Happy 5th Birthday, Staci!

Dear Staci

You turned five just a couple of weeks ago. You are sensitive, loving, imaginative, compassionate, wise beyond your years and downright hilarious at times. You give your love freely without hesitation. You rock the crap out of that ballet class and are ready for the next level. You've grown SO much in preschool this year, I'm so amazed. You've made great friends with awesome parents. You've started to recognize several sight words and just this morning did simple math (3+3) in your head very quickly. That shocked me, but it shouldn't. You sing Frozen at the top of your lungs just like your sister--only you're starting to understand pitch and musicality. You. Love. Dresses. I have to share this collage of photos because I think it shows how amazing you are as a sister. You are so great with your little sister, and she is so lucky to have you!! And you are lucky to have her, too.

Photo Courtesy Mandy Leonards Photography www.mandyleonardsphotography.com

Favorite Color: Pink
Favorite Food: Pizza
Favorite TV Show: Strawberry Shortcake
Height: 42.5"
Weight: 45lbs
Size: 5T

You want nothing more than to ride your bike you got for your birthday in a circle in the driveway for hours on end. But I have to watch you. Every. Single. Second.

I cry every time I think about your going off to kindergarten next year!! Happy Birthday sweetheart. You are loved beyond measure.

Staci-ism #4,576

Tonight. Oh tonight. I almost died tonight. Laughing, that is! My wonderful mama (Grandma E) came over to see me on my birthday and brought me an awesome gift (a brand new can opener!!! Don't smirk. If you had seen our old can opener in action, you'd be just as excited as I was about this new contraption--and some bucks to buy a new top!). She stayed for a while after dinner and played with Staci. Staci is in a book phase, happy to sit while you read her story after story after story after... you get the picture. They sat down to read 'Let's Go All Around the Neighborhood'. It's a cute little book from my childhood which I have fond memories of also reading with my mom. In this book, Susie and her mom spend the day running errands. Susie gets a new pair of red shoes, they go play at the park, and even get to have a special lunch at a restaurant. 

Grandma E is doing a great job of stopping every few words and letting Staci fill in the blanks. She has most of her books memorized and loves to help read. They get to a point where Susie and her mom go out to eat. I hear this exchange: 

Grandma E: Susie has a...

Staci: Hamburger!

Grandma E: with a....

Staci: pickle!!!

Grandma E: and a glass of...

Staci: WINE!!

And for the record, no. I do not let me 3 year old have wine at lunch time. Dinner time would be more appropriate for that! I kid, I kid. 

Hide and Seek Staci

my little performer

Dear Anastasia,

So, I'm late with your Happy Birthday letter, and I want to apologize. I just want you to know I love you. So much it hurts sometimes. It brings tears to my eyes when you tell me you love me, or that Olivia is your best friend. I scolded you yesterday out of frustration and immediately felt bad. I apologized and said, "I'm sorry Staci. I shouldn't have said that to you." Effortlessly, you said, "it's okay, Mommy." You are hands down one of the most beautiful people I have ever had the privilege of knowing.

We played a real game of hide and seek yesterday for the first time. We've hid from each other before but this was a REAL game. You covered your eyes and counted to ten, and then would exclaim, "ready or not, here I come!" and look around for me. Then, it would be my turn to cover my eyes and count and for you to hide. It was some of the most fun I've had playing a game with you so far, and I can't wait to do it again!

--You are wearing size 4T clothes

Staci and Mommy during ONT (Olivia Nap-Time)

--You give the best hugs in the history of ever
--You are passionate
--You excel at puzzles
--If you had things your way, you would only wear your 'swirly whirly dress'. You don't care if it's dirty.
--Favorite food: Sponge Bob squeezable applesauce
--Favorite show: Sponge Bob; I'm mean though and don't let you watch too much of it. It is seriously the most annoying TV show ever created.
--I love taking you to our neighborhood park. You have no fear and are so self-confident. You will walk right up to any kid and introduce yourself and play with them. It's one of my favorite things about you, your lack of 'shyness'.

cutie patootie

silly girl!

--You have been in swim lessons for 2 summers now, and have mastered floating on your back. You can sing the whole alphabet while you do it! You can also swim under the water and are *this* close to being able to roll over onto your back into a back float all by yourself. This mama is PROUD!

Staci's First Day of Preschool!

Today was Staci's first day of preschool. She did SO well and was such a big girl! There were a few tears at first but she quickly acclimated and started playing.  She made a new friend and held her hand all the way out of school to the parking lot--so cute! Her teacher said she did "remarkably well" but warned there probably will be some separation issues next week when we come back. She also noted how well she used her words. See, I told you she was a genius ;)

We started out the day with her 3 year well visit. She is 36 lbs (90%) and 38" (75%) and our doctor said she's doing great.

