug exersaucer, and your new Flower Chime Garden.  You still love your Lovie.  You love when people talk and sing to you.  You love music.

What are some things you don't love?

You don't like being buckled in your swing or carseat (but you love both once you are all buckled up).  You definitely do not like teething.

What can you do?

You can push the buttons on your toys to make the music come on.  You can smile when you see someone you know.  You can almost roll over back to front.

Who has visited and watched you?

Aunt Magan and Uncle Adam kept you overnight.  You loved spending the night and they loved having you.  You met lots of people over the Thanksgiving Holiday.

What are your nicknames?

Daddy and I call you Sis and Sister.  This will probably stick.  Your Great Grandma wants the nickname Lottie to stick.

What are we looking forward to in the next month?

Before you turn five months: 

* You will have your first Christmas Holiday Experience.

 * You will get to try several new baby foods like green beans, carrots, and sweet potatoes!