Thanks to her teacher Miss Teresa for taking pictures of the kids!

I can't believe she's big enough for preschool, but SO PROUD of my big girl.

What do Staci's test results mean?

From the articles I have found on the internet, the IgG antibodies test is simply a screening test. It does not mean that Staci definitely has these allergies. The main point of contention I have, is that while it's true these tests are not fool-proof, they have a pretty high correlation with allergic symptoms. This article states that IgG antibodies to wheat gliadin have a 91% correlation with a positive diagnosis of Celiac's Disease (CD). I found this to be particularly alarming. Then, I read another article that basically says there's a high amount of false positives with this test, but it doesn't state what it considers to be a 'high rate' of false positives.

After receiving Staci's results, I wasn't able to get in to speak with our doctor for almost a week. Let me say this here---> that was a completely crappy thing to do to a mom. You cannot tell someone their 2.5 year old is allergic to everything they are eating and then leave them high and dry for a week. I doubt any doctors read this, but in the event that you do, please take a few minutes out of your day to call your patients when they receive news like this! By the time I saw my doctor the next week, I had convinced myself that Staci, her dad, her grandfather, and a few other people in our lives all had CD.

Based on this one test, we have the option of removing gluten, dairy and eggs from our diets (peanuts have already been removed) for a few months and then doing the blood tests again. This will allow her gut to heal and see if she is following the diet effectively. If the test results came back normal, we would be advised to slowly reintroduce these potential allergens and see how she does. My issue with this is that if Staci does, in fact, have CD, wheat and gluten could never be re-introduced. The tests for CD will not be accurate if you have removed gluten from your diet, so I feel an extreme urgency to find out if CD could be the culprit behind all of Staci's allergies.

IF Staci does have CD, it could be what is causing her other allergies (dairy and eggs). In other words, once her body heals, we may be able to have yogurt, butter, oooh and ice cream again! It is less likely she will outgrow her peanut allergy, but that is less concerning to me.

So, since gluten intolerance and CD run in families, Max and I both had our blood drawn this week as well. We should have those results hopefully before the end of the year. I also had some more blood work done on Staci (which was awful) and we should have those results next week. At this point I don't know what I'm hoping for, but it will be nice to have some answers.

I could go through the 15 other if/then situations running through my head, but for now with Staci we are doing our best to be gluten/egg/dairy/peanut free and will cross the next bridge when we come to it. I will update the blog with her (and our!) results as I receive them.

My kid is allergic to everything

Ok, maybe not EVERYTHING. But honestly? Pretty darn close. Let's start at the beginning.

As a little baby, Staci was a huge spitter. By which I mean, she spit up ALL the time. There was never a feeding after which she did not spit up, so much so I would change my shirt and her outfit no less than 4 times a day. Her spitup finally started to decrease around 7 months old, but even then was pretty severe. I read many places that some babies were just spitters and that she probably wasn't spitting up as much (volume-wise) as it appeared. Looking back, she probably spit up anywhere from 1/2oz-1oz after each feeding. That is probably why I had such an oversupply with her. She never had a problem gaining or growing, and never expressed any discomfort from the spitting so I just figured she loved to nurse and was eating too much, coupled with my super fast let-down reflex causing her to swallow more air than the average breastfed baby. I could never notice any sort of pattern to foods I ate that didn't agree with her because the spitting was so frequent. She didn't seem to have any problems with gas and her stooling patterns were normal to that of a breastfed baby.

There was one food, however, in particular that I could not consume. Chocolate notciably increased her spit up. In fact, if I ate chocolate she did not spit up. She projectile vomited her entire feeding. So, as much as it stunk, I gave up chocolate for the first 10 or 11 months of our nursing relationship. At that point, she had started to eat some solids and I tried it little by little, and she seemed to do ok with it.

Starting solids with her was an adventure. I chose to follow baby led weaning and added in some purees here and there. I quickly learned purees were not good for her, because she would always puke when I put her down for her nap. I just thought it was her normal spitting up, but now I think her stomach just wasn't mature enough to handle the solid foods. She didn't get teeth until she was 13 months old, and that is one of the most reliable signs a baby is ready for solid foods. Basically, I think she just wasn't really ready for solids until then.

Around 8 months old, I let her have a small piece of cheese. She proceeded to rub it all over her face in an effort to get it into her mouth. In a matter of minutes, her face broke out in hives and her eye nearly swelled shut. I watched her carefully for any signs of breathing trouble but no signs appeared. We had an appointment with the chiropractor that afternoon. I remember driving the entire 25 minute trip with my hand touching her, to make sure she was breathing ok and not showing signs of distress. Our wonderful chiropractors gave her some homeopathic remedy for the type of allergic reaction she was having and I do think it helped. From that point on, every time I tried any kind of dairy with her (yogurt, cheese, cow's milk, even goat's milk) she would either puke immediately, or in the event she refused to eat it, would get all snotty and crazy and upset. I thought she was just being stubborn about the yogurt b/c 'people who can't have dairy can still have yogurt'. That may be true for many who are lactose intolerant, but as you will see below, her allergies are to milk protiens.

Finally, around 16 months old, I was eating yogurt and granola (one of the only things that sounded good when I was in the early stages of pregnancy) and she wanted to try it. I hadn't given her any dairy in a while so I let her try it. She did fine! I was so psyched! As things progressed, yogurt became one of her favorite foods. I also found that I could add milk and cheese in small amounts to recipes like meatloaf or meatballs with no immediate or noticable reactions.

Around the same time, she tried peanut butter for the first time. I let her have a small bite of a peanut butter cracker I was eating and she immediately started crying and drooling like crazy. I just figured she wasn't ready for peanuts yet. I let her try it a few more times and every time, no matter how small the bite of peanut butter, she would always cry and/or spit up. As she got older, this turned more violent. I only tried peanuts about 4 times before I realized she absolutely could not have them. I thought I'd wait until she was 2 or so. The Easter before she turned 2 she ate some peanut butter in a piece of candy at a family event before I even knew what had happened. Her reaction was so immediate and so violent I haven't given her any since. She puked 4 times from one small piece of candy. I just kept thinking she would outgrow this reaction as she had seemed to with dairy, which is why I kept reintroducing it. I learned my lesson that Easter.

While all of this is going on, Staci had a rash come and go frequently. At first I thought it was yeast. We cloth diaper so I thought it kept coming back because the yeast was living in the diapers. It was so bad it bled on more than a few occasions. I took her for a second opinion and was told it was bacterial. Each time, the rash cleared up with treatment, so I just figured it was something we would have to battle with her. It didn't seem to matter if we were using disposables or cloth, so we kept using our cloth. And typically, it would be bad for a few days and then fine for weeks at a time. Now, I think it *could* be dermatitis herpetiformis, which is a rash that is associated with celiac's disease. It might not be. Maybe it really is recurrant yeast and eczema. Skin rashes are very difficult to diagnose. The next time we see it we are getting it biopsied to find out for sure.

The most recent time her rash flared, it was extremely dry, almost felt scabby. It covered her entire bottom. She also has keratosis pilaris-like bumps all over the backs of her arms, her legs, and the back of her hips. I took her to the Dr, and asked if we could get some allergy testing done. Our family Dr did a IgG food panel, and we found she has strong reactions to all dairy, eggs, gluten and peanuts.

All gluten, wheat and peanut reactions were in the IV-V range. What do these results mean? I'm going to go more in depth in the next post on what these results mean and what the next step for us is.

I also had some muscle testing done at the chiropractor and she determined Staci had a vitamin E deficiency. She said it seemed more like a deficiency than a toxicity, and gave us some homeopathic supplements (inflammatone) as well as a fish oil supplement. Staci's skin does seem to be doing better with these supplements, but that is not surprising to me as fish oil is really wonderful for your skin. Also, when something or somethings were so obviously affecting my child and her well being, I knew I needed some more concrete, science based testing done.

My head is still spinning a week and a half after we received these test results. More on what they mean and what our next step is in the next post!

Conversation with Staci

Conversation between Max and Staci:

Max: what Tv show did you watch today?

Staci: Curious George!

Max: what other TV show did you watch today?

Staci: the man in the yellow hat!

Max: What's the man in the yellow hat's name?

Staci: Yellow. (proceeds to make her elephant noises)

Staci's first haircut!

Yesterday was a landmark day at our house! Staci got her first hair cut. I took her to Cookie Cutters because I was afraid she wouldn't sit in a regular barber's chair.

Instead, she sat on a duck and got to watch Dora the Explorer. The hair-cutting lasted 5-7 minutes. She got a little nervous and tearful about half way through, but recovered quickly.

The stylist put her hair up in a cute little bun.

When all was said and done, she did great and got to go down the slide before we left!











Before:

After:

And now I have a small baggie with a few locks of hair from  her first cut. Something to go in her memory box for sure!

Staci-isms, take 2

Dear Anastasia,
  Because I see this blog as a sort of digi-scrapbook for me to keep all the things I want to remember so I can tell you about them when you're older, here are a few funny things you are doing and saying right now.

You now sit still long enough for me to paint your toenails. You actually held out your foot for me to do these.  You didn't sit still long enough for it to dry, but I had to document the occasion none-the-less.

Fwiggy-- I don't know why you call a big hug a fwiggy, perhaps it's how you say squeeze. But Fwiggy is the damned cutest name for a hug ever thought up by a toddler

We-we-a--Olivia--and I crack up every time because it sounds like you're calling your little sister a wee-wee

Ham-- Green Eggs and Ham.  you often will call books by their last name in the title-- 'who' (horten hears a) 'needs' (what baby), etc.

I see you--you will hide behind something and say, "I see you!" and then pop out the other side and say, "see me!". so. cute.

Dad-eye--what you call Daddy. 

Mommy--I have finally gone from Mama to Mommy. and I love it.

Job-ah--you frequently add an extra syllable to the end of a word. If we praise you and say, "Good Job!" you clap and say, "Job-ah!"

Ninah--What you call Shania

You have also started potty learning--and I have to say you are doing much better than I expected, much earlier than I expected. I'm so proud of you!!

Happy Birthday Anastasia

Dear Anastasia,
I absolutely love the little girl you are becoming, and the personality you are developing. We had your birthday party yesterday, and you were surrounded by family and friends. I was so impressed by your willingness to share your toys, even your brand new ones. You are so beautiful, both inside and out and you make my heart absolutely melt! Your wore the most beautiful dress and allowed us to keep a flower in your hair for much of the party.
--you are moving into size 2T clothes
--your hair is getting *so* long and both your grandmothers (as well as many of Mommy's friends) have commented on it with a 'when are you going to cut that mop?' tone. I can't bring myself to cut it yet, soon though. probably.
--You are unbelievably sweet and gentle with your baby sister. I can't wait for her to be a little bigger so you two can play together. She loves you so much already, and it's obvious you love her, too.
--Your favorite TV show is The Cat in the Hat, with Avatar coming in a close second.
--Your favorite food is the turkey sloppy joes I make--I hide sweet potato, butternut squash and carrots in them. shhhh! don't tell your daddy!
--You still only have 10 teeth. top four, bottom two, and your first four molars. I'm honestly starting to wonder if you have any more teeth.
--You and Bella are best friends. Whenever you get together you run around in circles and jump up and down for the first 10 minutes--you can't contain your excitement!
--You are your daddy's girl. He is your favorite person (and I think the feeling is mutual). It's so fun to watch you two together--whether you are just reading stories or rough-housing, it's obvious you are both having a blast.
--The first thing you say when I get you up in the morning and from your naps is, "baby!"  Melts my heart every time.
 --You know almost all of your letters, and we're working on the sounds they make.

It has been so much fun to watch you grow from a tiny baby into a little girl.  I can't wait to see what delights you as you enter your third year here with us. 

Memories of your babyhood with be with me forever.  The days of rocking you to sleep and nursing you are gone, but I will always cherish the time I had with you as a baby, and I look forward to our new relationship as it evolves.  I love you. 

18 months old

Dear Staci,



Staci and her friend Dylan.  photo credit: Elaine Lentz



You are 18 months old, growing like a weed and sharing new vocabulary with us every day.  You will frequently say words that end in 'k', but replace the 'k' at the end with a 'p'.  So, for example, the word 'book' is now lovingly called 'boop' in our house.  You love to go on 'waps' with us and our dog, Shania.  That is, until yesterday, when you said 'wal-KEH' and grinned.  Daddy and I asked you to repeat it a few times just so we could marvel in your awesome pronunciation.

Your mommy is told quite frequently that you are one of the most adorable little girls anyone has ever seen.  I have to agree with them! Your olive skin, deep brown eyes, gorgeous lashes and dimples have got me hooked.

You have a best friend, her name is Bella.  You call her 'Dede' and get so excited when she comes over you can hardly contain yourself.  The last time she walked in our door, you squealed, danced, spun in circles and then fell down.  I am pretty sure it's a mutual feeling, as I'm told Bella frequently asks to come and see Staci.

I'm often surprised by your perceptiveness and intelligence.  You make new leaps and bounds every day, while to me I think you will always be my baby girl.  I'm trying my best to keep up!  The other day you brought me a hat and I said, "this is a hat," and put it on my head.  I gave it to you, and you repeated, "hat" and put it on your head.  I was shocked at how quickly you learned what a hat was and that hats go on heads. 

One of your favorite games to play is 'hide and seek and chase'.  You and your daddy made this one up.  Daddy runs and hides, you come and find him, then turn around and try to run to 'base' (Shania's dog bed) before he can catch you--giggling as Daddy exclaims "I'm gonna get you!"  This game could go on forever as far as you are concerned!  Mommy loves watching and participating as well. 

You still love to jump, and one of your favorite things to do is jump up and sweep your feet forward so that when you land, you land in a sitting position.  Lots of 'WOOAAH's" and giggles follow.

--You are still wearing your 18 month clothing.  It depends on the brand, as some fit you just right and others are beginning to get too short.  It will be time to get out 18-24 month clothes in a month or so I'm betting.

--I keep trying to tell you there is a baby in my belly.  I ask you where the baby is and you say, "Dadi!" but I don't think you understand you're going to be a big sister yet.  That's ok, we have plenty of time to discuss it over the next 5 months

--You are still nursing.  Some days, like yesterday, you will only nurse one time.  Others, you nurse more frequently.  Today you have already nursed 3 times.  I am glad you are still nursing, because I know it is so good for you. and I swear some days the only solid food I can get you to eat is cheerios ("Cheecho's!!") and yogurt ("ya-ya!!")

--You know most body parts and attempt to say many of them

--You love shoes, and especially love to try to wear Mommy and Daddy's shoes.  I see a little girl who loves to play dress up in my future.

--Your mommy is very excited for Halloween this year.  I think we will take you trick or treating but probably not let you eat much of the candy.  Your little body just doesn't need all that sugar QUITE yet.  Maybe next year. Maybe.

Staci-isms

--A few weeks ago, Max taught Staci how to say the word 'outfit'.  It doesn't sound like outfit to the untrained ear, but she certainly knows what an 'outfit' is, and when she says it she will grab her shirt and smile.  Today, she was being super adorable (when is she not?) and I told her, "You are SO cute!".  She grabbed her shirt just like she does when she says 'outfit' and said 'cute!'  Why yes you are :)

--She won't SAY hooray, but she will throw her arms up in the air with you when you say it! (if you're happy and you know it shout hooray!)

--She has a funny bone in her butt.  Literally.  When I apply lotion before bed, that is a dry spot for her and I make sure to get it good.  Giggling ensues.

--She has learned the word ouchie, and also that she gets them on her knees.  Even though her most recent ouchie has healed, she will still point to her knee and say, "ahchie!"

--We have a book entitled 'The Library Lion' that is really a bit too old for her.  There are too many words on each page to hold her attention for the whole story.  She has learned on exactly what pages the lion roars and will raaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwrrrrrrrrrrrrrr when she opens the book to that page.  Also, if I call her a liar (like when she says poopoo and points to her butt and there is no poopoo to be found), she roars at me.

--She has all her favorite books memorized by page.  Although she can't recite them with us yet, she does any and all motions we have made up to go with them at the right time (before I do them).  For example, in the book 'Kip the Kitten', there is a page where we count the cats that come in through the cat door.  She starts tapping the page and pointing to cats before I even get there. 

I. Love. That. Child. :)

update on Staci

And before I know it, another month has gone by without me updating the blog!  Our little girl is exploding in the vocabulary department.  She has a TON of words, though some of them she will only say the first half of the word--for waffles, she says, "waffffffffffffff" LOL. She has also added 'play' and 'cereal' to her sign language skills.  She will pucker up for kisses with the cutest little fish face, she gets excited to see her bff Bella when Mommy and Aunt Mandy work out, and she will bring me her lovey to hug, ya know, just in case I needed one.  And she will also spin in circles on command. probably my favorite trick so far!

She is finally starting to expand her eating a bit--I am THRILLED to announce she is now eating yogurt with NO side effects.  In the past, when I have given her any dairy product, it has been quickly followed by stuffiness and fussiness, and occasionally hives and swelling.  She has been eating yogurt almsot every day for a week.  I'm even more elated in the fact that she LIKES it! YAY! my baby likes YOGURT! something her father will not touch with a ten foot pole.  Thank goodness.  At least I won't be begging HER to eat something besides hot pockets and pop tarts!

And you know what? She ate some cottage cheese yesterday. with no problems.  I never thought I'd get her to eat anything like that.  I'm thrilled!  Still too nervous to try mac'n'cheese or grilled cheese sandwhiches--or cow's milk for that matter, BUT, it's a start! In the past, both cow and goat milk have ended in me cleaning up puke, so I think I'll stay away from those a little while longer.

Yogurty McYogurt Face

that is so just the tip of the iceburg...

OH yeah, it got messy.  but it was awfully cute!

First Steps

Anastasia took her very first steps today!!!  I was making dinner while Daddy played with her, and I missed them.  Max SCREAMED, "MEEEGAAANN!!!" and I dropped everything and took the stairs 2 and 3 at a time. My heart was in my throat--I thought for sure she fell and hurt herself BAD or was choking or something terrible with the way he yelled my name. I got up there and he calmly stated, "Staci just took her first steps."  At which point I screamed, hugged her, and cried.

I cried for a few reasons.  1) I missed them.  I immediately felt like a horrible mother.  HOW on EARTH could I miss my daugher's VERY FIRST steps?! 2) Tears of joy.  I don't think I ever truly understood happy tears until giving birth.  What an amazing feeling. MY BABY IS WALKING!  and 3) a small part of my brain said, "HOLY SHIT! I REALLY HAVE TO BABYPROOF NOW!!"  and if you have ever tried to babyproof anything, you totally get that one.

Never fear, Staci did a repeat performance after dinner.  She can take 2-3 steps before she needs someone to catch her, but gosh--you gotta start somewhere, right? I am so happy I got to see it.  My baby girl is walking!  What a momentous occasion!

Dearest Staci,
  Congratulations sweetheart.  May those first steps be the start of some very happy feet for you.  Wherever they lead--be it to dance, to run, to jump, to spin in circles until you fall down, to far off places, may you always find yourself surrounded by love and laughter. My heart is so full right now. 

Love,

Mommy

Happy 11 months darling girl!

Dearest Staci,

How is it even possible you are almost 11 months old? 

As I write this, I find it hard to believe that exactly 11 months ago I was checking into the hospital where you were born.  The same hospital that had me sign a form stating the only people I wanted in the room during delivery were the nurse, the doctor, and your father, and then went ahead and invited the entire staff as you were crowning. I can't imagine why they made me sign all that paperwork when I was in labor.  In HARD labor.  I would have agreed that I was an elephant and should live at the Zoo if they told me it meant I'd be done signing forms! It's even more difficult to believe they took 7 tries to insert a simple HEP lock.  And then did it during a contraction.  Does anyone wonder why I'm strongly considering a home birth for the next kiddo?  I digress. 

Staci, some of the sweetest memories I have are of you as a newborn.  Your little newborn sounds, snorts, and snores.  The way you slept on our chest all day long (and refused to sleep anywhere but there even at night).  I would relish in every new thing.  Your father and I would just watch you in amazement.  And then we would watch some TV while you nursed because you would nurse for hours. 

Now, you are so different.  It's all I can do to get you to nurse just a few minutes at a time during the day.  You are so busy!  You started pulling up just a couple of weeks ago and are so good at it now.  You can pull yourself up on pretty much anything.  Your daddy is even helping you do pull-ups using the dining room table.  He swears you're doing most of the work.  Little Baby Hulk! 

--You are now wearing 9-12mo and 12mo clothing, with a few 6-12mo sized items thrown in.
--You are finally in the biggest size of your one size diaper. 
--You are pulling up and cruising, and even after only a couple of weeks are able to move from one piece of furniture to the next.  You're a little daredevil and will reeeeaaach for things and then fall if they are too far away.
--You are working on learning to climb the stairs.  Mommy is not encouraging this behavior.
--You still have no teeth
--Even though you have no teeth, you can eat just about anything. 
--Speaking of eating, you have lots of food allergies that mommy is hoping you will outgrow.  So far, you have had not-so-nice reactions to dairy, eggs, and peanut butter. 
--You are still waking frequently at night to nurse.  Mostly, now, because you are too busy to nurse during the day

Thank you for deciding to enter this world and allowing me to be your mommy.  I love you so much and I promise to help you along your path, whichever way you choose to go.

9 months! really? Where has the time gone?

Nine months and 2 days ago I had the pleasure of meeting my daughter for the very first time.  Funny enough, in just a few days, on the 6th, Staci will turn 40 weeks old.  She will have been out as long as she was in! I must say time moves MUCH faster now than it did when I was pregnant--full of so much anticipation and anxiety about becoming a mother.  Somehow we made it here, and it's a wonderful place to be!

Dear Anastasia,
  At nine months old, you are scooting yourself everywhere and you get into everything!  I just went to BRU and picked up some baby gates to keep you from trying to scoot down the stairs.  You are fearless!  Your most favorite game to play is to chase the animals.  I always know when you have Rascal or Shania as your goal because you immediately pick up speed and start giggling like a maniac.  It kills me every time!  Rascal will indulge you in the game--the second you get an arm's length away, he will get up and walk a few feet further from you.  It's as if he's saying, "catch me if you can!"  Shania, on the other hand, would really prefer not to have her fur and tail pulled.  So when she sees you coming, she gets up and moves clear across the room.  You look at me like, "Hey!  I was trying to get her!" LOL.  Both animals are very good with you and when you do get a fistful of fur, they somehow manage to just sit there and take it, and then leave at the next available opportunity.  We are certainly blessed with compassionate animals who I'm certain will be among your very first friends.

--You are still wearing 9 month clothes in most brands.  You have outgrown a few things but aren't quite into the 12 month stuff yet
--You are hovering right around 18lbs.  Stats from your 9mo checkup on Monday to come!
--Yup, still in the middle snap of your one sized diaper.
--You are finally starting to eat some solid food.  You love oatmeal with pears,and you also love avacados.  Sweet potato fries are a favorite but everything else you could pretty much take or leave.  Nursing is your most preferred from of nourishment--as it should be!
--You really raked it in for Christmas this year and we are both enjoying the new toys.  You were getting a bit bored with your old stuff (or wait, was that Mommy?).
--You are really for real waving now!  before you would wag your arm occasionally at me and I took it as waving, but now when you are scooting about and I call your name, you turn around, grin, and throw your arm up in the air.  You don't wag your hand or open and close it, but it's undeniably a greeting.  my heart melts every time
--You are still waking a few times a night, but our nights have been MUCH better recently.  You have only needed me about 2 times a night for the past week or so.  Keep it up!

I love you, Anastasia.  Thanks for choosing us to be your parents!

Happy 8 months old sweet girl!

Dear Anastasia,

Today you are 8 months and 1 day old.  I am so excited to watch you grow!  It's amazing to see how smart you are.  Today you, your Grandma Ellen and I went to Costco to pick up a few things.  They always have snacks and I picked up some pretzels with peanut butter in them.  You aren't old enough for peanut butter yet, but you don't know that!  The way you watched me eat them was intense, and then, when I wasn't looking, you made a grab for them.  It was so cute and I wished I could have given you some. Don't fret, I'm sure peanut butter will be one of your favorite things to eat after you turn one and can have it!

You are getting bigger and bigger each day! I think you will be in the 9-12 month sleepers before we know it because your little legs are so long! (you get that from me!)

-You are wearing 6-9mo and 9mo clothing
-You are still in the middle snap of your one size cloth diaper, but at nighttime we super stuff it and have to unsnap it all the way
-You are still waking up at night quite frequently to nurse, I hope to cut down on this soon so I can get a bit more rest, though, I know I will miss it when you no longer wake in the night and need me and only me.
-You have started dragging yourself about in an army crawl and it is SO adorable.  I put your toys far away from you just so I can watch you slide across the carpet!
-Your absolute favorite toy is paper. Plain paper, ad paper, envelopes, newspaper--it doesn't matter.  you love to crinkle it and rip pieces off and of course, stick it in your mouth. 
-You are not too keen on being spoonfed, though mommy tries every day at least once.  You prefer to feed yourself so you can control what goes in and when.  You love carrots, avacado, bananas, and applesauce. Cheerios are a favorite and you're finally figuring out how to get them in your mouth--where as before you'd get 3-4 in your little fist and then just suck on your fist. Silly girl!
-You still love your jumper.  I think it will be a sad day for you when you learn to walk and can no longer jump in it!
-You absolutely love to dance with Mommy and Daddy.  Lately we've been listening and singing along to Christmas music--and of course dancing, too.  You can't stop smiling and have become quite the giggle box whenever we spin.  Be still my heart!

Always remember that I love you with every fiber of my being and I will always, always, always be here for you.  You and your Daddy are my whole world, and I'm so blessed to have you both.

Happy Half-birthday, my darling girl!

Dear Anastasia,

  You are six months old today.  When I look back on the day you were born, I marvel at how much you have grown in only half of a year!  I can't know for sure, but I'd guess you are in the 17ish pound range, nearly 3 times your birth weight!  Your little thighs are getting so chubby you're getting rolls on your knees, and your little wrists look as if you're wearing a hair tie around them.  It seriously is the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen!  You are still exclusively breastfed, but we will be starting solids today or tomorrow.  I can't wait!  You still love to blow raspberries at your dad and I, and you absolutely love your Jumpster. 

We've been having some sleep issues and neither your dad nor myself are getting much sleep because of it.  I am fearful I'm not being the kind of mommy you deserve due to my sleep deprivation, so we have started the cry it out method with you.  I know you won't remember it, but I want you to know I love you so much and hearing you cry makes me cry, too.  Nevertheless, getting sleep is very important for all of us as a family.  I wish I could bring you into bed with me for every nap time, but the fact of the matter is you don't sleep all that well there anyway, and it seemed that the more I did that, the less sleep you actually got. 

Onto the fun stuff!

-You are in 6-9 month clothes, and have already gotten too long for a few of those sleepers.  Crazy, isn't it?
-You are still on the middle snap of your one-size cloth diaper. 
-You are just learning to use a sippy cup
-You can sit up all by yourself!
-You used to hate tummy-time, but are really starting to love it now!  You scoot all around the house, but you have only managed to go backwards so you never know where you are going.
-You also love to scoot on your back, you get your little feet underneath you and kick off.  it's quite entertaining to witness!
-You are still enchanted by our animals, and have managed to get a few fistfuls of Rascal and Shania fur.  luckily they are good animals and have let you do your thing.and not showed any signs of retaliation.
-You are starting to teeth.  there is a lump on your lower left side.  Upon further investigation, I am pretty sure it's just a cyst--kinda like a pimple--but I'm certain teeth aren't far behind.
-You squeel and laugh in delight when we tickle your belly, kiss it, or blow raspberries on it. 
-Peekaboo is old hat now, I am pretty sure you learned object permanance a couple of weeks ago.  you used to love it, but now you look at me like, "Silly Mommy, hiding behind your hands!  I know you're there!"
-'This little Piggy' is a favorite of yours.  I think your toes are ticklish!

I'm floored at how much I can love a tiny little person.  Every laugh, smile, giggle, reach, every first fills my heart with joy.  I can't wait to see what you love to do as you get older!  Watching you grow is a true miracle.

Love,
Mom

First post, a letter to our daughter

Dear Anastasia,
You are four months and 23 days old today! My life has changed so much since you joined us. I love you to the moon and back. You bring me endless joy. You always have a giant, dimpled smile to share. You are still stingy with your laughs, but when you share them, I can’t help but laugh, too! It is just so gorgeous to hear! You tend to prefer a 2-2.5 hour schedule during the day. It usually goes something like this:

7:30: wake up! Diaper change, nurse, play
8:30: nap for ~40 minutes
9:15: wake up, nurse, diaper change, play
11:15: nap
12:00 wake up, nurse, diaper change, play
1:30: nap
2:15: wake up, nurse, diaper change, play
4:00: nap
4:45: wake up, nurse, diaper change, play
6:15: I try to put you down for a nap, you refuse and kick your legs and scream in your crib
7:00: nurse, bath, get ready for bed
7:45: finally fall asleep after much coaxing from Mommy and Daddy
8:30: wake up to nurse
9:30: finally fall back asleep for the night!
1:30: wake up to nurse
4:30: wake up to nurse

Gosh, no wonder mommy is so tired! You just started reaching for things a few weeks ago, and now you have it down pat. When I place a toy within your grasp, you skillfully reach with both hands, grab it, and bring it to your mouth. You are at the stage where everything you can get goes to your mouth! Some people think you are teething; I, however, think you are just learning and experiencing new things. The teeth will come later; much later, mommy hopes!

You have been rolling over from back to front for about 6 weeks now. Some days I can’t set you down before you’ve rolled over, and others you don’t roll over a single time! Also, when you do roll over, you lie there on your stomach for a few minutes very proud of your accomplishment and mobility. Then, you get upset because you don’t want to be on your stomach anymore and don’t want to flip back over on your own! You have done it a couple of times, but haven’t quite figured it all out on your own yet. You prefer to have me flip you over instead.

You love to ‘talk’ to us. Sometimes it’s just vowels strung together, and others it’s more like a scream—not an upset scream though! Of course you have those on occasion, but Mommy tries to keep those to a minimum.

You are wearing size 3-6 month clothes
You are trying to learn to blow raspberries, and have gotten it a few times
You L-O-V-E your doorway jumper.
You are on the middle size of your one-size diapers
You have been exclusively breastfed
You LOVE bath time
You are enchanted by our animals, Shania and Rascal and love to grab their fur!
You are really fond of your little red dinosaur that Aunt Liz gave you
You are still spitting up a LOT.
Some of your favorite games include the washing machine, tigger, peekaboo, and grabbing my hair or cloth. And the back of my arm. Ouch!